Introduction

This chapter reviews the issues that arise in parenting projects and interventions, which are designed to offer information and support to the parents of teenagers. In the last few years, a large number of new initiatives have been set up by the government, as well as the statutory and voluntary sectors. These initiatives aim to provide information, advice and support to the parents of young people. These services are in a variety of formats, and include written materials, telephone helplines, parenting courses and specific projects to help particular groups, such as fathers or lone parents.

I have been involved in both designing interventions to support parents, and evaluating projects set up by other organisations. During this time, a number of difficult and contested issues have arisen in these projects, which are central to the politics of evaluation. This chapter highlights a number of points in relation to the evaluation of parenting interventions, using Trust for the Study of Adolescence (TSA) projects to illustrate the points made. For readers unfamiliar with the author's organisation, TSA is an independent charitable organisation, which works to improve the lives of young people. It does this through applied research, training and development, and publications (for further information, see its website: www.tsa.uk.com).

The chapter is divided into four main sections:

• 1. a background to the recent policy and practice developments in relation to supporting parents;

• 2. TSA's evaluations in these areas;

• 3. a range of issues that have arisen in these projects, in relation to the ‘politics’ of evaluation; and

• 4. some general conclusions and suggestions for addressing some of these issues.

Background: supporting parents of teenagers

During the past five to six years, there has been an increasing focus on the needs of the parents of young people. Prior to this, the focus within parenting support had been on parents of young children. There is now a growing body of literature that demonstrates the needs of the parents of young people, and different practical strategies for offering these parents information, advice and support (see, for example, Coleman, 1997; Coleman and Roker, 2001; Gillies et al, 2001; Roker and Coleman, 2001).