Research and policy
Research: the power of parenting TV programmes - help or hazard for today's families?
1 Sep 2006
There is overwhelming interest in parenting, about the risks parents may pose to their children and about how to do the best possible job as a parent. Facts and information often clash: new ideas emerge about raising children, keeping them safe and trying to make sure they are happy.
Sources of help and information are changing. The parenting industry has well and truly taken off, with arrays of books, websites, advisers and television programmes available. Television is now a key source of information on parenting, and parenting TV programmes dominate primetime schedules on many channels. New formats are constantly being developed and families in severe difficulties are often featured. There has already been debate about the quality of the information and advice provided. Some commentators are concerned about the possibility of negative effects on the families and children who participate.
This survey aims to understand more about public attitudes to parenting TV programmes and about parents' reactions to them.
Key findings
- Parenting TV programmes are extremely popular, especially for parents: almost three quarters (72%) of parents have watched at least one parenting programme and 55% of adults have watched at least one parenting programme.
- Parenting TV programmes are directly influencing parenting behaviour: more than 8 in 10 parents (83%) who have watched parenting programmes found a technique from the programmes helpful to them.
- However, parenting TV programmes are considered to sensationalise family problems for public entertainment by a large minority (37%) of their viewers.
Information sources for parents
Parents turn to a wide range of sources for information about parenting and we asked them which were useful.
- Friends and family remain the most popular source of parenting information, with 6 in 10 (59%) parents saying this is the source they do or would find most useful.
- Schools and playgroups were cited by 40% of parents.
- Television programmes were popular at 37%.
- Books/magazines and the internet were also popular, each mentioned by 30%.
(Extracted from the National Family & Parenting Institute Survey. Conducted by Ipsos MORI. August & September 2006. For more information visit www.nfpi.org.uk).
