Effective interventions and practices for parents experiencing complex & multiple needs

There is strong evidence showing the potential benefits of parenting interventions to improve the wellbeing of children supported by early help and children’s social care services. However, less is known about what type of interventions can support parents experiencing complex and multiple problems – such as poor mental health, poverty or substance abuse addiction – who are considered at an enhanced risk for child maltreatment. This review aims to provide insight into the parenting interventions and practice elements (discrete practices, strategies, techniques and delivery characteristics) that are effective in working with this group of parents. The review focuses on parents of children aged 0 to 10 years.

The review sought to answer the following questions:
• RQ1: What are the practice elements shared by interventions with evidence of effectiveness in reducing child maltreatment and/or improving child outcomes when delivered to parents experiencing complex and multiple needs?

a. Which parenting interventions have strong evidence of their effectiveness in reducing child maltreatment and/or improving child outcomes when delivered to parents experiencing multiple and complex needs, within a context relevant to UK early help and children’s social care practice?

b. To what extent do practice elements and delivery/implementation factors contribute to or detract from the effectiveness of interventions? Have any been observed to be superfluous or contra-indicated?

• RQ2: What are the family and contextual moderators of effectiveness in parenting interventions (and where possible in practice elements) for this group?