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COMPLETED

Residential parenting programmes in the
youth justice system:

An evaluation of a new pilot programme

Background

All Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) in England and Wales provide group-based parenting programmes. These are for parents attending on a compulsory basis via Parenting Orders, as well as those attending on a voluntary basis. In 2004, two YOTs piloted a new project, which involved adding a residential element to a group-based programme. The aim was to allow more focussed, in-depth work with parents whose children are involved in the youth justice system. TSA was commissioned to undertake an evaluation of this pilot project.

The Project

The two YOTS involved in the pilot project were Wessex YOT (in collaboration with the Hampton Trust), and Southwark YOT. During 2004 both YOTs ran courses for parents which included a residential weekend.

TSA was contracted by the Juvenile Offenders Unit in the Home Office to evaluate the effectiveness of these courses, focussing on the ‘added value’ that the residential element may have. It involved interviews with parents and children/young people participating in the courses. We also interviewed course leaders and YOT staff, in order to gather their views and experiences of providing residential parenting programmes. Data was collected both before and after the courses. A control group of families who were on courses without a residential element was also involved in the evaluation.

The final report on the evaluation was submitted to the Home Office in 2006. The results of the research have been used to provide guidance to YOTS who offer a residential element in their work.

Project Workers

Dr Debi Roker, Amanda Holt and Louise Cox were responsible for this project.

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September 2006