Abstract
Objectives
Parent engagement poses a persistent challenge to home visitation (HV) programs. Previous work on parent engagement in HV has focused primarily on enrollment, attendance, and retention, with less attention on participation. The purpose of this study was to adapt an engagement toolkit originally developed for child mental health treatment settings, the Parent And Caregiver Active Participation Toolkit (PACT), and test the adapted toolkit in a HV program, SafeCare® (SC), with a focus on parent participation.
Methods
Toolkit adaptation was informed by interviews/focus groups with parents and home visitors. Next, home visitors (n = 6) were trained to use adapted PACT for SC as part of SC delivery to 18 parents. A comparison group included 24 parents who received SC 1 year prior to this study. Analyses compared PACT for SC participants to the comparison group on parent participation and home visitor fidelity to assignment of homework. Qualitative and quantitative data from parents, home visitors, and supervisors (n = 4) assessed the acceptability, utility, appropriateness, and feasibility of PACT for SC.
Results
Parents receiving PACT for SC had higher participation and reported greater home visitor fidelity to homework assignment than comparison parents. Parents found PACT for SC acceptable and useful as part of SC. Home visitors and supervisors identified some limitations in PACT for SC’s utility but generally found it to be a positive, feasible addition to HV services.
Conclusions
Results suggest that enhancing HV programs with an engagement toolkit may improve parents’ participation in services and providers’ assignment of homework between sessions.
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Data Availability
Data can be made available upon request to the senior author (GAA).
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Acknowledgements
This study was supported by R01MH092950 (Co-PIs: Aarons and Hurlburt) and by a grant funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation through Georgia State University (Co-PIs: Fettes and Haine-Schlagel). The authors would like to acknowledge Amy Drahota, PhD, Karla Ledesma, MSW, Tandy Perry, MSW, John Lutzker, PhD, Jenelle Shanley, PhD, and Cathleen Willging, PhD for their contributions to the project as well as the participating agencies (in particular South Bay Community Services), supervisors, home visitors, and families.
Author Contributions
RHS co-led the design and execution of this study, conducted data analyses for this study, and wrote and led the editing of the final manuscript. DF co-led the design and execution of this study, led data collection for this study and for the larger study, conducted data analyses for this study, and collaborated on writing and editing the final manuscript. NF contributed to data collection and data analyses for both the larger study and this study, as well as supported the writing and editing of the final manuscript. MH co-led the design and execution of the larger study and consulted on the design and execution of this study and preparation of the final manuscript. GAA co-led the design and execution of the larger study and consulted on the design and execution of this study and preparation of the final manuscript.
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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. The University of California, San Diego Institutional Review Board approved all study activities.
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Haine-Schlagel, R., Fettes, D.L., Finn, N. et al. Parent and Caregiver Active Participation Toolkit (PACT): Adaptation for a Home Visitation Program. J Child Fam Stud 29, 29–43 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-019-01659-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-019-01659-3