The SafeCare program is a home-based program designed to prevent child neglect and maltreatment by improving parents’ skills in key areas. Several studies have evaluated the effectiveness of SafeCare in diverse settings and populations. This article summarizes findings from various research studies, categorized by their methodological rigor, to provide a comprehensive overview of the current evidence base for the Safe Care Program.
Moderate-Rated Studies on SafeCare Program
Studies categorized as “moderate” in methodological rigor offer valuable insights into the SafeCare program’s practical application and outcomes in real-world settings. These studies, while conducted in usual care or practice settings, provide a robust understanding of the program’s impact.
Study 10784: SafeCare Colorado Program Evaluation (2014-2017)
Quick-Beachy and colleagues (2018) conducted an evaluation of the SafeCare Colorado program. This study, implemented in a typical practice setting, examined the program’s effectiveness within the Colorado context. The findings contribute to understanding how SafeCare operates and performs in a statewide implementation.
Study 10910: Comparative Effectiveness Trial of SafeCare
Whitaker (2016) designed a comparative effectiveness trial to assess SafeCare’s impact on reducing child maltreatment and improving client outcomes. Further research from Whitaker and colleagues (2020) published in Preventative Medicine detailed a cluster randomized trial within child welfare systems. This research provides a deeper look into the program’s effectiveness in a rigorous study design within complex child welfare scenarios.
Study 10575: Statewide Trial and Adaptations of SafeCare
Chaffin and colleagues conducted a series of studies under study ID 10575. A significant statewide trial (Chaffin et al., 2012a) published in Pediatrics investigated SafeCare’s effectiveness with parents involved with child protective services. Further work explored cultural competence and effectiveness among American Indian parents (Chaffin et al., 2012b) in Child Maltreatment, addressing crucial considerations for diverse populations. Hubel et al. (2018) in Child Abuse & Neglect examined the program’s suitability and effectiveness for adolescent parents within child welfare. More recently, Moreland et al. (2022) in Child Maltreatment investigated SafeCare’s effectiveness for parents with substance use issues involved in child welfare, highlighting the program’s potential in addressing co-occurring challenges.
Study 15111: Arkansas Family First Prevention Services Act Evaluation
Lewis and colleagues (2023) at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences evaluated the SafeCare model as part of the Arkansas Family First Prevention Services Act. This recent evaluation provides contemporary data on SafeCare’s implementation and effectiveness within the framework of the Family First Prevention Services Act.
Low-Rated Studies on SafeCare Program
Study 10577: Project SafeCare Evaluation using Recidivism Data
Gershater-Molko, Lutzker, and Wesch (2002) evaluated Project SafeCare using recidivism data. Published in Child Maltreatment, this study received a low rating due to concerns about baseline equivalence between intervention and comparison groups, a critical factor for establishing causal links between the program and outcomes.
Studies Not Eligible for Review
Certain studies were deemed not eligible for review due to methodological or outcome-related criteria as defined by review guidelines.
Study 10576: Provider Cultural Competency and Client Engagement
Damashek, Bard, and Hecht (2012) explored provider cultural competency, client satisfaction, and engagement in home-based programs. While relevant to program implementation, this study was ineligible for review because it did not directly measure the Safe Care program’s impact on eligible target outcomes.
Study 10783: SafeCare and Neglect: Evidence from NSPCC
Churchill (2015) presented evidence from a home-based parenting program for neglect in a report for NSPCC. This study was ineligible due to its study design not meeting the criteria for review.
Study 10896: Impact of SafeCare on Parenting Behaviors
Gallitto, Romano, and Whitaker (2020) investigated SafeCare’s impact on parenting behaviors in child welfare-involved families in Child & Adolescent Social Work Journal. Similar to Churchill (2015), this study was also ineligible for review because of its study design.
Conclusion
The body of research on the Safe Care program, particularly the studies rated as moderate, suggests promising evidence for its effectiveness in various contexts and with diverse populations. While some studies have methodological limitations or focus on aspects other than direct program outcomes, the overall research landscape supports the continued investigation and implementation of the SafeCare program as a valuable tool in child maltreatment prevention. Further rigorous research, especially effectiveness trials in real-world settings, will continue to strengthen the evidence base and inform best practices for the Safe Care program.
References
Chaffin, M., Bard, D., Bigfoot, D. S., & Maher, E. J. (2012b). Is a structured, manualized, evidence-based treatment protocol culturally competent and equivalently effective among American Indian parents in child welfare? Child Maltreatment, 17(3), 242-252. doi:10.1177/1077559512457239
Chaffin, M., Hecht, D., Bard, D., Silovsky, J. F., & Beasley, W. H. (2012a). A statewide trial of the SafeCare home-based services model with parents in child protective services. Pediatrics, 129(3), 509-515. doi:10.1542/peds.2011-1840
Churchill, G. (2015). SafeCare: Evidence from a home based parenting programme for neglect. NSPCC.
Damashek, A., Bard, D., Hecht, D. (2012). Provider cultural competency, client satisfaction, and engagement in home-based programs to treat child abuse and neglect. Child Maltreatment, 17(1), 56-66. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077559511423570
Gallitto, E., Romano, E., & Whitaker, D. (2020). Investigating the impact of the SafeCare program on parenting behaviours in child welfare-involved families. Child & Adolescent Social Work Journal, 38, 115-126. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-020-00672-6
Gershater-Molko, R. M., Lutzker, J. R., Wesch, D. (2002). Using recidivism data to evaluate project SafeCare: Teaching bonding, safety, and health care skills to parents. Child Maltreatment, 7(3), 277-285. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077559502007003009
Hubel, G. S., Rostad, W. L., Self-Brown, S., & Moreland, A. D. (2018). Service needs of adolescent parents in child welfare: Is an evidence-based, structured, in-home behavioral parent training protocol effective? Child Abuse & Neglect, 79, 203-212. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.02.005
Lewis, K., Ashby, K., McKelvey, L., & Fitzgerald, S. (2023). Arkansas Family First Prevention Services Act evaluation. SafeCare model. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. https://medicine.uams.edu/familymedicine/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/08/SafeCare-Report_Aug-2023.pdf
Moreland, A., Crum, K., Rostad, W.L., Stefanescu, A., & Whitaker, D. (2022). Examining an in-home behavioral parent training protocol among parents who use substances involved child welfare: Effectiveness of SafeCare. Child Maltreatment, 27(4), 671-682. https://doi.org/10.1177/10775595211046940
Quick-Beachy, K., Lee, C., McConnell, L., Orsi, R., Timpe, Z., & Winokur, M. (2018). SafeCare Colorado program evaluation report 2014-2017. Denver, CO: Colorado Office of Early Childhood.
Whitaker, D. (2016). Comparative effectiveness trial to reduce child maltreatment, improve client outcomes and examine client burden: Research protocol. Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute.
Whitaker, D. J., Self-Brown, S., Hayat, M. J., Osborne, M., Weeks, E., Reidy, D., & Lyons, M. (2020). Effect of the SafeCare© intervention on parenting outcomes among parents in child welfare systems: A cluster randomized trial. Preventative Medicine, 138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2020.106167
