This article demonstrates the value of one relatively new approach, that of framework synthesis (Carroll, Booth, & Cooper, 2011; Thomas, Harden, & Newman, 2012). The distinguishing characteristic of this method is that it allows preexisting understanding (in the form of themes or categories) to be included in the analysis alongside (and combined with) con-cepts that emerge from the studies themselves (Dixon-Woods, 2011). This makes it particularly suitable for studies where a relevant related conceptual framework already exists, or where the findings from primary studies need to be explored in the light of perspectives of various stakeholders (e.g., practitioners, parents) in a structured and explicit way

It is useful if interventions, and their evaluations, draw explicitly on existing social science theories, so that findings can add to the development of theory. However, evaluators should avoid selecting ‘off-the-shelf’ theories without considering how they apply to the context in which the intervention is delivered. Additionally, there is a risk of focusing narrowly on inappropriate theories from a single discipline; for example, some critics have highlighted a tendency for over-reliance upon individual-level theorising when the aim is to achieve community, organisational or population-level change (Hawe et al., 2009).