Parenting Through Adversity (0–10) (Foundations Practice Guide)

This evidence-based guidance is intended to support practitioners and local leaders in children’s social care and health to transform the lives of families facing adversity.

Commissioned by the Department for Education, the Practice Guide marks the first major review of UK and international evidence on parenting support for families facing adversity. The Guide shows that parenting support can help to reduce the risk of serious harm to children experiencing vulnerabilities, and strengthen the parenting skills of parents facing adversity, even those experiencing serious mental health issues.

The Practice Guide supports delivery of the Children’s Social Care National Framework and provides a vital tool for social workers, family support practitioners, local authority leaders and health professionals.

Foundations’ Deputy Chief Executive, Donna Molloy said “The Guide marks a significant breakthrough in our understanding of the positive difference that parenting support for these families can make to children’s behaviour, to parenting skills and to parental stress levels, among other factors. This is crucially important because we know that unless tackled, these factors can affect school readiness, increase the risk of serious harm to children and contribute to other poor outcomes for children.”