Speakers
Description
Authors: Lucía Jiménez (University of Seville), Ana Catarina Canário (Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences of the University of Porto), Ninoslava Pecnik (University of Zagreb), Patty Leijten (University of Amsterdam), Sofía Baena (Universidad Loyola Andalucía), Sonia Byrne (University of La Laguna), Orlanda Cruz (Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences of the University of Porto), Carmel Devaney (University of Galway), Ivana Dobrotic (University of Zagreb), Anna Jean Grasmeijer (University of Huelva), Victoria Hidalgo (University of Seville), Nina Mesl (University of Ljubljana), Cristina Nunes (University of Algarve), Metin Özdemir (Örebro University), Rita Pinto (Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences of the University of Porto), María José Rodrigo (University of La Laguna)
Chair: Lucía Jiménez
Background: Implementation science has shown that adopting evidence-based practices in daily professional routines is a complex challenge that requires both structural integration and cultural sensitivity. The "Quality Assurance for Family Support in Europe" project, funded through a COST Innovators Grant, addressed this challenge in the field of parenting and family support by developing and implementing a Quality Assurance Protocol. Building on collaborative work by EurofamNet, the protocol offers a shared, measurable, and adaptable framework to guide and assess the quality of family support services.
Method: The first presentation describes the development and implementation of the protocol in 19 countries. The second and third presentations provide national case studies from Portugal and Croatia, showcasing the implementation and evaluation of evidence-based parenting programs in community settings and examining their alignment with the quality assurance framework. The final communication combines a national example from the Netherlands—focused on trends in brief and online parenting support—with cross-country lessons learned and the formulation of European policy recommendations.
Results: This symposium highlights how the application of a common quality framework enabled participating countries to reflect on both the strengths and gaps within their family support systems. The national case studies demonstrated that parenting programs, when adapted to local contexts, can lead to significant improvements in parenting practices, parental mental health, child behavior, and service accessibility. These findings underline the potential of evidence-based interventions to be effectively translated into real-world services. The collaborative process also contributed to the development of six European policy recommendations targeting legislation, intersectoral coordination, professional training, family participation, and the use of evidence.
Discussion: The symposium illustrates how a structured quality assurance approach can support national improvement efforts while generating shared knowledge across countries. This collaborative process contributes to a joint roadmap for sustainable, evidence-informed policymaking in family support.
Abstract 1
Development and Implementation of a Quality Assurance Protocol for Family Support in 19 European Countries
Lucía Jiménez (University of Seville), María José Rodrigo (University of La Laguna), Sofía Baena (Universidad Loyola Andalucía), Sonia Byrne (University of La Laguna), Ana Catarina Canário (Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences of the University of Porto), Orlanda Cruz (Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences of the University of Porto), Carmel Devaney (University of Galway), Anna Jean Grasmeijer (University of Huelva), Victoria Hidalgo (University of Seville), Nina Mesl (University of Ljubljana), Cristina Nunes (University of Algarve), Metin Özdemir (Örebro University)
Background: Child and family wellbeing is a key priority in European social frameworks and policies, placing a clear responsibility on governments to ensure adequate support. In this context, social policy increasingly promotes the use of evidence-based practice as a guiding principle for investment, decision-making, and the dissemination of high-quality professional practices. However, despite the emphasis on quality assurance in social and care services, there remains a significant gap in implementation—particularly due to the absence of a model specifically tailored to the field of family support and suitable for assessment. This study aimed to develop a comprehensive, integrated, and measurable approach to quality family support across European countries through the creation of a Quality Assurance Protocol.
Methods: The protocol was developed by an expert panel, informed by documentary analysis of European regulations, quality frameworks, and previous empirical work, and drawing on lessons from the EurofamNet network. An initial set of principles, quality standards, and indicators was proposed and refined through a two-round Delphi study with 31 experts from research, policy, and practice. The final protocol included 21 principles, 28 quality standards, and 29 measurable indicators, organised across three systems: provision, practice, and evidence. It was implemented in 19 countries through a self-assessment process led by national family support networks, involving 283 participants (M = 14.89; SD = 10.57).
Results: National networks rated the provision and practice systems close to strength status, while the evidence system was positioned between strength and area for improvement. A rights-based approach was widely integrated, but economic support and innovative models were less developed. The evidence system showed the greatest need for improvement. Variability across countries and sectors reflected diversity, while also revealing shared progress.
Discussion: This initiative represents the first attempt to establish a consensual, cross-sectoral, and measurable model for assessing the quality of family support at the European level. Its implementation in 19 countries has enabled a structured mapping of national systems, fostering mutual learning, stakeholder engagement, and a shared understanding of quality benchmarks. The protocol not only helps identify national strengths and priorities for improvement but also offers a solid foundation for the development of coherent and evidence-informed European recommendations aimed at enhancing equity and effectiveness in family support services across diverse contexts.
Abstract 2
Implementation and evaluation outcomes of Standard Triple P delivered in real-world settings in Portugal: Challenges to the family support practice system
Ana Catarina Canário (Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences of the University of Porto), Rita Pinto (Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences of the University of Porto), Orlanda Cruz (Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences of the University of Porto)
Background: Parenting programs are structured interventions known to improve parenting practices and reduce children's behavioral difficulties. Despite the large body of evidence on these programs, we still know very little about how families under circumstances of vulnerability, such as those engaged with child welfare, benefit from parenting programs.
In the current study, we evaluate the implementation characteristics and effects of the parenting program Standard Triple P (STP) delivered to parents of children engaged with Child Protective Services. We discuss the findings according to those of the QA[4]EuroFam family support quality assurance protocol implemented in Portugal.
Method: Following a quasi-experimental design, the study included 94 parents of children aged 6 to 12. Participants received either the STP (n=43) or care as usual (n=51) in community-based services. Parents completed measures on their parenting practices, mental health, and children's behavior and social skills at baseline and after the intervention. STP practitioners completed the fidelity checklists for each session delivered.
Results: Parents who received STP reported less ineffective parenting practices and improved mental health, and their children showed less behavior and emotional problems and increased pro-social behavior. The practitioners delivered the program with fidelity, having made minor adjustments to enhance parents' comprehension of the contents, but without compromising the program's core components.
Discussion: STP seems to be a promising resource for supporting parents in community-based services. Even though the Portuguese family support services acknowledge the needs and specificities of children and their families in the support provided, the implementation of evidence-based programs is still scarce. As in the example provided, the few evidence-based programs available are mostly from an indicated level of prevention, being implemented by institutions from the social sector. It is thus crucial to promote a culture of evidence-based practice and increase the qualifications of the professionals towards evidence-based family support.
Abstract 3
The benefits of implementing (‘growing’) quality family support programmes within social services in Croatia
Ninoslava Pecnik (University of Zagreb), Ana Catarina Canário (Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences of the University of Porto), Ivana Dobrotic (University of Zagreb)
Background: Despite challenges in provision of evidence-based family support in Croatia, social services have recently implemented several locally developed family support programs, with positive impact observed on multiple levels, from families to practitioners and the child welfare system as a whole.
The current study is focused on one of the implemented programmes, Growing Up Together – Count Us In! (15 weekly workshops with parents, aimed at enhancing parents’ psychosocial resources for positive parenting and simultaneous workshops with their children (3-6 years old) aimed at promoting children’s wellbeing and resilience, followed by a session of joint parent-child play focused on strengthening parent-child relationship).
Method: Pre-post design with no comparator was used. Parents engaged with social welfare and/or child protection services who received the program completed measures at pre-and at post-intervention (41 parents) and at follow-up (25 weeks after the post-intervention, 22 parents).
Results: The program was followed by positive changes in parents’ self-efficacy, experience, morale, responses to challenging child behaviours, as well as in interactions with their children over time. Parents’ perceptions of global quality of life and health, and social relationships also improved, whereas children’s conduct problems, peer problems, and total difficulties decreased over time.
QALY scores suggest that the program contributed to children’s, parents, and dyads’ quality of life, with the impact being more remarkable for parent-child dyads.
Abstract 4
Developments in scalable parenting support in the Netherlands
Patty Leijten (University of Amsterdam)
Background: Parenting support is as key prevention strategy to reduce violence against children and mental health problems in children. In the past decades, we have gained a better understanding of the defining features of effective parenting support. This led to the development of a range of empirically supported parenting programs. Implementation of these programs remains challenging, due to a lack of infrastructure and resources in most European countries.
Methods & Results: In this presentation, I will critically appraise trends towards the use of brief and online parenting support programs. I will illustrate these trends with examples from the Netherlands, including three-session parenting support programs (e.g., the Family Check-Up and Behavioral Parent Training Groningen) and online parenting programs. I will discuss the increased use of brief and online programs in the light of systematic literature reviews on the effectiveness of parenting programs with different lengths and delivery formats.
Discussion: Developments in scalable parenting support in the Netherlands will be linked to the “European Policy Guidelines for Quality Child and Family Support Services” developed within the framework of the Cost Innovators Grant QA4EuroFam (https://www.cost.eu/actions/IG18123/). These guidelines include six recommendations: (i) Strengthen legislation and policy towards the dual goal of children’s rights and family well-being, (ii) recognise and respond to diversity in family structures, cultures and needs, (iii) invest in an inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary approach, (iv) include parents and children as rights-holders subjects, not mere recipients of interventions, (v) provide high quality education and training for professionals working with families, and (vi) use evidence production, analysis, and translation as models of professional practice. The recommendations will be illustrated with exemples and discussed in the light of ongoing developments in prevention research in Europe.
| Conflict of interest | The authors declare no conflict of interest. |
|---|
