Case study: Flourishing Families Programme

Flourishing Families Programme: enabling school Family Engagement teams to
enhance the life chances of families and their children.

In today’s fast-paced world, where socio-economic disparities and emotional struggles often
go unnoticed, we are proud to share our groundbreaking initiative called the Flourishing
Families Programme (FFP), which is emerging as a beacon of hope. Our programme, which
has garnered recognition for “Excellence in Social Impact” from the Association for Business
Psychology, exemplifies how psychology can extend its reach beyond the workplace to
positively impact society. In this case study, we will explore the challenge, approach, and
remarkable impact of the FFP, which is reshaping communities and transforming lives.

The Challenge

In the words of a concerned Headteacher,
“It’s the parents’ well-being that is impacting our children’s learning, not the pandemic.”

South Wales has been grappling with deep-rooted structural shifts, contributing to declining
physical and mental health in pupils and their parents for some time. These issues stem
from socio-economic inequalities, affecting school attendance and pupil educational
progress. Adding to the complexity, newly employed Family Engagement Officers (FEs) in
some schools highlighted rising levels of parental anxiety and a lack of emotional literacy,
which, in turn, hindered pupil progress and wellbeing. There was a distinct absence of
training to equip these FE professionals with the skills needed to engage effectively with
families.

The challenge was clear: How to build constructive, non-judgmental relationships with
families, alleviate barriers to regular education, and empower families to support their
children’s well-being effectively? This was a reframed version of the challenges commonly
faced within teams and organisations. The solution lay in creating a sustainable, positive
relationship between families and schools within disadvantaged and under-resourced
communities, ensuring a compassionate, accessible, and relatable approach to family well-
being.

The Approach

The Flourishing Families Programme was designed to address these challenges
comprehensively. The approach was threefold:

Compassionate: FFP aimed to create an environment of psychological safety within socio-
economically disadvantaged communities. It emphasised non-judgmental, compassionate
support, making the well-being support more appealing and motivating for families.

Accessible and Relatable: The programme engaged families in determining their own
learning, ensuring that the tools and skills were relatable and usable. This approach
empowered families to take control of their well-being and learning.

Sustainable: A financially sustainable model was needed. Creating capacity within the
school community system enabled them to become self-sustaining over time, accelerating
trust across the community and nurturing an asset-based approach to community and family
learning.

The FFP commenced with a series of workshops, which were well-received by parents and
showed measurable improvements in well-being and self-efficacy. These pilot sessions in
three schools witnessed significant changes in mindset, well-being and behaviour among the
parents.

To scale this initiative in a sustainable and impactful manner, the Flourishing Families
Programme was extended to train Family Engagement Officers (FEs) in using, sharing, and
applying the tools within their schools. This initiative has yielded notable results. Families
now have the tools to build resilience, manage their mental health, and forge closer
relationships with their schools. As a result, there have been substantial improvements in
mental health, self-efficacy, school attendance, and pupil progress.

The Impact
The Flourishing Families Programme’s impact has been transformative:

Increased Well-being: By empowering parents with the tools and knowledge to manage
their well-being, there have been significant increases in mental health and well-being
reported among families.

Community Building: Families attending the programme sessions on school sites have
built closer relationships with schools, resulting in significant improvements in school
attendance and pupil progress.

Stronger School-Family Relationships: The programme recognises that children thrive in
school when they are content within their families, and when the school-family relationship is
strong. It has strengthened this crucial relationship.

Socio-economic Impact: The programme has positively impacted the community,
especially in areas of under resource (often measured through high access to free school
meals). By increasing family engagement and enhancing well-being, it has contributed to
improving the lives of the most vulnerable learners and their families.
Empowered FE Professionals: Family Engagement Teams have been upskilled, reporting
significant growth in skills and confidence to run parent sessions, ultimately improving the
well-being of families and building influential and respectful relationships.

Capacity Building: The FFP has built the capacity of schools, enabling them to support the
needs of their families more effectively.

Extent of Social Impact: The FFP has been instrumental in improving family relationships
with school, fostering compassionate and non-judgmental connections, enhancing emotional
regulation among pupils, and promoting parental volunteering and employment.

In a world where family well-being may take a back seat, the Flourishing Families
Programme stands as a testament to the power of compassionate, accessible, and
sustainable initiatives. It not only addresses the challenges faced by families but also bridges
the gap between schools and their communities. The programme’s impact has been
profound, and its influence continues to grow, shaping the lives of families and their children
for the better.

The Flourishing Families Programme is more than just an initiative; it is a lifeline for
communities facing adversity. It underscores the significance of addressing family well-being
to improve the lives of children, improve school attendance and enhance the school-family
relationship.

This case study (and our ABP Award nomination in 2023) is a tribute to the dedicated Family
Engagement Officers who have brought the Flourishing Families Programme to life, and to

the communities that have embraced it with open arms. The programme’s journey is far from
over, and its impact continues to ripple through the lives it touches.

Janet Hayward, Client Headteacher says:

“Sally first delivered her “Flourishing Families” programme directly with parents in both
Cadoxton and Oak Field Primaries in 2021. There was a hugely positive impact on the
wellbeing of those parents, leading to a positive impact on the wellbeing and in turn,
attainment of their children in school. As an outcome of this success, Sally then led a “train
the trainer” model for Family Engagement Officers and Senior Leaders across our cluster of
5 primary and partner schools. The cluster of schools serve over 3000 families in an area of
significant deprivation. Parental stress is at an all-time high due to a variety of factors. The
programme is now being run as an ongoing offer in all of our schools and impacting hugely
on the lives of the families they serve. Sally’s support to our families and the school staff she
works with has been incredible, her work makes hope possible! A huge thank you from us all!”