In Europe, different approaches are used to support families of young children and to promote the quality of their home learning environment.

In a new article, ISOTIS researchers Joana Cadima and Gil Nata (University of Porto) discuss the contextual factors, facilitators and underlying challenges of family support services in Portugal. "Parent- and family-focused support in Portugal: context and analysis of services/programmes from an equity perspective" is the title of this article, which is published in the Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal.

This article begins by providing an up-to-date overview of relevant social context statistics, about poverty, use of services and early education and care programs. These statistics contribute to document country policies regarding parents and families.

Then, 11 research-supported and promising parent- and family-focused support programs currently implemented in Portugal are analyzed. The authors discuss key features and principles that have been empirically determined to address social and educational inequalities.

Click here to read the full article.