Virtual parent support portals: a new research and practice agenda

This project reviews research and developments in online and digital ‘information, guidance, and support’ platforms and services for parents.

Why this project is important

Families and children are often navigating wide-ranging pressures, including those impacting their finances, mental health, and prospects. Funding pressures have contributed to challenges in meeting family support needs among over-stretched services. In tandem, the digitalisation of public and local services has progressed at pace. These drivers have led to major developments in universal and targeted virtual and digital resources and services for parents incorporating:  

• Digital service directories and signposting to local support via virtual and digital service directories, and searchable e-platforms about local activities, support and services for parents, families, and young people.

• Static and interactive online and digital resources and support for parents via dedicated website, apps, and social media channels.

• Digital resources and support embedded within multi-component and multi-modal services such as the recent developments in multi-level and multi-component Family Hub and Start for Life services, and their ‘digital offer’ for parents, families, and communities.

How the research will be carried out

Employing the term ‘virtual parent support hubs’, the research aims to better understand, evaluate, and develop online and digital resources and support for parents and parenting as: a) beneficial services for parents; and b) components of early help and family support systems for families, children, and young people.

Based on a partnership between the University of Sheffield and Action for Children, the research adopts a mixed methods scoping study design:    

• Workstream 1 adopts systematic literature review methods to appraise multi-disciplinary research about the conceptualisation, delivery, and evaluation of virtual parent support hubs.   
• Workstream 2 adopts case study and qualitative methods to explore the perspectives, practices, and experiences of parents in two local authority contexts in England with respect of parental views and experiences of using virtual and digital resources and support for parents and parenting.     
• Workstream 3 adopts case study and survey methods to review local authority and third sector developments, provisions, and challenges as service providers.     

How will it make a difference?

Findings from the project will generate research, policy, and practice insights about:

• Developments and innovations in virtual parent support hubs; and prevailing research messages about their benefits and limitations as early help and family support services.
• Parental and service provider perspectives and experiences of the roles, benefits, and limitations of virtual parent support hubs and multi-modal early help and family support.