Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gxg78 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T14:17:29.223Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Keeping Children Safe parent education programme: improving access to parent education in the context of child protection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 June 2020

John N. Burns Open the ORCID record for John N. Burns [Opens in a new window]  and
Suzanne M. Brown
John N. Burns*
Affiliation:
Master of Social Work, Mullion Creek, NSW, Australia
Suzanne M. Brown
Affiliation:
Advanced Diploma in Community Welfare, Orange Family Support Service, Orange, NSW, Australia Attorney-General’s Department, Barton, ACT, Australia
*
Author for correspondence: John N. Burns, Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This article reports on an evaluation of the Keeping Children Safe parent education programme run in Central West New South Wales. The programme, conducted since 2004, and continuing today, primarily targets parents of children at risk and other vulnerable and disadvantaged families. The evaluation covers a 13-year period, from the first group held in May 2004 to February 2017. From the beginning, the authors strategically endeavoured to recruit and retain parents from the target group. Findings from the literature indicate that this group is difficult to engage and retain in parent education groups. Parents targeted for the groups in this study were generally not receiving parent education elsewhere. Using mixed methods, the facilitators have continuously evaluated the programme in terms of attendance rates, process and impact. The results of these evaluations show successful recruitment and retention of participants from the target group over the 13 years of the evaluation reporting period and indicate that the programme’s immediate impact on participants has been favourable. The findings complement other programme evaluations focusing on recruitment and retention to programmes in the child protection context and on hard-to-reach clients. The authors also argue the importance of education for parents about child abuse and neglect.

Keywords

child protectionparent educationaccessrecruitmentretention
Type
Articles
Information
Children Australia , Volume 45 , Issue 2 , June 2020 , pp. 125 - 132
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alston, M., & Bowles, W. (2003). Research of social workers: An introduction to methods (2nd ed.). Allen & Unwin.Google Scholar
Bowes, J., & Grace, R. (2014). Review of early childhood parenting, education and health intervention programs for Indigenous children and families in Australia. Issues Paper No. 8 Closing the Gap Clearing House, Australian Government.Google Scholar
Centre for Community Child Health (2010). Engaging marginalised and vulnerable families. Policy Brief No. 18. The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria.Google Scholar
Cortis, N., Katz, I., & Patulny, R. (2009). Engaging hard-to-reach families and children. Occasional Paper No. 26. Dept of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Commonwealth of Australia.10.2139/ssrn.1728576CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duppong-Hurley, K., Hoffman, S., Barnes, B., & Oats, R. (2016). Perspectives on engagement barriers and alternative delivery formats from non-completers of community-run parenting programs. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 25(2), 545–552.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Frey, M., & Snow, J. (2005). The personality construct of entitlement: An intervention for decreasing attrition in parent education groups. The Journal of Individual Psychology, 61(2), 161–173.Google Scholar
Heath, S. M., Wigley, C. A., Hogben, J. A., Fletcher, J., Collins, P., Boyle, G. L., & Eustace, S. (2018). Factors influencing parents’ attendance at two, centre-based early childhood interventions,. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 27, 253–267.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hebert, M., Lavioe, F., & Parent, N. (2002). An assessment of outcomes following parents’ participation in a child sexual abuse prevention program. Violence and Victims, 17(3), 355–372.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Holzer, P. J., Higgins, J. R., Bromfield, L. M., Richardson, N., & Higgins, D. J. (2006). The effectiveness of parent education and home visiting child maltreatment programs. Child Abuse Prevention Issues, No. 24. Australian Institute of Family Studies.Google Scholar
Lamont, A. (2009). Evaluating child abuse and neglect intervention programs. Resource Sheet No. 5, Australian Institute of Family Studies, National Child Protection Clearinghouse.Google Scholar
McCurdy, K., & Daro, D. (2001). Parental involvement in family support programs: An integrated theory. Family Relations, 50, 113–121 cited in Stanley, J. & Kovacs, K. (2003). Accessibility issues in child abuse prevention services. Child Abuse Prevention Issues No. 18. Australian Institute of Family Studies, National Child Protection Clearinghouse.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
National Register on Vocational Education and Training (VET) (2015). Unit of competency details for CHCPRT 001, identifying and responding to children and young people at risk. http:/www.training.gov.au/training/details/CHCPRT001 Australian Government.Google Scholar
Sanders, M., & Pidgeon, A. (2011). The role of parenting programs in the prevention of child maltreatment. Australian Psychologist, 46, 199–209.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, M. (2006). Early interventions with young children and their parents. In McAuley, C., Pecora, P. J. & Rose, W. (Eds.), Enhancing the well-being of children and their families through effective interventions: International evidence for practice. Jessica Kinsley Publishers.Google Scholar
Stanley, J., & Kovacs, K. (2003). Accessibility issues in child abuse prevention services. Child Abuse Prevention Issues No. 18. Australian Institute of Family Studies, National Child Protection Clearinghouse.Google Scholar
Tomison, A. M. (2000). Evaluating child abuse prevention programs. Child Abuse Prevention Issues No. 12. Australian Institute of Family Studies, National Child Protection Clearinghouse.Google Scholar
Tully, L. (2009). What makes parenting programmes effective? An overview of recent research. Research to Practice Notes. Centre for Parenting Research, NSW Dept of Community Services.Google Scholar
Tully, L., Collins, D. A. J., Piotrowska, P. J., Mairet, K. S., Hawes, D. J., Moul, C, Lenroot, R. K., Frick, P. J., Anderson, V. A., Kimonis, E. R., & Dadds, M. R. (2018). Examining practitioner competencies, organisational support and barriers to engaging fathers in parenting interventions. Child Psychiatry Human Development, 49, 109–122.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Uniting Care Institute of Family Practice (2003). Keeping Children Safe: Resources for families (3rd ed.). Uniting Care Burnside.Google Scholar
Wilensky, H., & Lebeaux, C. (1965). Industrial society and social welfare. New York Free Press cited in Zastrow, C. H. (1999). The practice of social work (6th ed) (p. 49). Brooks Cole Publishing Co.Google Scholar