Parenting Support Services Research Articles

Developing family support services: A comparison of national reforms and challenges in England, Ireland and Spain

A major aspect of contemporary European family policies has been substantial developments in ‘family and parenting support services’ albeit under challenging conditions of austerity in recent years. This article compares and reviews national reforms in family support, child welfare and positive parenting services in England, Ireland and Spain. The analysis critically compares national ‘system-wide’ reforms and frontline service-based innovations; and situates these within broader national and European policy contexts. The article examines the degrees and ways in which children’s and family services reforms across all three countries have been shaped by family support, children’s rights and social investment policy orientations; and deliberates national differences in the scope, timing and longevity of reforms. It raises critical issues from rights-based perspectives and reflects on cross-national insights.

A critical consideration of the relationship between professional and public understandings of Family Support: Towards greater public awareness and discursive coherence in concept and delivery

The aim of this article is to consider critically the relationship between professional and public understandings of Family Support. It is based on research comprising baseline and follow-up population surveys carried out with 1000 respondents in each phase to establish levels of public awareness of the Parenting, Prevention and Family Support services provided by the Child and Family Agency in the Republic of Ireland (McGregor & Nic Gabhainn, 2016; McGregor & Nic Gabhainn, 2018). In the article, we draw on three main conceptual areas: Family Support, Public Awareness and Help-seeking. The findings either reflect some of the conceptual ambiguity in the academic field or illustrate major gaps between the theoretical and the actual. Thus, we found that, adults rely on informal supports in dealing with challenges and issues they face and that universal services are the next line of support, if informal sources are not enough, both of which reflect the literature. However, the findings show that the public do not see Family Support in terms of resource centers, specialist parenting programmes or other formal services. Rather, Family Support is more commonly associated with Child Protection. The findings and our analyses challenge us to provide better accounts of what Family Support is in order to ensure service-use, in particular in the context of preventing and / or intervening early to address the issues families face. Such accounts require more and better engagement with children, young people, parents and wider family members, and reflection by academics and researchers on the provenance of our own constructions of Family Support.

"Managing the Wait": Parents' Experiences in Accessing Diagnostic and Treatment Services for Children and Adolescents Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Background:Parents of children and adolescents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) report delays in accessing timely diagnostic and treatment services for their children. Research has generally focused on parents’ experiences in caring for a child diagnosed with ASD. This study describes the process of how parents access ASD services for their children and adolescents.Method:This study used a qualitative research design that was informed by grounded theory methodology. We used constant comparative analysis to develop a process model and a core concept.Results:Seventeen parents of children and adolescents diagnosed with ASD were interviewed. Our process model included 3 main phases: Watchful waiting (noticing suspected behaviors, and searching for assessment and diagnosis); Informed waiting (receiving the diagnosis, facing challenges in accessing treatment services, and realizing the impact of an ASD diagnosis); and Contemplative waiting (pondering the future, reflecting on the past, and making recommendations). “Managing the Wait” was identified as the core category central to parents’ experience of this process. This process was found to be impacted by socioeconomic status, parents’ skills and capacity to advocate on their child’s behalf, and severity of their child’s ASD.Conclusions:Our findings illustrate the many barriers families face during their journey in accessing ASD services. Our results illustrate the need to address wait times for services, and provide education and support services for parents as a means of improving their self-advocacy skills, especially for parents of children and adolescents with severe disability.

A Snapshot of Social Support Networks Among Parental Caregivers of Adults with Autism.

This study provided a description of types and dimensions of informal and formal social support among aging parental caregivers of adult children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Parents participated in a web-based survey regarding use of and satisfaction with social support services for parents or their adult children. Results indicated that many parents participated in autism support groups (27.5%), with psychiatric services (48.8%), counseling (40.6%), and financial assistance (39.7%) the most commonly used formal social supports. Emotional support (88.8%) and informational support (67.5%) were the most common informal social supports used. Professionals who are working with parental caregivers and their adult children diagnosed with ASD should be aware of available social support services to help them find needed services.

"Anybody can make kids; it takes a real man to look after your kids": Aboriginal men's discourse on parenting.

The realms of parenting have long belonged to females. In many cultures it has been a female who has predominantly cared for and raised children. For many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander male parents this has resulted in them being largely overlooked from contributing to the parenting conversation. Predictably, such a dominant discourse has led to an inadequate distribution of opportunities available and a societal perception that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander male parents are disinterested in and/or disengaged from their parental roles and responsibilities, however, this is far from the truth. This study is entrenched in an Indigenist research approach which privileges Indigenous lives, Indigenous knowledges and Indigenous voices, and utilised the Research Topic Yarning method to capture participants stories. Four yarning groups were conducted across South Australia in Coober Pedy, Yalata, Port Lincoln and metropolitan Adelaide. In total, 46 Aboriginal men contributed their experiences and stories of their roles and responsibilities as parents to this study. Men described being a dad as a privilege, emotionally fulfilling and rewarding and although at times it can be challenging, neglecting their roles and responsibilities are not considered options. Lack of employment and therefore financial security were described as a challenge to fatherhood especially for fathers who live in remote communities. Aboriginal culture, connection to country and family were identified as critical elements and strengths for Aboriginal male parents. Furthermore, Aboriginal male parents are yearning for opportunities to participate in parenting programs including men's parenting groups. Consideration of and concern for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men's involvement and experiences prior to conception, prenatal and postpartum has slowly gained momentum in recent years, yet there has been little improvement in the overall provision of appropriate parenting support services and/or programs for these men.

All eyes on me as a parent: Professionals’ and Offenders’ views on parenting challenges and barriers to accessing parenting services

BackgroundThe intergenerational transmission of ineffective parenting practices and the cycle of crime are well documented. Despite this, insufficient research has examined parenting support services for parents who are involved in the Criminal Justice System (CJS), particularly community corrections. Research suggests that barriers exist to offender parents utilizing support services in the community, including parenting services. ObjectiveThis study examined the key barriers that prevent offender parents from accessing parenting services in the community, pathways to parenting support for parents through Corrective Services and community agencies, and the key parenting challenges that parents experience. Method, setting and participants14 focus groups were conducted in Australia with professional staff from Corrective Services’ Probation and Parole (n = 53), community agencies (n = 9), and parents serving community-based corrections orders (n = 8). ResultsInductive thematic analysis led to the identification of five themes that elucidate the key barriers to service access and parenting challenges including: insufficient available parenting programs, concerns and fear of child protection, intergenerational parenting problems, multiple presenting issues, and the fear of being judged. Overall, there was strong convergence in perspectives between professionals and parents, the key difference pertained to parental perceptions of child protection interventions. ConclusionsIn addition to their empirical contribution, the findings have resulted in recommendations on how to address barriers to service access, improve parent engagement and improve the implementation of evidence-based parenting programs for CJS-involved parents in the community.

The International Network for Evaluating Outcomes (iNeo) of neonates: evolution, progress and opportunities.

Neonates born very preterm (before 32 weeks' gestational age), are a significant public health concern because of their high-risk of mortality and life-long disability. In addition, caring for very preterm neonates can be expensive, both during their initial hospitalization and their long-term cost of permanent impairments. To address these issues, national and regional neonatal networks around the world collect and analyse data from their constituents to identify trends in outcomes, and conduct benchmarking, audit and research. Improving neonatal outcomes and reducing health care costs is a global problem that can be addressed using collaborative approaches to assess practice variation between countries, conduct research and implement evidence-based practices. The International Network for Evaluating Outcomes (iNeo) of neonates was established in 2013 with the goal of improving outcomes for very preterm neonates through international collaboration and comparisons. To date, 10 national or regional population-based neonatal networks/datasets participate in iNeo collaboration. The initiative now includes data on >200,000 very preterm neonates and has conducted important epidemiological studies evaluating outcomes, variations and trends. The collaboration has also surveyed >320 neonatal units worldwide to learn about variations in practices, healthcare service delivery, and physical, environmental and manpower related factors and support services for parents. The iNeo collaboration serves as a strong international platform for Neonatal-Perinatal health services research that facilitates international data sharing, capacity building, and global efforts to improve very preterm neonate care.

Did We Forget Something? Fathering Supports and Programs in Prisons in Victoria, Australia.

This article draws from data gathered for an Australian Research Council-funded study conducted in Victoria and New South Wales between 2011 and 2015, which examined how dependent children are responded to when their primary carer is imprisoned. In particular, this article specifically addresses a gap in knowledge by examining the current state of fathering programs in prison in Victoria. To do so, the views of 39 primary carer fathers incarcerated in Victoria are analysed. We argue that there is a distinct lack of support for fathers in prison, acting as a barrier towards maintaining father-child relationships. Findings indicate that 79% of the fathers in this study were never offered any parenting support services or programs. By clearly highlighting the state of fathering programs in prisons in Victoria, this article offers suggestions as to how best to facilitate the connection between incarcerated fathers and their children.

Breaking the cycle: an asset-based family intervention for poverty alleviation in China

ABSTRACTLimited attention is given to how the poverty alleviation benefits children’s development and breaking the transmission of intergenerational poverty in China. Based on two pilot programmes, Chunyu and Qianshou, in Shan’xi province, this study presents the potential effects of an asset-based family intervention that incorporates Child Development Accounts (CDAs) and parental support services on children and families. This study finds that the implementation of the programmes has positive financial and nonfinancial benefits for children and their families. The CDAs may serve as a key mechanism to integrate and strengthen the effect of asset building and parental involvement.

Characteristics of Parents With High Expressed Emotion and Related Factors: A Study of Parents of Adults With Schizophrenia.

This study aimed to clarify characteristics of parents with high expressed emotion (EE) and related factors among parents of adults with schizophrenia. In total, 73 (25.3%) of the 289 parents had high EE (Family Attitude Scale [FAS] score ≥60), and 216 (74.7%) had low EE (FAS score <60). A multiple logistic regression analysis showed that high EE parents were more distressed (odds ratio [OR] = 1.27; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.16-1.39) and experienced more physical violence from their adult children with schizophrenia (OR = 2.86; 95% CI = 1.28-6.43); the children with schizophrenia had been hospitalized at time of survey (OR = 6.54; 95% CI = 1.10-38.89) and were less likely to attend rehabilitation services (OR = 2.56; 95% CI = 1.06-6.17). Practitioners need to provide crisis intervention, home-visiting services, and support services for parents during hospitalization of their children with schizophrenia.

Perceptions of support and policies regarding pregnancy, parenting, and family planning during veterinary training at United States veterinary medical training institutions.

OBJECTIVE To gather information about issues associated with pregnancy, lactation, and parenting for US veterinary students and house officers (trainees) and their perception of pregnancy and parenting support services available at US veterinary training institutions. DESIGN Cross-sectional mixed-method survey. SAMPLE 2,088 veterinary students and 312 house officers from 27 US veterinary training institutions. PROCEDURES An email with a link to an online survey was sent to the associate dean for academic affairs at each of the 30 AVMA-accredited US veterinary training institutions with a request that it be forwarded to all veterinary students and house officers (interns and residents). RESULTS Among the 2,400 respondents, 185 (7.7%) reported that they were a parent, were pregnant, or had a significant other who was pregnant. Several significant differences in attitudes and perceptions of pregnancy and parenting support services provided by veterinary training institutions were identified between males and females, veterinary students and house officers, and respondents who were and were not parents. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results provided crucial information about an important facet of well-being for veterinary trainees and suggested that veterinary students and house officers face substantial challenges in becoming parents during their training programs and that perceptions of those challenges differ between males and females.

Lived experience of a child’s chronic illness and death: A qualitative systematic review of the parental bereavement trajectory

To understand the lived experience of parents who have lost their child to a chronic life-limiting condition, six major databases were searched by adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Articles were screened for appropriateness using the Sample, Phenomenon of Interest, Design, Evaluation, Research type tool, and relevant qualitative studies were selected for full-text data analysis using Thematic Synthesis. Findings were categorized into 13 themes that were further organized into a four-phase trajectory of parental bereavement experience of child loss, namely: Liminal Margin, Holding Space, Navigating Losses, and Reconstructing Lives. The findings are discussed in the light of existing literature with practical recommendations for enhancing parental bereavement support services.

Adversities and mental health needs of pregnant adolescents in Kenya: identifying interpersonal, practical, and cultural barriers to care

BackgroundAdolescent pregnancies present a great public health burden in Kenya and Sub-Saharan Africa (UNFPA, Motherhood in Childhood: Facing the challenge of Adolescent Pregnancy, 2013). The disenfranchisement from public institutions and services is further compounded by cultural stigma and gender inequality creating emotional, psychosocial, health, and educational problems in the lives of vulnerable pregnant adolescents (Int J Adolesc Med Health 15(4):321–9, 2003; BMC Public Health 8:83, 2008). In this paper we have applied an engagement interview framework to examine interpersonal, practical, and cultural challenges faced by pregnant adolescents.MethodsUsing a qualitative study design, 12 pregnant adolescents (ages 15–19) visiting a health facility’s antenatal services in Nairobi were interviewed. All recruited adolescents were pregnant for the first time and screened positive on the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) with 16% of 176 participants interviewed in a descriptive survey in the same Kangemi primary health facility found to be severely depressed (Osok et al., Depression and its psychosocial risk factors in pregnant Kenyan adolescents: a cross-sectional study in a community health Centre of Nairobi, BMC Psychiatry, 2018 18:136 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-018-1706-y). An engagement interview approach (Social Work 52(4):295–308, 2007) was applied to elicit various practical, psychological, interpersonal, and cultural barriers to life adjustment, service access, obtaining resources, and psychosocial support related to pregnancy. Grounded theory method was applied for qualitative data sifting and analysis (Strauss and Corbin, Basics of qualitative research, 1990).ResultsFindings revealed that pregnant adolescents face four major areas of challenges, including depression, anxiety and stress around the pregnancy, denial of the pregnancy, lack of basic needs provisions and care, and restricted educational or livelihood opportunities for personal development post pregnancy. These challenges were related both to existing social and cultural values/norms on gender and traditional family structure, as well as to service structural barriers (including prenatal care, mental health care, newborn care, parenting support services). More importantly, dealing with these challenges has led to negative mental health consequences in adolescent pregnant girls, including feeling insecure about the future, feeling very defeated and sad to be pregnant, and feeling unsupported and disempowered in providing care for the baby.ConclusionsFindings have implications for service planning, including developing more integrated mental health services for pregnant adolescents. Additionally, we felt a need for developing reproductive education and information dissemination strategies to improve community members’ knowledge of pregnant adolescent mental health issues.

Predictors of parent-professional alliance in home-based parenting support

A strong parent-professional alliance that increases over the course of care predicts positive outcomes of home-based parenting support. However, little is known about factors that influence the development or maintenance of the alliance in home-based parenting support, limiting professionals' ability to optimize the parent-professional alliance and thereby the quality of care. Therefore, the present study examined whether voluntary versus mandated service involvement, previous involvement in similar services, parenting stress, child psychosocial problems, and care expectations were associated with early parent-professional alliance and predicted change in alliance during home-based parenting support services. Questionnaire data from 60 parents (M age = 40.65 years, SD = 6.81, range 23–55 years) and their professionals collected early and late in care were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results indicated that previous involvement in similar services was related to lower levels of early parent-reported alliance, whereas positive care expectations were related to stronger early parent- and professional-reported alliances. Moreover, care expectations predicted change in professional-reported alliance during care, with positive parent expectations predicting a decrease and positive professional expectations predicting an increase in alliance. Voluntary versus mandated service involvement, parenting stress and child psychosocial problems were not found to influence the alliance. These findings emphasize the need for professionals to discuss previous service involvement and care expectations as well as a need for future studies to identify other factors that influence alliance and alliance-building skills.

Fatherhood and roles of father in children’s upbringing in Botswana: fathers’ perspectives

ABSTRACT Parenting in the Global South reflects a bias towards capturing the practices and experiences of motherhood. Thus the study aimed at examining perceptions of men, as fathers and their contributions on the overall development of young children in Botswana. The objectives of this study were how fathers’ define fatherhood and their roles in children’s upbringing. A mixed approach using purposive sampling was used to collect data from 156 fathers. The finding revealed that most of the fathers in Botswana still believe that their main role in the family is to look after the monetary aspect of the household, whereas bringing up of children is part of the mothers’ responsibility. It is concluded that fathers do not always have parenting skills and support services have difficulties in reaching men. It is recommended to generate a public research agenda that will heighten awareness of the benefits of father involvement.

Early Stimulation and Nutrition: The Impacts of a Scalable Intervention

This paper evaluates the effects of the implementation of a structured early stimulation curriculum combined with a nutritional intervention through public large-scale parenting support services for vulnerable families in rural Colombia, known as FAMI, using a clustered randomized controlled trial. We randomly assigned 87 towns in rural areas to treatment and control and 1,460 children younger than 1 year of age were assessed at baseline. The interventions were also complemented with training, supervision and coaching of FAMI program facilitators. We assessed program effects on children’s nutritional status, and on cognitive and socio-emotional development; as well as on parental practices. The interventions had a positive and significant effect on a cognitive development factor based on the Bayley-III of 0.15 standard deviations. We also report a reduction of 5.8 percentage points in the fraction of children whose height-for-age is below -1 standard deviation. We do not find any effects on socio-emotional development. We report positive and statistically significant effects on the quality of the home environment (0.34 SD).

Early Stimulation and Nutrition: The Impacts of a Scalable Intervention

This paper evaluates the effects of the implementation of a structured early stimulation curriculum combined with a nutritional intervention through public large-scale parenting support services for vulnerable families in rural Colombia, known as FAMI, using a clustered randomized controlled trial. We randomly assigned 87 towns in rural areas to treatment and control and 1,460 children younger than 1 year of age were assessed at baseline. The interventions were also complemented with training, supervision and coaching of FAMI program facilitators. We assessed program effects on children’s nutritional status, and on cognitive and socio-emotional development; as well as on parental practices. The interventions had a positive and significant effect on a cognitive development factor based on the Bayley-III of 0.15 standard deviations. We also report a reduction of 5.8 percentage points in the fraction of children whose height-for-age is below -1 standard deviation. We do not find any effects on socio-emotional development. We report positive and statistically significant effects on the quality of the home environment (0.34 SD).

Constructing knowledge and ignorance in the social information worlds of young mothers

ABSTRACTThe socially constructed information worlds within which individuals live, work and play necessarily shape their information practices. One way in which this occurs is through the social construction of knowledge, expertise and ignorance, including which actors are considered to possess authoritative knowledge through administrative authority or lay expertise. Using Adele Clarke's situational mapping techniques, this paper examines the discursive construction of knowledge and ignorance in the information worlds of young mothers in the Greater Vancouver region of Canada. Data was collected via observations at school‐based Young Parent Programs and interviews with 37 young mothers over a 15‐month time period. Gendered and racialized young parent social worlds discursively constructed the “teen mom” as knowledgeable in matters of sexuality and technology and ignorant in matters of parenting and health. Further, certain forms of experiential expertise common to marginalized groups were sometimes constructed in such information worlds as forms of ignorance. Recognizing the diversity of knowledge and expertise among young mothers rather than perceiving them as unilaterally information poor may lead to improved information and support services for young parents.

Student Support during Parental Military Deployment

Families of Australian Defence Force (ADF) members also contribute to the defence of our nation. Through maintaining family functioning at home, they enable the ADF member to focus on their operational duties confident that the family members at home are proceeding with day to day lives. Schools play an important role in supporting ADF families by providing the necessary emotional support to enable students to maintain academic engagement and progress. The Defence School Transition Aide (DSTA) program assists school to fulfil this role. Through the provision of proactive and responsive support services for students, teachers and parents and the sharing of a contextual understanding of the ADF lifestyle, Defence School Transition Aides (DSTAs) add to the whole school contribution to supporting the ADF.

Windows of understanding: broadening access to knowledge production through participatory action research

This article presents a participatory research project involving immigrant organizations and professional parenting support services in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The project combined local development aims with co-generative knowledge and mutual learning to produce socially and scientifically relevant knowledge. By using participatory components as ‘windows of understanding’ in a broader non-participatory research, previously excluded perspectives were included in knowledge production, while also producing local change. An analysis of the challenges and positive outcomes offers a methodological reflection that can contribute to future developments in participatory action research (PAR).