Parent-Training Programs in Child Welfare Services: Planning for a More Evidence-Based Approach to Serving Biological Parents

Abstract

Child welfare service agencies provide parent training as part of their legally mandated responsibility to provide services to assist families to keep their children at home or to achieve reunification. The use of parent-training programs for families in the child welfare system has undergone relatively little examination. Mental health, special education, and juvenile justice have been identifying evidence-based approaches that have demonstrated effectiveness with children and families with conduct disorders and other behavioral problems, although few of these interventions have been tested with child welfare services clientele. This article brings together evidence about the most promising programs from other child service sectors with information about the current parent training approaches in child welfare and generates a range of proposals about next steps to enhance the capacity of parent training and fulfill the high expectations set in law and practice.

Educação parental com famílias maltratantes: Que potencialidades?

“…Os programas de educação parental estão a ser largamente usados noutros países (como por exemplo, Canadá, Estados Unidos da América, País de Gales e Inglaterra) pelos serviços de apoio à infância, com o objetivo de prevenir situações de mal trato infantil, promovendo competências parentais em famílias com fatores de risco (Barth et al, 2005;Sanders, Cann, & Markie-Dadds, 2003), numa lógica de prevenção secundária e com resultados bastante promissores.…”

“…Os estudos demonstram, de uma forma bastante consensual, a ideia que a educação parental, ao disponibilizar aos pais formas alternativas, eficazes e positivas, para lidar com o comportamento dos seus filhos, pode ser útil para a prevenção e redução dos problemas de comportamento destes (Webster-Stratton, 2007;Webster-Stratton & Reid, 2006); diminuição dos comportamentos antisociais e criminais (Hutchings et al, 2006) e prevenção do consumo de substâncias psicoativas (Kumpfer & Johnson, 2007); e prevenção dos maus tratos (Barth, 2009;Barth & Haskins, 2009;Barth et al, 2005;Britner & Reppucci, 1997;Jouriles et al, 2010;Letarte, Normandeau, & Allard, 2010;Whipple & Wilson, 1996).…”

Improving the Mental Health of Children in Child Welfare Through the Implementation of Evidence-Based Parenting Interventions

“…Services to the hundreds of thousands of children who remain in their homes come in the form of parent-focused services. Although there are numerous, efficacious parent-focused interventions that can change the family environment and improve the lives of children, research has documented that most of the parent focused interventions currently delivered to families in child welfare and most foster family training do not use treatment strategies with solid empirical support (Hurlburt et al 2007; Barth et al 2005).…”

Termination of Parental Rights for Parents with Substance Use Disorder: For Whom and Then What?

“…Parents who fail to demonstrate adequate parenting skills may lose their parental rights, although there is little evidence to indicate that parents involved in the child welfare system have inadequate parenting skills. For instance, Barth et al (2005) found that only 33% of the caregivers who lost their custodial rights were identified by child welfare professionals as having poor parenting skills. In sum, parental competence needs to be determined by whether parents with substance use disorders can provide a safe and stable home environment for their children (Steinhauer, 1991).…”