Enhancing outcomes for children and young people: The potential of multi-layered interventions Jackie Sanders a, ⁎, Robyn Munford a , Bruce Maden b a Social Work and Social Policy Programme, Massey University, New Zealand b Te Aroha Noa Community Services, Palmerston North, New Zealand abstract article info Article history: Received 1 May 2009 Accepted 2 July 2009 Available online 9 July 2009 Keywords: Multi-layered interventions Neighborhood centers Complexity Paradox Possibility thinking Change Community centers This paper will examine the way in which multi-layered interventions contribute to enhanced outcomes for families and neighborhoods. Adopting an inclusive definition of outcomes, it will build on the work recently articulated by Manalo [Manalo, V. (2008). Understanding practice principles and service delivery: The implementation of a community-based family support program. Children and Youth Services Review, 30, 928–941.] and Morison Dore, Feldman, and Winnick Gelles [Morison Dore, M., Feldman, N., & Winnick Gelles, A. (2006). Family of friends: Creating a supportive day care community to prevent child abuse and neglect. In A. Lightburn & P. Sessions (Eds.), Handbook of community-based clinical practice (pp. 245–260). New York: Oxford University Press.] on the value of combining a range of parent support and development initiatives, early childhood care and education and community-based initiatives. In particular it will consider the potential of programs that blend early childhood education (those provided by qualified teachers and parent educators), parent development (broadly conceived) and community development practice (including community regeneration and adult education) for enhancing outcomes for stressed and vulnerable children and young people. It will consider the case of a neighborhood-based community centre which has adopted this broad-based approach to support focusing on indicators of success in delivery and outcomes. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Manalo (2008) has highlighted the potential of family support programs to have a positive impact on outcomes. Among other things, he identifies two key factors that play a role: 1. the capacity of these services to work in empowering ways with families — drawing upon, valuing and utilizing their expertise while at the same time supporting them to address key challenges, 2. delivering support in non-categorical ways — responding to the individualized needs of families rather than providing pre- determined packages of care. The current study builds upon this conceptualisation of family support programs and that of others such as Morison Dore, Feldman, & Winnick Gelles (2006), Cole (1995) and Pecora, Whittaker, & Maluccio (1992) who argue for integrated approaches to practice. The research reported here is part of a larger international effort supported by the Fondazione Emmanuale Zancan and the International Association for Outcome-based Research in Family and Child Services (see Berry, 2007) to understand integrated, community-based approaches to practice and to document some of the benefits that are possible for families and communities from these initiatives. This paper brings together the perspectives of families who use the broad range of services delivered by community centers with those of practitioners and other community stakeholders. In doing this, we focus in particular upon the initiatives that seek to improve outcomes for children and young people and draw out some key principles from research conducted in community settings. Building on work previously reported (Munford, Sanders, Maden, & Maden, 2007b; Munford, Sanders, & Maden, 2006) we are mindful of outcomes that may represent very small, gradual (proximal outcomes) steps towards change, as well as the potential for larger changes that may not appear for some time and which may be difficult to link to specific inputs from centers (distal outcomes). 1.1. Complexity and paradox During the course of this study, which has now spanned four years, the sense has developed that neighborhood centers as single sites for the provision of a diverse array of supports and resources may be understood through the lens of complexity theory (Hudson, 2000; Medd, 2002; Morrison, 2005). Complexity theory offers new insights into the ways in which social interventions may contribute to good outcomes for families and children because it explicitly focuses on change, uncertainty, unpredictability, contradiction and tension. The emphasis of complexity theory on dynamic, adaptive systems that Children and Youth Services Review 31 (2009) 1086–1091 ⁎ Corresponding author. School of Health and Social Services, Massey University, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North, New Zealand. Tel.: +64 6 3569099x7596. E-mail address: j.sanders@massey.ac.nz (J. Sanders). 0190-7409/$ – see front matter © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2009.07.003 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Children and Youth Services Review journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/childyouth