Research and analysis

Systemic practice pilot trial

A research protocol document for testing systemic family therapy approaches to improve outcomes for families through trained keyworkers.

Applies to England

Documents

Systemic practice pilot trial: research protocols

Details

The Supporting Families programme commissioned a trial of systemic practice in early help services in children’s social care. Systemic practice is based on systemic family therapy. This is a long-established approach for psychologists and psychotherapists who work with families.

This research protocol document explains the trial design, outcome measures, and implementation approach, including:

  • training
  • reflective practice
  • systemic tools

The protocols are intended for researchers, policy makers, and practitioners involved in children’s social care family support and early help services. They help to provide a clear framework for assessing feasibility and indicative impact before a potential full-scale trial.

Updates to this page

Published 27 November 2025

Sign up for emails or print this page