How does providing support for young families affect children’s well-being?

Dr Alison Parkes from the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit at the University of Glasgow highlights findings from a recent study exploring the impact of support for parents on children’s well-being. 

Many parents with young children need extra help from time to time, in the form of financial aid, childcare or emotional support. Although it is well known that support can relieve parenting stress, it is less clear whether support for parents has a measurable impact on children’s well-being. Our study[i] of 2600 families living in Scotland found a link between the availability of support for mothers during the early years and children’s later mental wellbeing.

In order to be able to discount other possible explanations for the association found, the study controlled for a range of other factors related to both low levels of family support and poor child outcomes. Even after allowing for other factors such as family poverty and lone parenthood, we found lower levels of behavioural and emotional problems among school-age children whose mothers had been able to access support during their child’s early years.

The study examined mothers’ perceptions of the availability of support via two different channels: informal social support networks from friends and relatives, and support from health and social work professionals. There is universal provision of professional support for parents in the UK (for example, from health visitors and via GPs), as well as a range of support services targeted at vulnerable parents. Nonetheless, families often perceive barriers to service access and engagement. These only partly relate to low awareness or practical problems. Importantly, they also reflect parents’ perceptions that available support is inadequate to meet their needs, and fears about interference and stigma.

In exploring the ways in which support for mothers improved children’s wellbeing, the study found that professional support and social networks acted differently. Greater access to help from health and social work professionals was associated with more positive parenting, which in turn reduced the risk of children developing behavioural and emotional problems. Good social support from friends and relatives did not affect parenting so directly. However, the positive effects of social support on mothers’ greater economic security and mental wellbeing led in turn to more positive parenting, which then benefited children.

The study also looked at whether support helped to protect children’s wellbeing when families were under particular strain. Access to professional support channels had the strongest buffering effect. Among families with good access to professional support, the study found a weaker impact of less positive parenting on children’s emotional difficulties, when compared with families who found it difficult to access such help. A smaller buffering effect was found for social support. Here, the impact of family money problems on children’s emotional difficulties was weaker among families with strong social networks, compared with families who lacked this type of support. Collectively, our findings point to the value of professional services and social networks in strengthening children’s resilience to adversity. 

In conclusion, our study findings underline the importance of good social support networks for all families with young children, as well as the need to ensure good access to health and welfare services through building greater parental awareness and trust.

Further details can be found in the following open access publication (forthcoming): Alison Parkes and Helen Sweeting (2018) Indirect, and Buffering Effects of Support for Mothers on Children's Socioemotional Adjustment, Journal of Family Psychology


[i] This study used the Growing Up in Scotland first birth cohort, a nationally representative sample of families with children born between June 2004 and May 2005. For more information, see https://growingupinscotland.org.uk/

Why is it so hard to be a schoolgirl mother/mother-to-be and continue in education?

Dr Beverley Ferguson’s research explores issues surrounding teenage parents and looks at what support systems would be required to enable teenagers to continue in education after their baby is born. Beverley’s research was conducted as part of her PhD at The University of Edinburgh and was partly funded by Falkirk Council.

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Schoolgirl mothers/mothers-to-be are objects of public dismay for dropping out of education and not valuing or using it as a route out of their poverty and into a secure economic position.

Despite this, academic literature and government agendas/policies do not consider why schoolgirl mothers/mothers-to-be are more likely to drop out of education nor do they ask the question ‘Why is it so difficult to continue?’ Neither have schoolgirl mothers/mothers-to-be been asked to comment on their experiences and challenges of continuing in education or what support from health and education professionals might help them to do so.

Previous discourse considers schoolgirl pregnancies as causing or perpetuating the cycle of deprivation and involving a greater risk of poverty, unemployment and isolation[1]. The importance placed on education as the preferred route for all young people therefore focuses education policies on raising standards, ensuring effective learning and teaching, gaining qualifications and going on to a positive destination.

Although policies have been produced by the Scottish Government to address health, education and socio-economic inequalities, consideration is needed on the way these have been translated into local practice in relation to schoolgirl mothers/mothers-to-be. The experiences of schoolgirl mothers/mothers-to-be continuing in education, and the way these are shaped by the social organisation of schooling and interacting policies also needs further exploration.

The role and influence of professionals in supporting schoolgirl mothers/mothers-to-be is crucial and some academics have highlighted the need for further research on this[2]. A lack of knowledge of the experiences and challenges of schoolgirl mothers/mothers-to-be can unintentionally exacerbate difficulties in their situation especially in terms of their mental health. In comparison, an in-depth knowledge of young mothers’ experiences and challenges can begin to build relationships between them and professionals.

The world of forty-three schoolgirl mothers/mothers-to-be (aged 18 or under) is explored in my mixed methods, mixed sources study which was conducted in twenty-nine Scottish secondary schools or alternative provisions across eleven local authorities.

Some of the experiences reported by these schoolgirl mothers/mothers-to-be included good experiences of school prior to becoming pregnant; searching for a connection with school staff; distractions from education; stigmatisation of pregnancy and termination; variations in response and reactions from partners, school staff and professionals. The challenges encountered included: changes in friendships; decisions and pressures of remaining in education; morning sickness; school uniform pressures; physical challenges of school buildings, getting to school, negotiating corridors, stairs, desks and chairs; timetable changes; and the emotional struggle of leaving their baby with someone else.

Participants in this study did not express regret about having a baby but talked about how it had positively influenced and changed the direction of their life. Motherhood helped participants to take school and their education more seriously even though they had to overcome disruptions and difficulties on their journey. If becoming pregnant while still in education increases the desire for educational qualifications and employment opportunities, then this presents an opportunity to take advantage of it to raise attainment, improve training and employment opportunities, potentially reduce poverty and break the cycle of deprivation.

Schoolgirl mothers/mothers-to-be could have a more positive and engaging experience of education during pregnancy and after returning to education if a range of supports and provisions tailored to meet their individual needs is provided. Although schoolgirl mothers/mothers-to-be do not all have the same needs or require the same level of help, support and provisions need to be consistent across Scotland and should not be dependent on where a schoolgirl mother/mother-to-be lives.

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Dr Beverley Ferguson’s journal article 'Coming out' as pregnant or having a baby while attending school: Experiences and challenges of Scottish schoolgirl mothers/mothers-to-be is published in the International Journal on School Disaffection (Volume 12, Number 2, December 2016) DOI: https://doi.org/10.18546/IJSD.12.2.01

References

[1] Macvarish, J. (2010), ‘The Effect of 'Risk-Thinking' on the Contemporary Construction of Teenage Motherhood’. Health, Risk & Society, 12(4), pp313-322.

[2] Macvarish, J. and Billings, J.R. (2007), ‘Teenage Mothers’ Experiences of Parenthood and Views of Family Support Services in Kent. Service Users Report, Postnatal’. Centre for Health Services Studies. University of Kent, Canterbury.

Parenting and Support

Given the recent launch of  the Scottish Government's National Parenting Strategy, we asked About Families project manager, Karen Mountney to highlight some of the key findings from the latest report looking at how families seek and experience support from family, friends and formal services.

"We know that parents manage better when they have sufficient and effective support. Social support can buffer the effect of stresses and difficulties which can arise from being a parent or other areas of life such as relationship conflict or financial difficulties, and help to bolster parents’ self-esteem and sense of efficacy. In terms of formal support, effectively engaging parents with support services and interventions is recognised as a key factor in successfully resolving problems and effecting positive change in families’ lives. However, those parents who are most in need of services, including those who lack support from family and friends, are often the least likely to access them.

Key findings from the report include:

• What support is for: how families define their own problems or needs can be different from service providers’ definitions. People weigh up the costs and benefits of seeking support, and using professional family support is sometimes felt or seen as failing by some parents.
• Family and friends: parents see support from family and friends as the natural first port of call. However this can be variable and can bring its own problems. Not wanting to impose, considering grandparents too infirm to care for children, lack of money, negative attitudes from families, having complex support requirements, and life events such as separation are all important factors in the level of support available.
• Barriers to using services: families can face a range of practical, material, social and cultural barriers to accessing and engaging with services. Families affected by disability, those from minority ethnic communities, and fathers, can face particular barriers.
• Family context: parents generally want to receive help if it is appropriate to their needs. Most barriers to engaging with services are not of parents’ making; numerous factors, such as stress, poverty, ill-health, and social isolation, can combine to undermine parents’ involvement in services.
• What do we know about supporting parents and families? Much of the existing research on engaging parents in formal services is from the perspective of service providers rather than those using services. Evaluations of services often assess attendance and completion rates rather than outcomes for parents and families. There is little research which explores the characteristics or perspectives of non-service users. It is not clear how social support can be best enhanced for those parents who need it. Most research relating to parenting and support focuses on white, non-disabled, women. Generally, different family forms are not referred to."

You can download About Families briefings and reports and see updates on development work at: http://aboutfamilies.org.uk/.

Developing evidence into action

Our About Families project has developed an innovative 'evidence to action' process which supports voluntary and statutory organisations to use research when they are developing services. Topics are selected with project partners, based on the challenges facing the parents they work with. We gather and present the evidence and then work with the organisations to create and implement action plans to develop services based on this evidence. The involvement of service users is a central element to this approach.

Key findings from our reports have been published in previous blogs (Is Scotland the best place to bring up children; Two-thirds of families worse off compared to last year) and are available from our website (www.aboutfamilies.org.uk), but as we progress we wanted to share some examples of what we and our partners have achieved during the 'action' phase.

The About Families evidence topics:

• Parenting teenagers: relationships and behaviour
• Together and apart: supporting families through change
• Parenting on a low income
• Parenting and support (to be published end October 2012)

Heart to Heart
Heart to Heart provide confidential support to men and women who have been affected by divorce or separation. About Families worked with Heart to Heart to help them develop services which were more responsive to the needs of parents who have experienced relationship difficulties. We worked specifically on developing a toolkit which volunteers and staff at Heart to Heart will use to support parents. Together, we developed an online survey to gain more understanding about the views and experiences of parents and held a focus group with parents who had used Heart to Heart services. We took the key themes which came out of this work, issues such as anger, communication, forgiveness, anxiety and looking forward, to link them to the key findings from 'Together and Apart: Supporting families through change', within the toolkit.

Mentor
Mentor provides support to kinship carers and their families in Edinburgh and the Lothians. About Families worked with Mentor UK to explore how the evidence from 'Parenting teenagers: relationships and behaviour' and from 'Together and apart: supporting families through change' related to kinship care families. We discussed the key findings with families to learn how they relate to their experiences, and to explore coping strategies. A booklet was produced - each section within the booklet is based on research findings and explores the findings in relation to kinship care, as well as giving example coping strategies for Mentor volunteers to share with the families they work with.

Scottish Book Trust
The Scottish Book Trust early years programme delivers 'Bookbug', Scotland's national book gifting programme. The Trust is currently rolling out an assertive outreach programme to reach vulnerable children and families and those living in the most deprived communities across Scotland. About Families worked with Scottish Book Trust and You First to explore how evidence from 'Parenting on a low income' could help develop training for practitioners working with vulnerable families. Young parents were asked to reflect on Bookbug, as well as to talk about some of the key findings from the report. They discussed issues such as, the lack of choice facing families living on a low income; stigmatisation; the practical difficulties in accessing services; not knowing what is available or what to ask for; being labelled as inadequate parents. As a result of considering these issues and finding out the views of young parents, the Scottish Book Trust has developed the training they give to professionals working in local communities.

For more information on the About Families project please contact Karen Mountney, k.mountney@ed.ac.uk 

Is Scotland the best place to bring up children?

Parenting Across Scotland has published a new collection of essays about parenting in Scotland. Entitled 'Scotland: the best place in the world to bring up children', the publication puts forward proposals from leading researchers about how to make Scotland a world-leader in parenting. Two CRFR staff members contributed essays about their projects:

Parenting young children

Growing up in Scotland (GUS) is tracing the lives of thousands of children across Scotland from birth to the teenage years and beyond. This information can tell how  parents are parenting, what influences parenting and how parenting styles impact on children. Findings include:

• Home learning environment: Most parents of children under five are providing a good 'home learning environment: at age 22 months, 79% of children were read to every day, 58% sang songs  while 28% had the opportunity to paint or draw every day. However, children from less advantaged households were doing these activities less frequently. Children taking part in more activities scored higher on cognitive ability tests, even after other socio-demographic factors were taken into account.
• Discipline techniques: While one third of parents in Scotland had used smacking by the time their child was aged four, only 13% of parents agreed that it was a useful technique.
• Parenting support: A quarter of parents with a child under one said that they found it difficult to know who to ask for help or advice about being a parent. Young mums were more likely to say they did not like classes or groups.
• Parenting and children's health: A lack of parenting skills were associated with poorer health and health behaviours amongst children. In particular, high levels of parent-child conflict were associated with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

By Lesley Kelly, CRFR and Paul Bradshaw, ScotCen Social Research: Growing up in Scotland. 

Parenting teenagers: relationships and behaviour

Calls to helplines indicate that parents of teenagers often struggle and feel isolated, particularly with behaviour and relationship issues. The About Families project has highlighted a number of themes emerging from research about the key issues for parents of teenagers:

• Conflict: Conflict between parents and teens is not necessarily a bad thing and can play a useful role in teenagers' development. It is how often, with whom, and why conflict happens that is most important, along with how parents manage their own behaviour. Conflict with friends, which usually involves some attempt to limit the damage and preserve a friendship, can help teenagers to learn how to manage conflict and develop emtional responses.
• Communication and relationships: Teenagers who are communicated with and involved in family decisions are more competent in making decisions about their lives and less likely to engage in problem behaviour.
• Moving to independence: It is natural for parents to feel some anxiety as teenagers become more independent. However, problems can arise if this anxiety makes them act in a way which is instrusive or inhibits a teenager's exploration of new environments and relationships. Parents may manager better when they see becoming independent as a healthy part of adolescent development.
• Parent satisfaction: How happy parents feel about their parenting is linked to how they view the development of their teenagers.
• Parenting together: Parents agreeing about their approach to parenting is more important than who does what, or how much each is involved. Both parents of disabled teenagers are likely to be involved in all areas of their teenagers life.
• How much do parents about their teenagers?: There are differences between mothers and fathers in how they find out about their children's lives. Howevere, how much they know could be the result of what teenagers choose to tell them rather than what they try to find out. Ensuring a teenager feels comfortable about sharing information cold be more effective in deterring them from problem behaviour than trying to control their activities.
  Although some parents of disabled teenagers think that more detailed communication is necessary, generally the issues are thought to be the same, regardless of disability.

By Karen Mountney: About Families