The 'Turn to Parenting': Paradigm shift or work in progress?

Abstract

In the field of child and youth support, preventive and parent-oriented support programs are currently emphasized. This is understood as a new paradigm of parenting support, which is sometimes referred to as “the turn to parenting.” Using Campbell’s (Annual Review of Sociology, 28:21–38, 2002), Yee’s (Organization 50(1):69–108, 1996) and Hall’s (Comparative Politics 25(3):275–296, 1993) theories concerning the processes of policy making, this study investigates whether such a turn has indeed taken place. We first trace back the concepts of parenting and parenting support in policy documents of the Netherlands. Hereafter, we study the implications for practice by quantitatively analysing developments in the implementation and use of child and youth support interventions from 1990 onwards using a Dutch database of effective youth care interventions. The results suggest a trend towards preventive and targeted preventive interventions. Contrasting the turn to parenting, we find a statistically significant rise in early education programs. The findings suggest that ideas around the importance of parenting and parenting support have been ongoing, and that policy and practice have mutually influenced each other during the time-frame of this research project (1990–2010). International ideas and national actors have changed the policy discourse, but the impact on practice is ambiguous.