In: Academic murals: Social work research exemplars. MASW reports 2015 (pp. 301-369), edited by Blake Gardiner, Shirley Jülich and Kathryn Hay

"Incredible Years (IYP) is a well-established set of parenting programmes with a comprehensive research base documenting its effectiveness as a tool for preventing and treating early-onset conduct problems in children. Although IYP has been shown to be effective in a New Zealand context, some agencies are achieving better outcomes than others (Sturrock & Gray, 2013).

This research explores the perspectives of three facilitators on the barriers and contributors to achieving successful outcomes
in IYP with the purpose of gaining insight into possible reasons for site variation as well as informing best practice and quality control.

This research employs a qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews with three facilitators from two New Zealand locations. Participants identified a range of facilitator, parental, agency, group, and programme factors which they considered as contributing or providing a barrier to successful outcomes for families. While the results of this research are largely consistent with the reviewed literature, staffing issues, the co-facilitator relationship, and facilitator workload were three
determining factors identified by participants for which there was limited corresponding literature. In the light of participant perspectives, the findings challenge the dosage levels parents of children with higher needs are receiving through Ministry of Education-funded (MOE) IYP programmes and questions the effect condensing the intervention has on parental outcomes as well as facilitator workload. Finally, group selection practices across agencies are suggested as having a significant effect
on the documented outcomes of agencies, and are put forward as a possible reason for site variation.

This report advocates for more research to be undertaken in these key areas in order to determine both the extent of the issues as well as the effect they have on parental outcomes. The findings of this research could be used to inform best practice for individual facilitators, agencies, policy makers, and
ultimately improve outcomes for the children of those who participate in IYP." (Author's abstract).

This research report is included in the 2015 MASW research reports monograph. "This monograph has come about due to our reflections that the research undertaken by many of the Master of Applied Social Work (MASW) students is excellent and perhaps of considerable interest to others. Therefore, we decided to collate some of the best research reports from 2015 into a monograph which would enhance accessibility for those interested in the topics and future students seeking inspiration. (From the editors' introduction). Record #5628