Parenting Course for Child Health

Recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By Michelle Mitchell

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: The Hospital for Sick Children

Disqualifiers: Severe developmental delay, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 8

Duration: 8 weeks

128 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the Parenting Course for Child Health treatment?

Programs focusing on positive parenting, like the Parents Together program, have been shown to improve parental attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors, and increase bonding between parents and children. Additionally, involving parents as active participants in healthcare, as seen in other studies, can enhance communication and empower parents, which may contribute to better health outcomes for children. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How is the Parents Together program treatment different from other treatments for child health?

The Parents Together program is unique because it offers virtual group sessions and coaching calls for parents, focusing on enhancing parental skills and strengthening parent-child relationships, unlike traditional treatments that may not provide this level of interactive and supportive engagement. ^{4 6 7 8 9}

What is the purpose of this trial?

The Parents Together trial aims to determine if the Parents Together program consisting of virtual parent group sessions and coaching calls, will result in better health outcomes for children. The program which is facilitated by a Public Health Nurse seeks to encourage healthy lifestyle behaviours, help build strong family relationships, and promote child development and mental health.

Research Team

Catherine Birken, MD, MSc

Principal Investigator

The Hospital for Sick Children

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for parents who want to improve their children's health outcomes. It focuses on encouraging healthy lifestyle behaviors, strengthening family relationships, and promoting child development and mental health through a program led by a Public Health Nurse.

Inclusion Criteria

My family and I can communicate in English.

Child enrolled in the The Applied Reearch Group for Kids (TARGet Kids!) cohort study

Exclusion Criteria

Children with a sibling already enrolled in the study

My child has a severe developmental delay or disability.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive an 8-week virtual parent/caregiver education program and up to 4 public health nurse coaching calls

8 weeks

8 group sessions (virtual), up to 4 coaching calls (virtual)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for health outcomes, including eating behaviours, physical activity, and psychosocial health

6 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Parents Together program

Trial Overview The 'Parents Together' parenting course is being tested. This includes virtual group sessions with other parents and coaching calls designed to support parents in fostering healthy habits in their children.

Participant Groups

Group I: Intervention/treatment Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

One or two caregivers of each enrolled child will attend an 8-week virtual parent/caregiver education program delivered by a Public Health Nurse. Additionally, the Public Health Nurse will deliver up to 4 individual coaching calls designed to address participant-identified goals related to the group content. The coaching calls will focus on helping to apply the messages and skills from the group sessions and making community connections.

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants randomized to the control group receive regular health care.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

The Hospital for Sick Children

Lead Sponsor

Trials

724

Recruited

6,969,000+

Findings from Research

Parents of children with medical complexity reported high satisfaction with healthcare delivery both before and after the implementation of telehealth services, indicating that telehealth did not negatively impact their experiences.

The school serving children with medical complexity had a significantly higher utilization of telehealth services compared to 12 other schools, suggesting that telehealth is a valuable resource for this population.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Implementing school based telehealth for children with medical complexity. Cormack, CL., Garber, K., Cristaldi, K., et al.[2018]

The development of multi-institutional databases for pediatric and congenital cardiac disease allows for comprehensive analyses that enhance quality improvement initiatives in healthcare.

Parents play a crucial role in the healthcare team, and fostering a culture of transparency and effective communication can empower them to contribute to quality improvement efforts in their children's care.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Outcomes analysis and quality improvement for the treatment of patients with pediatric and congenital cardiac disease. Jacobs, JP., Pasquali, SK., Jeffries, H., et al.[2013]

Both closed and open group formats for positive parenting programs led to significant improvements in parental outcomes, indicating that the format does not affect the effectiveness of the intervention.

Despite open groups having higher-risk families, all participants showed similar statistically significant improvements, supporting the flexibility of adapting group formats to meet community needs.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Open groups: adaptations in implementing a parent training program. Brock, DJ., Marek, LI., Matteo-Kerney, C., et al.[2021]

A parent consultant program in pediatric rheumatology effectively engaged parents of children with rheumatic diseases, with 87% of surveyed parents finding their interactions with consultants helpful.

The program demonstrated that peer support from parent consultants significantly enhances family involvement in healthcare, with 98% of respondents recommending the service to other parents.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parents of children with rheumatic disease as peer counselors. DeNardo, BA., Stebulis, JA., Tucker, LB., et al.[2019]

The At Risk Parent Child Program is designed to prevent poor parenting and child abuse by coordinating community resources and providing multiple specialized services in a neutral location, such as an ambulatory pediatric clinic.

The program emphasizes early identification and assessment of at-risk families during prenatal and perinatal periods, utilizing both formal and informal screening methods to ensure that families receive tailored interventions based on their specific needs.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Families at risk of poor parenting: a model for service delivery, assessment, and intervention. Ayoub, C., Jacewitz, MM.[2019]

The Parent and Infant (PIN) program is designed to enhance parental competence and improve parent-infant relationships for families with infants aged 0-2 years, aiming to promote overall family health and wellbeing.

This process evaluation, part of a controlled trial, will utilize various methods like interviews and surveys to assess how the program is implemented and its effectiveness, providing valuable insights for integrating such interventions into community services.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Understanding the implementation and effectiveness of a group-based early parenting intervention: a process evaluation protocol. Hickey, G., McGilloway, S., Furlong, M., et al.[2022]

The innovative service program for adolescent mothers, conducted at Cincinnati General Hospital, focuses on improving parenting skills through weekly classes until the infants are six months old, covering health, nutrition, and infant stimulation.

The program has shown positive outcomes, as evidenced by increased maternal knowledge, improved maternal-infant interactions, and favorable feedback from both mothers and professionals involved.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Education for adolescent mothers in a hospital setting. Badger, E., Burns, D., Rhoads, B.[2019]

The Parent-to-Parent program is a home-based initiative that provides long-term support to adolescent parents through trained volunteers, aiming to improve parent-child interactions and help parents access necessary services.

The program also focuses on increasing community involvement and empowering parents to plan for their futures, addressing the broader developmental needs often overlooked in traditional prenatal and neonatal care.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Community support for adolescent parents and their children: The parent-to-parent program in Vermont. Halpern, R., Covey, L.[2021]

The project promotes individual responsibility for personal health and the health of children, emphasizing the importance of self-care in parenting.

The 'parenting group' serves as a resource hub, equipping parents and caregivers with information and skills to enhance their ability to care for young children effectively.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Setting up a parenting group. McConville, A.[2004]

References

1. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Implementing school based telehealth for children with medical complexity. [2018]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Outcomes analysis and quality improvement for the treatment of patients with pediatric and congenital cardiac disease. [2013]

3. Iran pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Open groups: adaptations in implementing a parent training program. [2021]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parents of children with rheumatic disease as peer counselors. [2019]

5. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Families at risk of poor parenting: a model for service delivery, assessment, and intervention. [2019]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Understanding the implementation and effectiveness of a group-based early parenting intervention: a process evaluation protocol. [2022]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Education for adolescent mothers in a hospital setting. [2019]

8. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Community support for adolescent parents and their children: The parent-to-parent program in Vermont. [2021]

9. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Setting up a parenting group. [2004]