Reducing Parental Conflict programme 2022 to 2025 – Local Grant evaluation: Interim report
Source: gov.uk (2025-01-02)

This report summarises interim findings from an evaluation of the 2022 to 2025 Reducing Parental Conflict programme (RPC) Local Grant, based on research covering the first half of the programme from April 2022 to December 2023.

Research background

The Reducing Parental Control (RPC) Local Grant aimed to continue the process of embedding the RPC agenda into local area family services through to 2025.

This report provides insight into the process by which English local authorities were using Local Grant funding to integrate RPC focused practice and service organisation into their delivery of local services for families and children.

Drawing on workshops and case studies conducted with a sample of local authorities, the report describes how they chose to spend their funding to adapt RPC activity to the needs of their local area, providing insight into how different local authorities aimed to meet key strategic challenges in their area.

Contribution to the evidence base

This report is the first output relating to the RPC Local Grant evaluation. The publication contributes to the existing evidence relating to the previous RPC programme which ran between 2018 and 2022.

The evidence base of existing publications linked to RPC include:

Reducing Parental Conflict programme 2018 to 2022: an evaluation of the effects of interventions - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reducing-parental-conflict-programme-2018-to-2022-an-evaluation-of-the-effects-of-interventions). This report shows results of the quantitative evaluations of seven interventions as part of the programme. The results compared relationships dynamics between parents (including conflict) before and after completing an RPC intervention.

Reducing Parental Conflict programme 2018 to 2022: final evaluation report - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reducing-parental-conflict-programme-2018-to-2022-final-evaluation-report). This report focuses mainly on the experiences of parents who accessed RPC interventions. It uses quantitative and qualitative evidence to report on parents’ perceptions on the impact of the programme and local authorities experiences of delivering RPC locally.

Reducing Parental Conflict programme 2018 to 2022: diary research with parents accessing interventions - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reducing-parental-conflict-programme-2018-to-2022-diary-research-with-parents-accessing-interventions). This piece of research draws on diary entries from parents, and provides insight into parents’ experience of interventions, and how participation impacted their family life.

A collection of all reports relating to the RPC Programme 2018 to 2022 evaluation can be found at Reducing Parental Conflict programme: evaluation - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/reducing-parental-conflict-programme-evaluation).

Research value

Findings will be of particular interest to local authorities when planning and integrating RPC into their family services. The findings are useful for central government to ensure learning can shape future policy. It will also be valuable to organisations working with, or on behalf of, families and children.