‘Tipping the balance' – an evaluation of COVID-19 parenting resources developed and adapted for child protection during global emergency responses

Sherr, L., Mebrahtu, H., Mwaba, K., Nurova, N., Chetty, A. N., Swartz, A., Cluver, L., Steventon Roberts, K. J. and Lachman, J. M. (2022) ‘Tipping the balance' – an evaluation of COVID-19 parenting resources developed and adapted for child protection during global emergency responses. Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, 10(1), pp. 676-694. (doi: 10.1080/21642850.2022.2104285) (PMID:35957956) (PMCID:PMC9359164)

Abstract

Background: Parenting was severely affected by lockdown, school closure, illness, movement restrictions and the many sudden changes wrought by the global emergence of COVID-19. Responding to the need for a rapid emergency response to support parents and caregivers, a consortium of providers developed a suite of COVID-19 parenting resources based on evidence-based parenting interventions. Launched in March 2020, these were adapted for online use, with versions in over 100 languages, and the possibility for downloading, radio, and oral provision. A rapid qualitative evaluation initiative was conducted from September 2020 to February 2021 to inform the procedure, understand the impact and to drive future provision. Methods: The evaluation collected openended responses surveys (n = 495 participants) and in-depth interviews with parents, providers, and adolescent children (n = 22) from 14 countries and one global source. Data were gathered on parenting challenges during COVID-19 and the utility of the COVID-19 parenting resources. In-depth, semi-structured interviews explored the same concepts and elaborated on challenges, utility of the resources, and recommendations for the future. Data were coded in a hierarchy from basic, organising and global theme generation.Results: The parenting resources equipped parents with information and practices transforming everyday lives, and interactions. The tips provided prompts and permissions related to children’s behaviour, enabled communications, and offered ways to reduce stress, monitor behaviour and navigate discipline challenges. The timeliness of the resources as well as the clarity and ease of use were seen as advantages. Future direction and possible hurdles related to adaptations needed according to recipient, child age, local context, culture, and new challenges. Conclusions: Overall findings point to the value and utility of this unprecedented global response to theCOVID-19 pandemic. Results suggest that rapid provision of parenting resources at scale is feasible and of use and opens a pathway for providing evidence-based interventions under COVID-19 constraints.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: This work was supported by the Oak Foundation [Grant Number: R46194/AA001]; the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme [Grant Number: FP7/2007-2013]/ ERC grant agreement number 313421; LEGO Foundation COVID19 Playful Parenting Emergency Response R69569/AA001; UKRI GCRF/Newton Fund GCRF_ NF39: COVID-19 Child Abuse Prevention Emergency Response; Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children; UKRI GCRF Accelerating Achievement for Africa's Adolescents (Accelerate) Hub [Grant Ref: ES/S008101/1]; UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa Office (UNICEFESARO), and the University of Oxford COVID-19 Parenting: Global Child Abuse Prevention Response. KJSR is supported by a PhD Scholarship from the Economic and Social Research Council through the UBEL-DTP.
• Keywords: Parenting interventions, COVID_19, parenting challenges, children, parenting tips.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Lachman, Dr Jamie
• Authors: Sherr, L., Mebrahtu, H., Mwaba, K., Nurova, N., Chetty, A. N., Swartz, A., Cluver, L., Steventon Roberts, K. J., and Lachman, J. M.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > MRC/CSO SPHSU
• Journal Name: Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• ISSN: 2164-2850
• ISSN (Online): 2164-2850
• Published Online: 04 August 2022
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2022 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine 10(1): 676-694
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License