We are pleased to share the report from our exploratory study, conducted for the Youth Endowment Fund, on parenting programmes and family therapy provision in England and Wales.

Read the full report here: Parenting and Family Therapy Review

The study aimed to understand the current landscape of evidence-based parenting and family therapy programmes, how local authorities can be supported to commission more of these programmes, and how provision can be designed and delivered to meet local need effectively.

We found that parenting and family therapy programmes with some evidence of improving children’s outcomes are widely used. However, provision varies, and only around a third of surveyed local authorities deliver programmes with the strongest evidence.

Our findings show that change is needed in two key areas:

1. Expanding evidence-based parenting and family therapy provision. Achieving this will require:

• Clearer national direction on programme selection, alongside stronger, accessible and more up-to-date evidence on which programmes work, for whom, and in what circumstances.
• Sufficient, sustained and flexible funding that reflects the real costs of delivery, including workforce development and implementation support.

2. Ensuring evidence-based parenting and family therapy provision is effective and meets need. Achieving this will require:

• Provision to be informed by a clear understanding of local need, with stronger monitoring of reach, outcomes and equity of access.
• Further research to understand how parenting and family therapy programmes can most effectively contribute to violence reduction.
• Support for local authorities to deliver programmes in ways that are accessible, culturally appropriate and engaging, while maintaining fidelity to the core components that make them effective.
• Ongoing support for both commissioners and practitioners, including guidance, supervision, and opportunities to share learning.

These findings have informed the Youth Endowment Fund’s practice guidance for senior leaders in children’s services on how to protect children from involvement in violence, particularly its recommendation to provide evidence-based parenting and family therapy programmes to improve parenting practices or family functioning, and reduce behavioural difficulties in children.

Read the full YEF guidance here.