What Works in Parenting Support?

A Review of the International Evidence

In the light of research evidence from recent decades linking various aspects of parenting with outcomes for children, many programmes have sprung up aimed at helping parents to enhance their ability to parent, in the hope that outcomes for children may ultimately improve. At the same time, a body of literature documenting the scientific evaluation of parent support programmes has also accumulated, assessing its effectiveness. The current study set out to review this growing body of literature. The task involved collating, grading, sorting and summarising parenting support evaluation literature (both published and unpublished) in order to delineate what is known about 'what works' both in the UK and elsewhere, and to distil key messages for policy makers regarding practice, research and overarching national policy.