Leveraging implementation science to reduce violence against children: Which implementation strategies make a difference and for whom?

Objective

Violence against children is a global public health and children’s rights concern. Parenting support programs are an effective tool to prevent violence against children, but often fail to deliver consistent results when implemented in real-world settings. This reflects critical gaps in our understanding of how to effectively implement parenting programs. The IMPLEMENTATIONMATTER project addresses these gaps by identifying which implementation strategies truly make a difference—and for whom—when delivering parenting programs in real-world contexts. The aim is to uncover the most important implementation strategies for parenting programs to improve outcomes for children. To achieve this, the project ambitiously brings together disciplines and sectors in a cross-country mixed-methods approach to: 1. Generate consensus among key stakeholders on the most promising implementation strategies using a Delphi method. 2. Empirically test these strategies using: o Global parenting program data, identifying which strategies predict better outcomes for children, and o European individual family data, identifying for which families these strategies matter most. The project is grounded in implementation science and draws on interdisciplinary frameworks, engaging researchers, practitioners, parents, and policymakers. It includes mutual knowledge transfer between the researcher, the supervisor, and the host institution, as well as advanced training in scientific and transferable skills. The findings of this project will provide guidance for optimizing the implementation of parenting programs in real-world settings. In doing so, this research supports more effective use of resources and contributes directly to the EU strategy to end violence against children and promote child well-being through parent support.