Parenting programmes achieve less in the absence of action on poverty
Poorer families may not have enough money to provide essentials such as food, clothing and warmth. Poverty can also lead to parental stress, depression and conflict, all of which undermine the care they provide. Child poverty has increased in recent years, even among working families, and COVID has made pressures on parents worse. Initiatives to improve parenting capabilities make a difference, but their impact is limited unless they are combined with efforts to tackle the pressures caused by poverty, including lack of time, inability to afford essentials and poor housing.