Official Title: The Children's Stability & Well-Being Study : An Evaluation of a Therapeutic Parenting Intervention for Caregivers of Children in Foster Care
Research Lead: David M. Rubin, MD, MSCE
Supported by: Annie E. Casey Foundation
Dates: January 2009-December 2012
Background
Many children in foster care have significant mental health issues. However, they often do not receive adequate behavioral health services. Moreover, the training foster parents receive often does not do enough to help parents and children with behavioral problems. The child welfare system needs to provide more promising evidence-based parent training that can address the behavioral health needs of children in foster care.
Aims
- Develop and test two evidence-based parenting interventions, Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and Child Adult Relationship Enhancement (CARE) for families in the Philadelphia child welfare system.
- Demonstrate that evidence-based parenting intervention achieves the following:
- Reduces behavior problems in foster children
- Mitigates foster parent stress
- Decreases placement moves due to behavioral problems
- Decreases the need for moves to treatment foster care
- Use the train-the-trainer model and develop a sustainable intervention.
Methods
Study type: Four-year pilot intervention study
Participants: Approximately 100 children ages 3-8 years in foster care placements
Progress
The initial planning phase is nearly complete. The project team anticipates the launch of the pilot intervention in early 2010.
