Parenting intervention in the form of an app

Oxford University’s study finds an app designed to help parents improve their parenting skills is showing signs of success. The study recruited 144 families with children aged between two and six from disadvantaged communities in Bournemouth, and found that using the app resulted in an improvement in children’s school readiness. The app offers a variety of practical tips and guidance in bringing up children as well as activities and games that parents and children can do together. After eighteen weeks of using the app, parents reported that their children showed more autonomy in decision-making, displayed perseverance, especially in conducting hard tasks, and there was a general improvement in children’s overall behaviour. The study also found that at £35 per child, the intervention was cost-effective and the improvements were reported to be ‘statistically significant’. The study was, in part, funded by the Sutton Trust, whose founder, Sir Peter Lampl, stated that such interventions can help to increase social mobility and narrow the gap between the rich and poor.