Engaging disadvantaged and vulnerable parents – an evidence review summary

The objectives of this rapid evidence review were to summarise the evidence on how to engage disadvantaged and vulnerable parents in parenting and parental conflict programmes and services, to inform policy and practice; and to provide practical recommendations on how to effectively engage and retain families in DWP’s national Reducing Parental Conflict programme.

Findings include:

• Engaging with parenting or parental conflict interventions can be daunting and there are several logistical and emotional barriers which parents face.
• Disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, such as low-income families, ethnic minorities, men, families with young or LGBTQ+ parents, and individuals with mental health problems, tend to be less likely to engage in interventions.
• Multiple communication channels, well-integrated services and a personal offer targeted at disadvantaged and vulnerable groups are all seen as good methods for driving participant recruitment.
• Interventions are most likely to be successful when they address retention barriers, which includes being as accessible as possible to the target audience, adapting intervention content and delivery, developing a strong therapeutic alliance and removing the stigma that can be associated with seeking support.