The Department for Education has published an evaluation report of the CANparent trial, a government initiative to examine the development of a universal offer of parenting classes for parents of children aged 0 – 5 years old. Key findings include:
See more at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/canparent-trial-evaluation-final-report
- The trial was successful in stimulating demand from parents offered free classes across the spectrum of parent level of education, socioeconomic status and ethnicity.
- The trial was successful in stimulating a supply of providers of parenting classes financed by fixed price vouchers.
- More time is needed to increase the awareness of all parents of the benefits of quality universal parenting classes and generate a culture where attending such classes is seen as the norm.
- Some providers started offering online versions of their classes accessible to any parent nationally.
- The trial led to a significant drop in the proportion of parents believing that parenting classes were only for parents with ‘problems bringing up their children’ .
- Only 9% of parents attending a parenting class were fathers or male partners.
- 94% would recommend the class to other parents and, after attending a class, overall parents saw themselves as more effective parents, felt more satisfied with being a parents and had higher levels of mental wellbeing than before taking the class
See more at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/canparent-trial-evaluation-final-report