Children and young people in out-of-home care are at a higher risk of suicide than young people not involved with child protection systems. Despite this, there is a lack of evidence of effective suicide prevention interventions for this vulnerable population. We reviewed the types of suicide prevention interventions that have been used and evaluated with children and young people and staff and carers in out-of-home care/child protection systems. We conducted a systematic review of existing literature using PRISMA guidelines. Only five studies met the inclusion criteria. Two evaluated youth-focused interventions: emotional intelligence therapy; and multidimensional treatment foster care, while three evaluated adult-focused “gatekeeper training.” Youth-focused interventions led to reductions in suicidal thoughts (suicidal ideation), and adult-focused interventions led to increased knowledge, skills, and behaviors such as referring youth to supports. Only one study, one of the youth-focused ones, evaluated the impact of the intervention in terms of suicide attempts but found no reduction. Large numbers of children enter into care with a high risk of suicide. With the considerable overlap between the trauma characteristics and mental health needs of young people in out-of-home care and suicide risk factors in the general population of young people, we recommend developing (and evaluating) new or adapted existing suicide prevention interventions designed specifically for the out-of-home care context.
[Excerpt] We recently conducted a rapid evidence review on educational programs that focus on child sexual abuse (CSA) prevention (Trew et al., 2021). In that review, we learned that child-focused CSA prevention education could be enhanced by looking at how to improve the parent engagement or involvement. We know from a previous review (Hunt & Walsh, 2011), that parents’ views about CSA prevention education are important. But further evidence is needed to develop concrete strategies for strengthening parent engagement in appropriate and effective ways. As identified in the above-mentioned review (Trew et al., 2021), prominent researchers in the CSA prevention field have noted that if prevention efforts are to be successful, it is imperative to include parents (Hunter, 2011; Mendelson & Letourneau, 2015; J. Rudolph & M.J. Zimmer-Gembeck, 2018; Wurtele & Kenny, 2012). This research focuses on two complementary aspects of parent engagement in CSA prevention: (i) parent participation in parent-focused CSA prevention (ii) parent participation in school-based or child-focused CSA prevention.
Limited research has directly sought the input of parents involved in the child protection system during pregnancy and with their infants. As the focus of these policies and practices, parents have a unique and important insight not available to others, so it is vital to obtain their input. As part of a larger Australian study, qualitative interviews were undertaken with 13 parents asking about their views and experiences. Parents predominantly became involved with child protection services during pregnancy through a prenatal report. Parents who previously had their newborn removed from their care described it as sudden and unexpected, leaving them distressed and unsupported post-removal, with a growing list of requirements for them to see their baby or for restoration to be considered. Domestic violence was a particular issue of concern for some mothers who expressed distress that their partners, perpetrators of violence, were allowed access to their infant with fewer requirements than for them. Improvements recommended by the parents included greater communication and preparation for the removal, better recognition of improvements in their situations and increased supports to be provided to parents both pre-and post-removal. Parental experiences provide an important guide to improving child protection practice with these families.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.