Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families

A Foundations branded quote card, featuring an image of Freya Glendinning, Senior Research Manager at the Youth Endowment Fund. The image shows Freya, who has long medium-blonde hair, light skin and blue eyes. Quote reads: "This practice guide is a really welcome contribution. It brings together a helpful summary of the evidence showing that evidence-based parenting support can improve family functioning, strengthen parent–child relationships and reduce behaviours that challenge. This aligns strongly with the Youth Endowment Fund’s mission to build and use evidence to prevent children becoming involved in violence, particularly by ensuring families facing adversity have access to effective support as early as possible. We know that behaviours that challenge, if left unsupported, can increase children’s vulnerability to later involvement in violence, so ensuring the availability and quality of parenting support is crucial."

The evidence in the new #ParentingThroughAdversity (11-18) Practice Guide aligns strongly with @youthendowmentfund.org.uk's violence prevention mission – as highlighted by their research manager, Freya, who was a key member of the Advisory Group.

Check out the guide here 👉 bit.ly/3XTNoOx

A Foundations branded quote card with an image of Emma Ford, Programme Director at The North West Multi Agency Learning & Support Hub, and member of the Advisory Group for the Parenting Through Adversity (11–18) Practice Guide. Emma has very light blonde, slightly wavy hair that hangs just above her shoulders, worn in a centre parting. Emma has pale skin and wears a light pink polo neck jumper, glasses with beige-coloured frames and a bright pink lipstick. Emma's quote reads: "For parenting support to be effective, it is vital that practitioners remain open and curious. This Practice Guide encourages practitioners to be flexible, adapting the intensity and the frequency of support to each family's needs, to improve outcomes for parents of children and young people aged 11–18. The advisory group on this Parenting Through Adversity (11–18) Practice Guide has helped to ensure that the evidence is translated into practical and relevant guidance to support practice improvement."

A Foundations branded quote card with an image of Christine Thursfield, Group Manager Family Hubs at Telford and Wrekin Council, and member of the Advisory Group for the Parenting Through Adversity (11–18) Practice Guide. Christine has medium-blonde, straight hair, light slightly freckled skin and blue eyes.She is smiling brightly. Christine's quote reads: "All behaviour means something – it is a form of communication from the child or young person. We wanted to place this understanding at the forefront of this Practice Guide, and support practice that understands family dynamics rather than manages them. This is an important factor when engaging with families to support them through challenging situations, and this Practice Guide provides practitioners with key principles to ensure practice aligns with the best available evidence."

💬 Our Advisory Group brought a wealth of knowledge to the development of the #ParentingThroughAdversity (11-18) Practice Guide. Two members – Emma from @StockportMBC & Christine from @TelfordWrekin – reflect on the importance of transforming this evidence into practice 👇 bit.ly/3XTNoOx

ICYMI 🔔 Yesterday we published the latest Practice Guide, putting evidenced-based practice at the fingertips of local leaders to support parents in navigating the adolescent years 👇

Check out the Reflective Tool for actioning the latest #ParentingThroughAdversity (11–18) Practice Guide: bit.ly/3XRJBBj

A foundations-branded quote card featuring an image of Head of Practice Development Nimal Jude. The image shows Nimal as having bobbed dark curly hair, and light-brown skin and brown eyes. She wears a light pink lipstick. The quote reads: “Teenage years are marked by big changes as young people develop and make choices. Evidence shows us that parenting support can strengthen family relationships, support adolescent development, and reduce risks during this time. The latest Practice Guide translates this evidence into practical recommendations for local leaders and practitioners.”

NEW BLOG 🖋️ Our Head of Practice Development, @nimaljude.bsky.social reflects on her experience & why it's so important that local leaders have access to evidence on #ParentingSupport for families facing adversities, with pre-teens & teenagers: bit.ly/48xz0A8

▶️ The Key principles outlined in the #ParentingThroughAdversity (11-18) Practice Guide are drawn from quantitative and qualitative research, as well as common features of effective parenting interventions 👉 bit.ly/3XwQXK9

🔍 The #ParentingThroughAdversity (11-18) Practice Guide provides actionable, evidence-based recommendations for local leaders on effective support for parents of 11 to 18 year olds.

Take a look here 💡https://bit.ly/3K6Tw2E #ParentingSupport

The new 📢 #ParentingThroughAdversity (11-18) Practice Guide for local leaders recommends evidence-based #ParentingSupport to strengthen families.

👉 foundations.org.uk/toolkit/prac...

A Foundations branded quote card featuring an image of Deputy Chief Executive Donna Molloy. The image of Donna shows her with shoulder length golden-brown hair worn in a side parting. She has green eyes and light skin and is wearing a coral lipstick, and a black blazer. Her quote reads: "As the national What Works Centre for Children & Families, we're committed to supporting local authorities to access and deliver effective parenting support. Next week we will be publishing a new Practice Guide on parenting, with a focus on support for parents facing adversities with children and young people aged 11 to 18 years old – filling a critical evidence gap for this cohort."

NEW BLOG by Dep Chief Exec Donna Molloy📝Ahead of the publication of the latest parenting Practice Guide next week, we're at #NCASC25 spotlighting evidence-based #ParentingSupport & how to translate this into practice on the ground: foundations.org.uk/supporting-l...

This image features a picture of Dr Jo Casebourne, the chief executive of Foundations, with a quote attributed to her which reads: "Giving all children the best start in life must begin with ensuring they have the basics to thrive. Growing up in poverty inflicts lasting harm on children’s life chances, has been linked to more children entering the care system, and can contribute to poorer mental health for both parents and children. Parents facing adversity often lack the resources and help to provide the supportive and consistent family environment that children need to thrive, despite their best efforts."

Giving every child the best start in life must begin with ensuring they have the basics to thrive. That's why we welcome the Government's announcement that it will remove the two-child limit.

Our Chief Executive responds to today's Budget: foundations.org.uk/press-releas...

Two individuals stand in front of a display for Foundations, which reads "Evidence-driven change making" and "Supporting vulnerable children to have the foundational relationships they need to thrive. The display also features images of families. The two people are surrounded by materials such as notebooks and informational leaflets.

It's day 1 here at #ncasc25! ✨ Come find us at Stand A24 to hear more about Practice Guides, the Foundations Guidebook, and Evidence Into Practice - our new national programme to strengthen evidence-based decision making in local areas 🤝

🗣️👇 Hear from our #REACHplan delivery partners @PACTFamily & @VictimSupport on our recently published pilot RCTs, and how these can help fill the evidence gap on support for children affected by #DomesticAbuse.

BB4K ➡️ foundations.org.uk/our-work/pub...

WeMatter ➡️ foundations.org.uk/our-work/pub...

Evidence on domestic abuse matters for children and services - CYP Now Foundations' chief Jo Casebourne sets out research findings on what support is effective in improving outcomes for families affected by domestic abuse - and how future studies will build on this.

Our Chief Exec @jocasebourne on value of evidence-based support for children affected by #DomesticAbuse, ahead of #VAWG strategy: "a critical opportunity to make a difference to children & families at risk of or affected by domestic abuse" 👇https://buff.ly/VMi0D4s #REACHplan

A Foundations branded static graphic. The copy says: Call for Proposals: Systematic review of interventions aimed at improving educational outcomes for children & young people with a social worker. Closes: Midday, Friday 16 January 2026. Find out more: foundations.org.uk/opportunities/funding

CALL FOR PROPOSALS 📄 Systematic review synthesising evidence on interventions to improve #EducationalOutcomes for children & young people with a #SocialWorker.

CLOSES: 12pm (noon) Friday 16 Jan 2026

Find out more: foundations.org.uk/opportunity/...

A Foundations quote card featuring an image of Foundations' Chief Executive Dr Jo Casebourne. In the image on the grahic Jo has long chocolate-brown hair. She wears red lipstick in a shade that matches her blouse, which is worn under a dark blue blazer. She is smiling. The quote reads: “We’ve taken a big step forward for our five-year REACH plan to prevent domestic abuse and support child victims. Ahead of the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy, we commit to continuing to work with domestic abuse services to demonstrate their impact, helping to ensure that children and young people get evidence-based support at every stage, from early intervention to recovery."

Our new REACH report reviews the latest evidence about how to prevent #DomesticAbuse and support child victims 🗣️⬇️

#REACHplan #VAWG

Find out more: foundations.org.uk/our-work/pub...

Foundations have just published two significant pieces of work aimed at strengthening the evidence base for children, young people and families experiencing domestic abuse:

You can read the full update and reports here: lnkd.in/e6ZxT5tg

WATCH ▶️👇 Our new REACH report highlights 3 key lessons for domestic abuse evaluations to ensure they're ethical & work for services and victim-survivors #REACHplan #DomesticAbuse

Find out more: foundations.org.uk/our-work/pub...

New research breakthrough in evidence on supporting child victims of domestic abuse | Social Work Today Two landmark pilot trials suggest a turning point in efforts to build an evidence base for supporting child victims of domestic abuse, as researchers call for investment to ensure every family can…

On #WorldChildrensDay, and ahead of the much-anticipated #VAWG strategy, our new evidence on supporting child victims of #DomesticAbuse marks a big step forward.

Landmark #REACH trials mean we are now a step closer to finding what works for children experiencing #DomesticAbuse

buff.ly/ehrugxi

A Foundations-branded quote card, with a honey background and large darker orange quotation marks. It features an image of the Minister for Children and Families Josh MacAlister MP. Josh is a light-skinned man with a wide smile, short medium-brown hair, brown eyes, and a short stubbly beard. He is wearing a white collared button-up shirt without a tie, and a blue suit jacket. Josh's quote reads: "Today marks a turning point for children affected by domestic abuse. For too long, we haven't had the evidence we need about what actually works to help these children recover and thrive. Domestic abuse can have a terrible impact on children, which is why what Foundations is announcing today matters so much. This is an important part of our ongoing evaluation of support services for child victims of domestic abuse, with early indications that these programmes are making a real difference"

Ahead of the Violence Against Women and Girls (#VAWG) strategy, Children & Families Minister Josh MacAlister has welcomed the latest evidence from our #REACHplan on what works to support child victims of #DomesticAbuse. Read the new report: foundations.org.uk/our-work/pub...

A pilot randomised controlled trial of WeMatter

What is WeMatter? WeMatter is an online group recovery programme, run by Victim Support, for children and young people aged 8 to 17 years old who have experienced domestic abuse. It is designed for children who are no longer at immediate risk and are not living with the perpetrator.

What did we find? The pilot found encouraging preliminary evidence of positive impact for those that took part in WeMatter, particularly on children’s mental wellbeing. Participants, parents, and facilitators reported positive changes, including better understanding of healthy relationships, improved ability to manage emotions, and stronger feelings of support.

About the study: We commissioned Verian to conduct a pilot randomised controlled trial. The study aimed to look at the effectiveness and suitability of the intervention, as well as whether it is possible to run a large scale trial that could tell us more about the programme’s impact.

New‼️Findings of our pilot trial of WeMatter, a digital, group-based support service for children 8–17 yrs affected by #DomesticAbuse, developed by @victimsupport.bsky.social. Findings indicate meaningful benefits for children. Next: a full-scale trial: foundations.org.uk/our-work/pub...

A pilot randomised controlled trial of Bounce Back for Kids

What is Bounce Back 4 kids? Bounce Back 4 Kids (BB4K) is a trauma- and therapeutically-informed programme developed by PACT that supports children aged 3 to 11 years old and their non-abusive parent in their recovery from the impact of domestic abuse.

What did we find? The pilot found encouraging preliminary evidence of positive impact for those that took part in BB4K, particularly on parents’ confidence and children’s behaviour at home. Parents described the programme as a safe space, and peer support emerged as one of the most powerful aspects of the programme.

About the study: We commissioned IFF Research to conduct a pilot randomised controlled trial of BB4K. The study aimed to test the effectiveness and suitability of the intervention, andwhether it is possible to run a large-scale trial that could tell us more about the programme’s impact.

New report 📃 our pioneering pilot of Bounce Back 4 Kids, a trauma-informed recovery programme for children & parents affected by #DomesticAbuse, delivered by @pactcharity.bsky.social. Findings indicate meaningful benefits for children. Next: full-scale trial: foundations.org.uk/our-work/pub...

Today we’ve published new reports on what works to support children affected by #DomesticAbuse:

✔ Update on our 5-year #REACHplan to prevent domestic abuse
✔ Pilot RCT results for Bounce Back 4 Kids & WeMatter recovery programmes

Early findings: foundations.org.uk/our-work/pub...

#VAWG

A Foundations branded quote card (teal with large oatmeal quotation marks) featuring a head and shoulders image of Emma Cockerell, Corporate Director of Children’s Services at Wokingham Borough Council. Emma is light-skinned with blue eyes. Emma has straight red hair tied back with a fringe. Emma's quote reads: "We hope that as a Partner Place we can help to grow best practice and an evidence base in working with seldom-heard communities, and in so doing support more inclusive practices and interventions. Our partnership with Foundations will allow us to focus much more on the interventions that will make the difference for children and families to ensure everyone has a chance to thrive."

A Foundations branded quote card (light blue with large darker blue quotation marks) featuring a head and shoulders image of Charlotte Ramsden, Chief Executive at Bradford Children and Families Trust Charlotte has light-skinned and blue eyes. her shoulder-length curly golden-blonde hair is styed in a middle parting. Charlotte's quote reads: "Becoming a Partner Place offers us a unique opportunity to accelerate our journey toward innovation and excellence in children’s social care and early help, enabling us to co-design and test approaches that make a tangible difference. By grounding our transformation in robust evidence and lived experience, we aim to build a more responsive, strengths-based system that empowers families and practitioners alike."

A Foundations branded quote card (honey with large darker orangee quotation marks) featuring a head and shoulders image of Cllr Jon Hubbard, Cabinet Member for Children's Services at Wiltshire Council. Jon is light-skinned with smiling blue eyes and silver-grey short straight hair, styled in a side parting. Jon's quote reads: "Wiltshire is proud to be selected as the southwest Partner Place for Evidence into Practice. Embedded within our wider response to the Department for Education’s social care reform agenda, Evidence into Practice offers the chance to implement and test the impact of specific interventions. This is a powerful opportunity to lead the way in embedding approaches based on sound evidence that make a real difference to children and families."

Last week we announced the 9 local authority Partner Places we're working with to combine high quality evidence with local expertise & knowledge to ensure services meet the needs of children & families 🗣️⬇️ #EvidenceIntoPractice

foundations.org.uk/nine-local-c...

We're going to #ncasc25! 📢 Visit our stand to find out more about how we can work with you to put #EvidenceIntoPractice in your local area, and check out the Foundations Toolkit 🌟

📍Stand A24

It’s an honour to be leading this work.
I’m looking forward to joining local authorities across regions to exchange learning on how they’re embedding Practice Guides and Guidebook programmes, and bringing evidence-based system and service design to life in practice.

A Foundations branded quote card featuring an image of Director of Children & Family Wellbeing at Cumberland Council and Foundations Trustee Martin Birch. There is a head and shoulders image of Martin which shows him smiling widely. He has medium brown neat short hair, dark eyes, light skin and a short brown-grey beard. Martin is wearing a dark blue tie, white shirt and a brown-grey blazer. His quote reads: "It is very exciting to see this Foundations partnering with local authorities to ensure robust evidence is embedded at the heart of children's services. As a DCS myself, I know how challenging it is to find what works and put it into action in delivery. Evidence into Practice gives each Partner Place the support they need to put evidence at the forefront of their decision-making.”

Finding what works is vital to improve outcomes for children. 💬 Martin Birch, Director of Children & Family Wellbeing at Cumberland Council & Foundations Trustee, on the 9 local authority Partner Places working with us to put #EvidenceIntoPractice 👇

Find out more: foundations.org.uk/nine-local-c...

A Foundations branded quote card (sky blue background with darker blue large quote marks) featuring a head and shoulders image of Laurence Mackie-Jones, Strategic Director, Social Care & Education at Leicester City Council. Laurence is light-skinned with a clean-shaven head, large square glasses and light stubble. Their quote reads: "Being part of Evidence into Practice gives us the structure, tools, and partnerships to accelerate our children’s services transformation, strengthening early help, improving consistency, and ensuring every decision is rooted in what works. Through this partnership, we will strengthen workforce capability, reinforce shared accountability across agencies, and deepen our culture of reflective, data-informed practice."

A Foundations branded quote card (orange background with lighter honey-coloured large quote marks) featuring a head and shoulders image of Audrey Kingham, Executive Director of Children, Young People & Education at Northumberland County Council. Audrey is light-skinned with a shoulder-length white hair, they wear colourful glasses, pearl earrings and a pink and grey scarf. Their quote reads: "We are thrilled to become a Partner Place, working alongside Foundations to improve outcomes for children, young people and families through evidence-based practice and shared learning. This partnership will help us embed what works into our Children’s Social Care transformation journey, strengthening family support, and building a culture of continuous learning and collaboration across our local area and regionally."

A Foundations branded quote card (darker blue background with lighter blue large quote marks) featuring a head and shoulders image of Jo Britton, Executive Director, Children’s Services & Public Health Service at Telford & Wrekin Council. Jo is light-skinned with a long thick wavy light-brown hair, they are wearing a khaki green blouse. Their quote reads: "Evidence-based decision-making is central to our approach. Being a Partner Place will help us integrate research into everyday practice, improve outcomes for children and families, and support our transformation journey. We’ve already seen the impact of using the Kinship Practice Guide to shape our local offer, and we’re excited to replicate this approach across other areas of service design."

Evidence-based decision making is shaped by knowledge of local populations, workforce & systems. As part of our Evidence into Practice offer we're working with 9 Partner Place local authorities of different sizes, geographies & Ofsted ratings 🗣️👇

ICYMI 🔔 Evidence is a key enabler in strengthening services to provide life-changing support for children & families 🌟 This week we announced the 9 Partner Places we will work with to embed evidence use in children's services: foundations.org.uk/press-releas...

Nine local councils will support local authorities to improve outcomes for children How evidence-based is your decision-making? When you're developing or commissioning services, what kind of evidence are you using and relying on most? And perhaps...

Nimal Jude (@nimaljude.bsky.social), Head of Practice Development at Foundations, explains why we're working with 9 Partner Place local authorities across England to embed evidence at the heart of commissioning & delivery of children's services: www.themj.co.uk/local-counci...

BIG NEWS 📢 We've announced the 9 local authorities we're working with across England to drive transformation of children’s services through evidence use.

foundations.org.uk/press-releas...

Find out more 👇▶️