Understanding and Changing Community Attitudes Toward Vulnerable Families: A Review of Literature and Practice.

Abstract

Communities can play an important role in protecting children and supporting vulnerable families. However, there is currently a lack of understanding of what communities actually think and do regarding these groups. The purpose of this study was to review and synthesize evidence on community attitudes and behaviors toward vulnerable families. A rapid systematic literature review was conducted, supplemented by 6 semistructured interviews with experienced practitioners. Four databases were searched using key words related to community attitudes and behaviors, parents and families, and family and child protection services. Database searches returned 10 135 unique records, of which 23 met the inclusion criteria. The identified articles investigated a range of attitudes and behaviors, including reporting abuse and neglect; assisting victims of intimate partner violence; attitudes toward parenting practices; and participating in activities that build social support and social capital. Correlates of these attitudes and behaviors included sociodemographic characteristics, individual differences, community characteristics, and incident characteristics. A number of interventions to change community attitudes and behaviors were also identified. Practitioners indicated that success factors for interventions included facilitating active participation from community members; using multifaceted approaches; and increasing empathy toward vulnerable families. Despite increasing evidence around how community members think and act toward vulnerable families, more (particularly review-level) research is needed to determine how to effectively change these attitudes and behaviors.