Research and analysis

Reducing Parental Conflict programme evaluation: report on early implementation

This report summarises emerging findings from the first 9 months of the evaluation of the Reducing Parental Conflict Programme.

• From: Department for Work and Pensions
• Published: 6 April 2021
• Last updated: 17 April 2023 — See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

Reducing Parental Conflict Programme evaluation: report on early implementation – research summary

HTML

Reducing Parental Conflict programme evaluation: report on early implementation

Ref: ISBN 978-1-78659-305-4, 997

HTML

Reducing Parental Conflict programme evaluation: report on early implementation

Ref: ISBN 978-1-78659-305-4, 997

PDF, 2.92 MB, 77 pages

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Details

Research background

We commissioned this report to provide initial evidence about programme implementation. It includes perceptions of the impact the programme has had, and could have, on local practices to support families experiencing conflict and improve children’s outcomes.

Contribution to the evidence base

This report is related to a literature review exploring the links between substance abuse and parental conflict, and how these coexisting factors impact on children.

Another related report is the Reducing Parental Conflict programme: Challenge Fund Phase 1 learning report. The Challenge Fund was designed to grant fund 10 innovative projects to further build the evidence base on what works to reduce parental conflict within disadvantaged families in 2 streams of work:

a. Digital support
b. Support for particular cohorts of disadvantaged families

“Reducing Parental Conflict: a digital discovery” discussed how parents in low-income households that experience parental conflict search for help online and the digital support they need.

Previous Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) research “Improving Lives: Helping Workless Families” identified how parental conflict can affect children’s outcomes. This is why DWP introduced the Reducing Parental Conflict programme.

Research value

This is a report from an independent evaluation of the Reducing Parental Conflict programme, providing early evidence on implementation.

We want to share what we have learned as it will be of interest to others in central and local government in particular. It will also be valuable to organisations working with, or on behalf of, families.

Published 6 April 2021
Last updated 17 April 2023 + show all updates

1. 17 April 2023

   Updated the Reducing Parental Conflict programme evaluation: report on early implementation. In Table 1.1 (Face-to-face interventions), the Intervention Name 'Parenting Together – Mentalisation Based Therapy' has been changed to 'Mentalisation Based Therapy – Parenting under pressure'.

2. 20 December 2021

   Updated description of Mentalisation Based Therapy, one of Reducing Parental Conflict interventions, to more accurately reflect the nature of the sessions and who delivers them.

3. 28 April 2021

   Added hyperlinks to 'Reducing Parental Conflict Challenge Fund: learning from the first phase', 'Improving lives: Helping Workless Families' and 'Reducing Parental Conflict: a digital discovery'.

4. 6 April 2021

   First published.