Social inclusion is central to success of parenting programmes: new framework document launched

Parenting programmes should be socially inclusive according to a new framework document published by the British Psychological Society (BPS) today (20 September 2012).

Although evidence-based parenting programmes work, and governments are adopting them as universal child mental health measures, practitioners have found that without adapting programmes to be socially inclusive, they do not attract and retain parents who face a range of social hurdles.

The BPS's Technique Is Not Enough (TINE) framework is designed to ensure effective parenting programmes engage those most likely to benefit: parents on low incomes who are marginalised and socially excluded. The Society says that if all local programmes adopted this framework participation rates could increase dramatically.

Fabian Davis, chair of the British Psychological Society's social inclusion group said: "Parenting programmes enhance parent-child bonding, reduce parental mental ill-health and lessen the chances of children growing up with behavioural problems or worse. Although the UN endorses 23 parenting programmes on the basis of randomised controlled trials their impact is limited by who they reach. In practice programmes' recruitment and retention rates vary from a low 20% to a high of 80% in those programmes specifically adapted to reach and work with socially excluded families.

"We recommend programmes use a range of psychosocial approaches to increase inclusion by involving culturally congruent parent "graduates" in the recruitment and retention of parents. When parents who have already benefited from the programme are involved in delivering the programme to others, it really helps. Parents should also be involved in adapting programmes' content and learning styles to sensitively match participating parents' cultural backgrounds as well as quality control and evaluation."

The TINE framework describes how programme developers can invest in local parents and practitioners so their parenting programme can become an integral part of education and social care. Genuine co-production between programme developers and local parents, working alongside teachers, health and social care practitioners, can drive effective inclusion. TINE challenges developers to identify the essential ingredients from their current parenting programmes and to clarify what can be adapted to meet local parents' socio-cultural needs, whilst avoiding adaptations that dilute effectiveness.

The document evolved from joint work with families and teachers from an existing programme in an alliance including community health, psychologists, family therapists, social workers and children's rights professionals. The framework is illustrated with examples from 11 UN recommended programmes.

This work will interest parents and programme developers, parenting professionals, NHS clinical commissioning groups and local authority health and well-being boards; all involved in ensuring publically-funded programmes are fit for purpose and reach the right people. The framework is timely given the government's renewed focus on troubled families.

TINE is published in association with a range of organisations including Middlesex University, Save the Children UK, The Social Research Unit, Dartington, The Inclusion Institute, The British Association of Art Therapists and Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust. It aims to ensure that the current interest in parenting programmes translates into co-produced classes that benefit the very parents who most need them.

Technique is Not Enough: A Framework For Ensuring That Evidence Based Parenting Programmes Are Socially Inclusive can be downloaded for free at: www.bps.org.uk/system/files/images/tine.pdf

Provided by British Psychological Society