Supporting Families

Recent government initiatives and developments in professional practice have been designed to help families in difficulty effectively, in order to prevent child harm. This book examines whether these changes have worked, by examining a large scale study conducted by the NSPCC and drawing out the main messages for practice and future policy.

The research findings are set out in terms of children's and families' needs and expectations, agency interventions and outcomes, community context, measures and perceived changes over time.

? Highly topical - national priority designated by government
? Professionals are required to learn quickly about this and little information is presently available to them
? Clear presentation - lots of boxes and diagrams to be incorporated Foreword by Jane Tunstill.

Acknowledgements.

Report of the Committee on Local Authority and Allied Personal Social Services 1972.

Message from Paul Boateng, Minister of Health.

Introduction and Summary of Findings.

About the Families.

Parental Stress and Ill-Health.

Children and Family Support.

Typologies of Family Difficulties.

Support Networks in the Community.

Overview of Family Support Provided by the NSPCC.

Examples of Family Support Practices.

Children in Need and Local Services.

Family Support Now.

References.

Reading List.

Appendix (Methodology).

Subject Index. "It provided me with an excellent, well·researched overview of a range of family support services in the UK. ... I found the book to be a quick, enjoyable read ... .A valuable resource for professional practitioners, researchers and policymakers internationally or in the UK." (Journal of Children's Services, August 2007)

"There is much to be gained from the trend of the findings and also from other sources of information." (Child & Adolescent Mental Health, November 2004)

Ruth Gardner is a Senior Research Fellow at the Royal Holloway College, University of London. How successful have government initiatives been in preventing child harm and family breakdown?

Supporting Families presents the findings of a large-scale two-year NSPCC evaluation study with families in difficulty, to explore the content and effectiveness of family support services. This updated paperback edition, with a foreword by Lord Laming, includes additional findings from the current phase of the evaluation.

Looking at support services from all stakeholder perspectives – children, parents, staff – Ruth Gardner asks to what extent specific problems such as parental stress, vulnerability, isolation and child behaviour were resolved over six months of interventions including group work, parent training and volunteer home visiting.

Using the voices of all the stakeholders, Supporting Families reviews the national policy for family support since the inception of social services departments and, through best practice and policy recommendations, points the way forward to more inclusive provision.

Bringing together NSPCC research with key practice-based solutions, Supporting Families is required reading for everyone working to prevent child harm. This timely publication will help set the policy agenda in children’s services.

"Ruth Gardner’s book strikes just the right notes to encourage us to respond to the challenge of change. I congratulate her."
—Lord Laming