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Empowering Parents, Empowering Communities

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Evidence rating: 3+
Cost rating: 1

Empowering Parents, Empowering Communities (EPEC) is for disadvantaged families experiencing behavioural difficulties with a child between the ages of two and 11.

Parents attend eight weekly two-hour sessions facilitated by pairs of trained and supervised peer facilitators. During these sessions, parents learn strategies for improving the quality of their interactions with their child, reducing negative child behaviour and increasing their efficacy and confidence in parenting. The sessions involve group discussions, demonstrations, role play and homework assignments.

EIF Programme Assessment

Evidence rating: 3+
Level 3 indicates evidence of efficacy. This means the programme can be described as evidence-based: it has evidence from at least one rigorously conducted RCT or QED demonstrating a statistically significant positive impact on at least one child outcome. This programme does not receive a rating of 4 as it has not yet replicated its results in another rigorously conducted study, where at least one study indicates long-term impacts, and at least one uses measures independent of study participants.
Cost rating: 1
A rating of 1 indicates that a programme has a low cost to set up and deliver, compared with other interventions reviewed by EIF. This is equivalent to an estimated unit cost of less than €125. This figure is based on an analysis of UK costs and a conversion rate of 1.19.

What does the plus mean?

The plus rating indicates that this programme has evidence from at least one level 3 study, along with evidence from other studies rated 2 or better.

Child outcomes

This programme can affect outcomes for children in Active and healthy, physical and mental wellbeing.

According to the best available evidence for this programme's impact, it can achieve the following positive outcomes for children:

Preventing crime, violence and antisocial behaviour

Reduced frequency of behaviour problems

based on study 1

  • Statement: 10.57-point reduction on the Eyberg Child Behaviour Inventory (Intensity Scale)
  • Score: 15
  • Timeframe: Immediately after the intervention

Reduced number of behaviour problems

based on study 1

  • Statement: 4.04-point reduction on the Eyberg Child Behaviour Inventory (Problem Scale)
  • Score: 21
  • Timeframe: Immediately after the intervention

Reduced parent concerns about child

based on study 1

  • Statement: 23.01-point reduction on a visual analogue scale of parents concerns about their child
  • Score: 28
  • Timeframe: Immediately after the intervention

This programme also has evidence of supporting positive outcomes for couples, parents or families that may be relevant to a commissioning decision. Please see About the evidence for more detail.

Who is it for?

The best available evidence for this programme relates to the following age-groups:

Toddlers Preschool

How is it delivered?

The best available evidence for this programme relates to implementation through these delivery models:

  • Group

Where is it delivered?

The best available evidence for this programme relates to its implementation in these settings:

  • Children's centre or early-years setting
  • Primary school
  • Secondary school
  • Community centre
  • Out-patient health setting

How is it targeted?

The best available evidence for this programme relates to its implementation as:

  • Targeted indicated

Where has it been implemented?

  • Australia
  • England

Ireland provision

This programme has not been implemented in Ireland.

Ireland evaluation

This programme’s best evidence does not include evaluation conducted in Ireland.

About the programme

What happens during the delivery?

How is it delivered?

  • EPEC is delivered by two EPEC parent facilitators (QCF-3) to groups of 12 families.
  • EPEC is delivered over eight sessions of two hours’ duration each.

What happens during the intervention?

  • Parents learn strategies for improving the quality of their interactions with their child, reducing negative child behaviour and increasing their efficacy and confidence in parenting.
  • Sessions involve group discussions, demonstrations, role play and homework assignments.

What are the implementation requirements?

Who can deliver it?

  • Both practitioners who deliver this programme are EPEC parent facilitators with NFQ-5 level qualifications.


What are the training requirements?

  • The practitioners have 60 hours of programme training. Booster training of practitioners is recommended.

How are the practitioners supervised?

  • It is recommended that practitioners are supervised by one host agency supervisor (qualified to NFQ-9/10) with 30 hours of programme training


What are the systems for maintaining fidelity?

  • Training manual
  • Other online material
  • Video or DVD training
  • Face-to-face training
  • Accreditation or certification process
  • Supervision
  • Booster training
  • Fidelity monitoring
  • Supervisor observation of programme delivery

Is there a licensing requirement?

There is no licence required to run this programme.


How does it work? (Theory of Change)

How does it work?

  • EPEC is based on social learning principles that assume that some parenting behaviours inadvertently encourage unwanted child behaviours. Parents therefore learn strategies for discouraging unwanted behaviours and improving positive family interactions.
  • In the short term, EPEC aims to provide parents with skills for improving children’s behaviour and increasing their confidence in their parenting abilities.
  • In the long term, children will be better able to manage their feelings and behaviour.

Intended outcomes


Contact details

Dr Crispin Day
crispin.1.day@kcl.ac.uk
The Centre for Parent and Child Support
http://www.cpcs.org.uk

Louisa Campbell
louisa.campbell@slam.nhs.uk
cpcs@slam.nhs.uk


About the evidence

EPEC’s most rigorous evidence comes from a single RCT which was conducted in the UK.

This study identified statistically significant positive impact on a number of child and parent outcomes.

This programme is underpinned by one study with a Level 3, hence the programme receives a Level 3 rating overall.

Study 1

Citation:Day et al (2012)
Design:RCT
Country:United Kingdom
Sample:116 families living in Southwark
Timing:Post-test
Child outcomes:
  • Reduced frequency of behaviour problems
  • Reduced number of behaviour problems
  • Reduced parent concerns about child
Other outcomes:
  • Improved parenting
Study rating:3

Day, C., Michelson, D., Thomson, S., Penny, C., & Draper, L. (2012). Evaluation of a peer led parenting intervention for disruptive behaviour problems in children: community based randomised controlled trial. BMJ 2012; 344:e1107 doi: 10.1136/bmj.e1107.

Available at
http://www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.e1107.full

Study design and sample

The first study is a rigorously conducted RCT.  

This study involved random assignment of families to an EPEC treatment group and a wait-list control group. 

This study was conducted in the UK, with a sample of 116 families with a child between the ages of two and 11 (mean = 4.5). The majority (71%) had a parent who identified themselves as being from Black and Ethnic minority groups. Most of the study participants were also more economically disadvantaged than the general population of Southwark (67% reported to have <£200 disposable weekly household income).

Measures

Child disruptive behaviour problems were measured using the intensity subscale and the problems subscale of the Eyberg child behaviour inventory (parent report). Child mental health problems were measured using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) total score (parent report). Child conduct problems and hyperactivity/inattention were measured using the conduct subscale and the hyperactivity/inattention subscale of the SDQ (parent report), respectively. 

Parenting competencies were measured using the Arnold-O’ Leary parenting scale (parent report). Parental stress was measured using the parenting stress index-short form (parent report).

Findings

This study identified statistically significant positive impact on a number of child and parent outcomes.

Child outcomes include:

  • Improved behaviour
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