An early intervention family support program for families with young children under age 10 at risk of child maltreatment.
The Evidence Summaries presented on this site were drawn from the best available evidence of the program’s effectiveness from this review. It does not necessarily reflect all the evidence about the program. The research was selected and assessed for inclusion on the Menu and towards the evidence rating because it met selection criteria related to the specific topic area, study design, quality assessment and the outcomes of interest.
Overview
Evidence Rating
Pathway
- Early help
- Targeted and specialist
Australian Study
Risk of Bias
Cost
Target Age Group
About
Parent Support Outreach Program (PSOP) is a voluntary, early intervention family support program serving families with children under age 10 at risk of child maltreatment. Families enrolled into PSOP through referrals are identified through screened child maltreatment reports or self-referral based on risk exposure. Services are driven by family needs, with a significant focus on addressing the provision of basic needs.
Aims
- Reduce risk of child maltreatment
- Improve family wellbeing
- Increase families’ support systems.
Impact
Evidence suggests that PSOP was effective in reducing child protection system contact. Fewer families who received PSOP were involved with Child Protection Services and out-of-home care placement compared to those who did not receive the program. There were positive results for employment, with more families employed based on administrative data 1.5 to 4.5 years after case closure and at the end of treatment. There were challenges in engaging families effectively in the program.
| Outcome domain | Outcome measured | Positive effect | No effect | Negative effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| System | Child protection system contact | Yes | Not found | Not found |
| System | Health service use | Yes | Not found | Yes |
| Family | Employment | Yes | Not found | Not found |
| Family | Welfare/poverty | Not found | Yes | Yes |
| Implementation | Engagement | Not found | Not found | Yes |
How to read the table:
When ‘Yes’ is indicated for one of the three directions of effect, this means there is evidence of ‘positive’, ‘no effect’ or ‘negative effect’. Evidence is mixed and inconclusive when ‘Yes’ is indicated for two or more directions of effect. Further information about direction of effect can be found on the Using the Menu page.
PSOP has an evidence rating of Supported+.
This means that PSOP has evidence from one randomised controlled trial (RCT) or quasi-experiment (QE) demonstrating positive, long-term impact on at least one child and family outcome.
This assessment is based on one research output of QE design. PSOP has not received a Well-supported rating as it has not yet replicated its results in another RCT or QE with a different population or setting.
| Study design | Number of research outputs included |
|---|---|
| Systematic review with meta-analysis | Not identified or included |
| Randomised controlled trial | Not identified or included |
| Quasi-experiment | 1 |
The evidence has low concerns with risk of bias.
We can be confident about the results and quality of evidence from the included study.
The study was conducted in the United States and does not include Aboriginal children and families.
Aboriginal knowledge and evidence is critical to recognise, document and share practices that lead to improved outcomes for Aboriginal children and families. The department is consulting with the Aboriginal community and stakeholders on how Aboriginal knowledge and evidence is defined and included on the Menu.
Location
- This study’s data was obtained from administrative data of 38 Minnesota counties in the United States.
Sample
- The analytic sample ranged from 1916 to 1996, with 959 families in PSOP and 998 families in the comparison group.
- Participants identified as Caucasian (49%), African American (36%), Asian (11%) and American Indian (4%). 13% of participants also identified as Hispanic ethnicity.
Implementation
Delivery model, mode and setting
- PSOP is delivered in-person, directly to parents/caregivers.
- PSOP is typically conducted in an adoptive home, birth family home or community-based organisations.
Target cohort
- Children and families under the attention of child welfare services, who are identified as being exposed to 2 or more risk factors.
- Families with at least one child aged 10 or younger.
Program delivery
- Families’ needs and strengths are assessed to create a case plan with identified services and resources to meet identified needs.
- Service providers meet families in-person to engage them in services through a wide range of available community resources.
Duration and intensity
- There is no specified time limit. Services are specific to needs and have an average duration of 90 to 180 days.
Guides and manuals
- Minnesota Department of Human Services has a bulletin that provides best practice guidance for local social services implementing PSOP.
- PSOP has materials available in languages other than English, including Hmong, Russian, Somali, Spanish and Vietnamese.
Additional information
- The Minnesota Department of Human Services website provides brochures on PSOP and links to participant satisfaction surveys.
Staffing
- Professionals with a degree in human services, social work, public health or similar, and knowledge of community resources.
Training
- The Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy provides foundation training for child welfare agency staff.
- Regional Communities of Practice meetings occur quarterly and are approximately 3 hours in length. Additional training is scheduled as needed and there is no separate training for different roles.
To our knowledge, PSOP is not available and has not been implemented in Australia.
Cost
We were unable to locate any information on the cost of PSOP.
References
Studies identified and included in the review
- Millett, L. S. (2019). Outcomes from early child maltreatment prevention program in child protective services. Children and Youth Services Review 101: 329-340.
Studies identified but not counted towards the evidence rating due to study quality
No studies that were identified were excluded due to study quality.