Supporting parental well‑being through integrated family services

This paper examines how leading family support services in nine OECD and partner countries promote parental well-being through preventive, relationship-based and integrated approaches. While extensive guidance exists for responding to situations requiring urgent safeguarding or statutory intervention, much less is known about how services can effectively support parents experiencing less visible challenges, such as stress, isolation, declining confidence and difficulties balancing caregiving with other responsibilities. Drawing on questionnaires, interviews and peer-learning workshops with service providers and programme developers, the paper identifies practical approaches to engaging parents and strengthening support. The findings highlight parental well-being as a goal in its own right, emphasising the importance of trusting relationships, low-threshold and locally accessible services, proactive outreach, reflective use of routine data, and integrated working across child and family services. The paper identifies service features to support parental well-being, reduce the need for later interventions, and improve the impact and cost-effectiveness of family services. Together, these findings provide practical insights into strengthening preventive family support systems and helping families access stable, nurturing and coordinated support that promotes parental well-being and children’s healthy development.