Implementing and evaluating the Building Better Futures model for assessing and enhancing parenting: an Early Intervention Transformation project.

This paper will report on the pilot implementation and evaluation across statutory child welfare agencies in Northern Ireland of the Building Better Futures model for assessing and enhancing parenting capacity. This innovative project drives forward three areas of transformative practice in contemporary child welfare social work: it is part of an Early Intervention Transformation scheme and seeks to facilitate timely decision making for children; it supports relationship-based practice and professional judgement; and it equips practitioners as change agents within their organisations.
Background and Purpose
The aim of the evaluation is to develop a model for assessing and enhancing parenting capacity in child protection in order to build on strengths, initiate change and transform practice within the HSC Trusts in Northern Ireland. The Building Better Futures parenting capacity assessment tool, seeks to address requisite areas of parenting, both emotional and practical; provide ‘added-value’ to parenting capacity assessment and intervention over and above existing frameworks whilst allowing for the integration of these frameworks as part of a composite assessment; and contributes to the early identification of risk, need and required resources.
Methods
The evaluation comprises a mixed methods iterative design that is flexible and multi-modal embracing a number of key elements including:
• ‘Pre’ and ‘post’ questionnaires distributed to senior practitioners in each of the HSC Trusts;
• ‘Pre’ and ‘post’ standardized measures charting progress in designated parenting competences;
• Semi-structured interviews with senior practitioners of the viability of the model held at different time periods;
• A thematic analysis of a sample of completed BBF inventories recording how the framework was applied;
• Semi-structured interviews with purposefully selected parents;

Findings
The first year of this three year project has been completed and it is clear that the model provides a set of skills, techniques and methods of intervention with which to engage parents which deepened the understanding of parenting and in many cases led to positive outcomes including case closure and deregistration in some instances. Practitioners report that the structured dimensions of the framework provided a focus for the assessment, with a range of questions to pursue and observations to carry out. Detailed social histories and assessment across a range of domains facilitated deeper understanding of family situations, a more holistic approach, and enhanced empathy. This in turn led to greater openness from families, enabling a clearer analysis of parenting capability and capacity to change.
The necessity of building a relationship with parents was also emphasised. The framework had re-invigorated therapeutic work with parents, dealing with troubling emotions, and past childhood experiences, allowing parents to ‘tell their stories’. Parents who engaged also emphasised the importance of being non-judgemental and valued making connections and building more trusting relationships with their social worker. In this context, they felt more ready to confide information about themselves.
Conclusion
This paper will explore these themes and identify implications for practice including: the emotional demands on practitioners; the potential for improved outcomes for children and families; and learning from senior practitioners’ experiences as change agents in statutory child welfare settings.