Parenting support and parental participation work package final report: Tusla's programme for prevention, partnership and family support

Abstract

The Development and Mainstreaming Programme for Prevention, Partnership and Family Support (PPFS) is a programme of action being undertaken by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, as part of its National Service Delivery Framework. The programme seeks to embed prevention and early intervention into the culture and operation of Tusla. The UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre, NUI Galway has undertaken an evaluation study focusing on the implementation of and the outcomes from the PPFS programme. The study’s overall research question is: Is the organisational culture and practice of Tusla and its partners changing such that services are more integrated, preventative, evidence informed and inclusive of children and parents? If so, is this contributing to improved outcomes for children and their families? The evaluation study has adopted a Work Package approach reflecting the key components of the PPFS programme. The five work packages are: Meitheal and Child and Family Support Networks, Children’s Participation, Parenting Support and Parental Participation, Public Awareness and Commissioning. While stand-alone studies in their own right, each Work Package contributes to the overall assessment of the programme as contained in the report Systems Change: Final Evaluation Report on Tusla’s Prevention, Partnership and Family Support Programme.