ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the role of family centres in supporting parents in disadvantaged communities and demonstrates how those communities that may need extra support can be identified. Since children living in such communities may be at high risk of emotional and behavioural difficulties, this is a valuable approach.
Three studies are reported - one on family centres and two on mapping needs and services.
The focus is not solely on the findings of the research. The aim is also to illustrate some of the problems with the concepts and methods involved.
The chapter draws on a study carried out between 1988 and 1992 of six family centres run by The Children's Society ( Smith, 1996 ), and recent work on mapping needs and services for children and families in a number of local authorities ( Noble and Smith, 1994 ; Platt and Smith, 1998 ).
