The effectiveness of Nurture Groups at supporting social and emotional outcomes: a systematic review

Abstract

Background

Nurture Groups are a school-based attachment-focused intervention for young people with social and emotional, or mental health needs who may have experienced adversity. The aim of the current review was to systematically evaluate the evidence for Nurture group provision to improve social and emotional outcomes in children and young people across primary and secondary school settings.

Methods

Studies were included if they had been published in a peer-reviewed journal, participants were children and young people of school age, the study design was quantitative, evaluating the effectiveness of a Nurture Group intervention and had at least one outcome measure related to social and emotional outcomes. Screening was conducted by the first author and a voluntary research assistant. Conflicts were resolved via discussion. A systematic search across six databases identified 14 studies for inclusion.

Results

Findings suggest that Nurture Group provision is, overall, effective at improving pupils’ social and emotional outcomes. However, improvements were not found consistently across both sections of the Boxall Profile, the primary tool used to measure progress within Nurture Groups. Differential effects were also found in relation to some pupil-level characteristics, namely age, baseline score, and gender.

Discussion

The findings highlighted the need to conduct further research to examine such factors, as well as to explore the possible mechanisms for change underlying Nurture Group provision.