Families today face numerous challenges that can significantly impact the wellbeing of children, parents, the family unit and wider community. Not only do they face the longstanding concerns arising from navigating a complex world with social, physical, mental, economic, and many other demands, but also modern issues such as climate change, technology, social media, wars and the COVID-19 pandemic. These complex issues require a joined-up movement to improve child, parent, and family wellbeing.
This paper introduces Action Circles (ACs), a novel framework built on collective action and implementation science aimed at enhancing the social and policy impact of evidence-based parenting and family support. In this paper, we describe the AC model, its theoretical foundation, practical guidelines, and future research agenda. ACs present a promising framework for advancing evidence-based parenting support.
By unifying diverse efforts and providing structured guidance, ACs have the potential to bridge the gap between policy, research and practice, significantly improving the lives of children, parents, and families.