Abstract
International evidence supports the effect of intensive family preservation and reunification services in preventing children’s placement in out-of-home care (OOHC). Evidence within Australia is scarce. This protocol paper describes a hybrid effectiveness-implementation evaluation of the Victorian Family Preservation and Reunification (FPR) Response implemented by MacKillop Family Services. Participants include families engaged in the program and staff involved in program delivery. A pre-post study design will be used to assess the effectiveness of the FPR in improving family outcomes from intake to closure, including: (i) parenting knowledge, skills, and capability; (ii) family safety and home environment; (iii) child development, adolescent behaviour, education attendance and attachment; (iv) connection to services; and (v) prevention of children from entering or re-entering OOHC. Interviews and focus groups will be conducted with staff to evaluate the program’s fidelity, reach, feasibility, acceptability, and enablers and barriers to implementation. Quantitative data will be analysed using descriptive statistics and a series of paired-samples t-tests and F tests to examine changes in outcomes over time; thematic analysis will be used for qualitative data. If the FPR can yield significant improvements in families’ outcomes, this would provide strong support for its scale-up across Australia, to better support vulnerable families.
Highlights
Intensive family preservation and reunification services are designed to keep children safe in the care of their parents and prevent child removal or subsequent placement into out-of-home care (OOHC; alternative accommodation when children cannot live at home safely [1])
The effect of these programs is moderated by the sex and age of the child, parent age, the number of children and risk factors in the family, and practitioner caseload; greater effects have been observed among families with boys and older parental age, whereas families with older and a greater number of children, single-parents, and higher caseloads were associated with reduced effects
The protocol was registered with Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR, 382402) and aligns with the World Health Organisation’s Trial Registration Data
Summary
Intensive family preservation and reunification services are designed to keep children safe in the care of their parents and prevent child removal or subsequent placement into out-of-home care (OOHC; alternative accommodation when children cannot live at home safely [1]) They are effective in preventing children from entering OOHC 24 months post program engagement [2,3,4]. The effect of these programs is moderated by the sex and age of the child, parent age, the number of children and risk factors in the family, and practitioner caseload; greater effects (i.e., less OOHC placements) have been observed among families with boys and older parental age, whereas families with older and a greater number of children, single-parents, and higher caseloads were associated with reduced effects (i.e., more OOHC placements [5]). Additional primary research is required to establish a rigorous evidence base for intensive
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International journal of environmental research and public health
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
