Panel Presentation from the Evidence Based Parenting Programmes and Social Inclusion conference held at Middlesex University, 20th September 2012

2. Unicef 2007
• 1. Netherlands
• 2. Sweden
• 3. Denmark
• 4. Finland
• 5. Spain
• 6. Switzerland
• 7. Norway
• 8. Italy
• 9. Republic of Ireland
• 10. Belgium
• 11. Germany
• 12. Canada
• 13. Greece
• 14. Poland
• 15. Czech Republic
• 16. France
• 17. Portugal
• 18. Austria
• 19. Hungary
• 20. United States
• 21. United Kingdom
• Source: Unicef

3. Why are Dutch children
happy?
• Paul Vangeert, professor of
developmental psychology at the
University of Groningen.
• The relationship that Dutch parents
have with their children.

5. Why are relationship based
courses important for promoting
social inclusion?
• Children and young people more able to participate
in society from a good relationship with their
parent/s
• Optimal brain development (brain develops in the
context of a relationship)
• Better language development
• Better social skills
• Hypothesis: Born nearer their genetic potential
(mother already in a relationship with the baby in the
womb less likely to smoke, drink alcohol, eat poorly
with low vitamin uptake)

7. Understanding your child’s
behaviour
• Developed in the UK
• Solihull Approach based in the NHS
• 10 sessions of 2 hours each
• Compliant with NICE guidance
• Fathers like this group, as well as
mothers
• Absolutely no literacy requirement

9. Evidence
• RCTs are not the only research method
• Different research funding structure in USA and
Australia make it easier to fund RCTs for
American and Australian programmes
• Research funding for RCTs in the UK favours
medical interventions
• The UK Treasury decided they liked RCTs
• The UK Treasury haven’t released any more
money to do RCTs!
• The Solihull Approach has a rich mix of
quantitative and qualitative research studies

11. Related developments
• 5 session antenatal course
‘Understanding pregnancy,
labour, birth and your baby’ liked
by both fathers and mothers
• Online version of ‘Understanding
your child’s behaviour’ ready soon

12. • Any questions?