Researchers studying a £2 million scheme to support struggling parents have been unable to determine if it is working, a new report has revealed.
The Triple P programme was rolled out at huge cost in Glasgow since 2009 and while some parents making use of it appear to benefit, a large proportion of families seem to drop out of courses and information about others is inadequate, academics say.
The findings appear in an evaluation of the Parenting Support Framework, carried out at Glasgow University by Louise Marryat of the School of Medicine.
The report covers the first year of the programme and notes 894 staff have been trained, and 13,000 parents have received an intervention through Triple P, which stands for Positive Parenting Programme.
Glasgow City Council and Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS bought into the system in order to tackle high levels of difficulty experienced by some local families.
It offers a five-level intervention programme, from low-level support to intensive group work or one-to-one help.
The report says those who received the group work programme reported that they got better at parenting, their mental health improved and problems they had with their children were reduced.
However, the researchers describe the lack of information as a major issue, with almost half of those who start a group failing to complete it.
A spokeswoman for Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS said: "This research into the first phase of the Triple P programme has found a significant improvement in the parenting skills and childhood experiences of families taking part in Group Triple P.
"Crucially, the research shows that the intervention helped those most in need of support."
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