Co-delivering a mentalization-based parenting programme: a qualitative evaluation of the experiences of children’s social workers and foster carers

Parenting programmes have traditionally been facilitated by mental health or social care professionals such as social workers or clinical psychologists. However, the Reflective Fostering Programme—a mentalization-based, psychoeducational group intervention—was uniquely designed to be co-facilitated by a foster carer and a social worker. Given this distinctive structure, there is limited insight into how these two roles function together as a facilitator pair, as well as how the programme’s mentalization-based approach creates specific challenges and opportunities for facilitators. This study examines the experiences of facilitators delivering the Reflective Fostering Programme, exploring both implicit and explicit factors that shape their capacity to facilitate—individually and collaboratively. Additionally, it investigates facilitators’ perceptions of how foster carers engaged with them throughout the programme. Using thematic analysis of focus group discussions and interviews with facilitators (n = 6 social workers; 4 foster carers), the study identified three themes: 1) Experiencing mentalizing and having ‘lived’ experience; 2) Social workers need support from their service to be good facilitators; and 3) Building and managing facilitator roles and relationships. These themes highlight essential facilitation requirements, including facilitators being able to mentalize when delivering the Programme; a supportive relationship dynamic between co-facilitators; and a supportive service context which capacitates facilitators to engage reflectively with carers. We discuss how these requirements should be considered in the selection and training of facilitators for group-based interventions, particularly those designed to be co-led by social workers and foster carers within the children’s social care system. Trial registration: ISRCTN 70832140.