This book is aimed at practitioners in the field of parenting, who are working in a professional capacity with parents of young people aged 11 years and over. The field of parenting has changed considerably during the last decade, from one of relative obscurity, to one that is now clearly in the public arena. The introduction summarises these changes both helpful and unhelpful and discusses a number of models for supporting the parents of teenagers.
The authors have undertaken a considerable amount of research, for the Trust for the Study of Adolescence, in order to identify ways in which parents of teenagers can best be supported. This book brings together a number of key research projects on subjects such as transition to secondary schools, providing information and mentoring. These are helpful to practitioners working with parents in several ways: they detail the methodology for the research projects, provide evidence of what works and what doesn’t and encourage the development of good practice.
The authors are very experienced in research and evaluation in this field and much can be learnt from their methodology as well as the project outcomes and recommendations. Although most of the projects are small scale, the studies are thorough and often comparative, thus providing a good starting point for future engagement with parents.
I would suggest that this is a useful book for practitioners to refer to, when considering how best to support parents of adolescents in various settings and especially when seeking to work in partnership with schools. It could help to avoid unnecessary pitfalls, to suggest ways to improve practice and lead to better outcomes for parents, teenagers, families, schools and communities.
This review first appeared in Children and Young People Now magazine