Parental Advocacy in England: a realist evaluation of implementation

This project will study Parental Advocacy services in England, understanding the nature and extent of current practices and exploring perceptions about these services.  

Why is this research important?

In their relationships with social workers, many parents report feeling marginalised and disempowered.

The recent Care Review in England recommended the implementation of Parental Advocacy services. In the USA, these have helped reduce the number of children in care by supporting parents to have better relationships with professionals and a greater voice in decision-making. Parental Advocacy services are being used in some parts of England, but they are still relatively new, and not enough is known about how they work or what difference they make. 

Research questions

The project aims to answer six research questions to inform the likely roll-out of Parental Advocacy services in England: 

1. What are the ingredients of effective Parental Advocacy services in England? 
2. What similarities and differences are there between different Parental Advocacy services in England? 
3. How do Parental Advocacy services support parents’ involvement in decision-making? 
4. What experiences and perceptions do parents, professionals, and other stakeholders have on the impact of Parental Advocacy services on children’s outcomes? 
5. What are the key considerations for future evaluations of Parental Advocacy services? 
6. Is it feasible to design an experimental or quasi-experimental evaluation for Parental Advocacy services? 

How the research will be carried out

The research will be completed in three phases: 

1. Phase one will involve a short survey of local authorities (LAs) in England, a systematic search of LAs websites, and the development of an Initial Programme Theory (IPT) of how Parental Advocacy services work in England.  

2. During phase two the IPT will be tested across four LAs. This will involve interviews with parents, professionals, and children to explore perceptions and experience of Parental Advocacy services; how specific groups are support by such services; the perceived impact of Parental Advocacy services; the challenges and enablers for effective delivery; and the impact of local contexts.  

3. In phase three the research team will conduct a cross-case analysis and the IPT will be developed into a context-specific elaborated programme theory for application in future evaluations of Parental Advocacy services.  

Findings

Findings will be disseminated to policymakers, practitioners, funders, and researchers.

The findings will be published in:

• a final report
• accessible briefings
• a short film
• and a document written with parents for parents and family members.

You’ll be able to view or download these publications on this webpage.