For Baby’s Sake: Intervention Development and Evaluation Design of a Whole-Family Perinatal Intervention to Break the Cycle of Domestic Abuse

Abstract

For Baby's Sake is an innovative whole-family intervention that works with parents from pregnancy to two years postpartum to break cycles of domestic abuse and improve outcomes for children. The programme launched in 2015 across two community settings in England, with an independent evaluation led by King's College London. This paper aims to (1) summarise the process of developing For Baby's Sake and how it has been embedded within two different settings and (2) describe the evaluation design using early data to illustrate successes and challenges. The programme was developed following a review of the evidence and extensive stakeholder engagement. Three experts co-designed the content in partnership with the Stefanou Foundation and the programme delivery teams have been integrated into two local authorities. The evaluation uses mixed methods to assess abuse victimisation/perpetration, mental health, parenting and child outcomes, alongside service user experiences of early engagement. Forty individuals (27 women and 13 men) have been recruited to the evaluation. Early findings suggest that parents value the novel approach of For Baby's Sake and their relationships with practitioners. Data on parents' mental health and childhood adversities supports the decision to create a traumainformed intervention. Interventions for domestic abuse are necessary to improve health and behaviour outcomes for families and prevent intergenerational transmission of abuse and developmental trauma. For Baby's Sake addresses limitations of existing interventions, through its trauma-informed, attachment-based, whole-family approach. Early data from the evaluation suggests that the programme is reaching its intended audience and that service users appreciate the supportive approach.

Child Maltreatment and Mortality in Young Adults

“…In this mortality study, we highlight the tragic consequences of this gap. There are evidence-based interventions for healing parent and child relationships, 26,35,36 but vulnerable families typically do not have access to such programs in Australia and internationally. 37 No indicators of family socioeconomic status were associated with mortality in the multivariable model (findings consistent with the study by Jackisch et al 16 ) and, as hypothesized, the observed socioeconomic gradient in health is primarily driven by CM history.…”

Breaking the cycle of intergenerational abuse: A qualitative interview study of men participating in a perinatal program to reduce violence

“…This UK‐based whole‐family intervention, developed by the Stefanou Foundation, is aimed at families in the perinatal period where there is identified DVA. The program targets DVA, mental health, parenting, and the parents’ own history of trauma in order to break intergenerational cycles of trauma and abuse (Domoney et al., 2019). Men who engage with For Baby's Sake receive intensive individual therapeutic support from midpregnancy to 2 years postpartum, which encourages acknowledgment of abusive behaviors, provides tools for behavior change and includes exploration of their own traumatic histories.…”

Association of Child Maltreatment With Risk of Death During Childhood in South Australia

“…In South Australia, individuals with a wide range of occupations who interact based support for parents (and parents to be) to create a more nurturing environment for their child, with some programs commencing in pregnancy and continuing through middle childhood. [38][39][40][41] However, many distressed families do not have access to the intensive interdisciplinary and intersectoral family support programs and high-quality therapeutic services that they need.…”