Chicago Parent Program for Behavioral Problems in Foster Care

(CPP-FC Trial)

Overseen By Cindy Zion

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati

Disqualifiers: No foster child, others

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

Approved in 1 Jurisdiction This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 12

Duration: 12 weeks

16 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The primary objective of this study is to tailor the Chicago Parent Program, an evidence-based parent training program, for the foster care setting and pilot the content in two cohorts of foster and kinship caregivers (Gross et al., 2009).

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 treatment Chicago Parent Program for Behavioral Problems in Foster Care?

Research shows that parent management training (PMT) programs, which are similar to the Chicago Parent Program, have been effective in improving child behavior and family outcomes in clinical and school settings. Additionally, a foster parent training intervention based on PMT increased positive placement outcomes for children in foster care, suggesting potential benefits for the Chicago Parent Program. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How is the Chicago Parent Program for Foster Care different from other treatments for behavioral problems in foster care?

The Chicago Parent Program for Foster Care is unique because it is specifically designed for foster and kinship caregivers, focusing on culturally relevant and developmentally appropriate strategies to manage children's behavior problems, unlike many existing programs that lack empirical support or are not tailored to the specific needs of foster care settings. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Research Team

Sarah J Beal, PhD

Principal Investigator

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati, OH USA

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for licensed foster or kinship caregivers to children aged 2-8 years, who are in good standing with their agency and speak English. Caregivers must be new to the role, with the child placed in their home less than 45 days before joining.

Inclusion Criteria

Must be in good standing with the foster care agency

Must be English-speaking

I am a licensed caregiver for a child aged 2 to 8.

Exclusion Criteria

Not having a foster child ages 2 - 8 years in the home

My caregiver cannot commit to the CPP-FC program.

My foster child, aged 2-8, has been with me for over 45 days.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

The Chicago Parent Program is tailored and delivered to foster and kinship caregivers over 12 virtual sessions

12 weeks

12 virtual sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in stress, group environment, and child behavior problems

6 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Chicago Parent Program for Foster Care

Trial Overview The study aims to adapt the Chicago Parent Program (CPP), designed for parents, specifically for use in foster care settings. It will test this tailored program's effectiveness with two groups of caregivers.

Participant Groups

Group I: Chicago Parent Program for Foster Care Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Caregiver parent training sessions.

Chicago Parent Program for Foster Care is already approved in United States for the following indications:

Approved in United States as Chicago Parent Program for:

• Child behavior problems in foster care
• Caregiver competence in foster care

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati

Lead Sponsor

Trials

844

Recruited

6,566,000+

Johns Hopkins University

Collaborator

Trials

2,366

Recruited

15,160,000+

Ohio State University

Collaborator

Trials

891

Recruited

2,659,000+

Findings from Research

A randomized control trial involving 700 foster and kinship parents in San Diego County tested the effectiveness of a parent management training (PMT) program, which has shown positive outcomes in other settings but had not been previously evaluated for foster parents.

The study highlights the importance of engaging stakeholders and involving parents in the training process, suggesting that PMT could improve child behavioral outcomes in foster care settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cascading implementation of a foster and kinship parent intervention. Chamberlain, P., Price, J., Reid, J., et al.[2021]

Functional Family Therapy-Child Welfare (FFT-CW®) was found to be more efficient and effective than Usual Care (UC) in reducing child maltreatment, with families completing treatment more quickly and meeting service goals more often over a 16-month follow-up period involving 1625 families.

Families in the FFT-CW® program experienced fewer transfers to other programs and had lower rates of recurring allegations and out-of-home placements, particularly among those with higher risk factors, indicating better overall outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Summary of comparison between FFT-CW® and Usual Care sample from Administration for Children's Services. Turner, CW., Robbins, MS., Rowlands, S., et al.[2022]

In a study involving 493 children who were previously reunified with their parents, participation in the Strengthening Families Program (SFP) did not significantly reduce reentry rates into foster care, with rates being 23.7% for SFP participants compared to 18.6% for the comparison group.

Key factors influencing reentry included child behavior problems, family poverty, and the timing of reunification, suggesting that while parenting interventions may improve skills, they may not directly affect the likelihood of children reentering foster care.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of a Parenting Intervention on Foster Care Reentry After Reunification Among Substance-Affected Families: A Quasi-Experimental Study. Akin, BA., Brook, J., Lloyd, MH., et al.[2018]

A behavior modification training program for foster parents led to significant improvements in their parenting skills.

The program also enhanced the management of the children in their care, indicating its effectiveness in fostering better family dynamics.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A model for training foster parents in behavior modificiation techniques. Penn, JV.[2004]

Children whose families completed the Nurturing Parenting Program (NPP) were significantly less likely to face child welfare investigations or removals, indicating the program's effectiveness in improving child safety outcomes.

In contrast, simply being referred to NPP did not show any significant impact, highlighting the importance of program completion for achieving positive results in child welfare.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of the Nurturing Parenting Program Nurturing Skills for Families on child safety and permanency. Gross, M., Bhagwat, A., Cole, R.[2023]

In an effectiveness trial of parent management training as part of the Prevention Program for Externalizing Problem Behavior (PEP), a significant percentage of children (32.6% to 60.7%) were identified as having clinically relevant externalizing behavior issues at the start of the study.

After three months of treatment, between 24.8% and 60.4% of these children showed recovery, indicating that parent management training can lead to meaningful improvements in managing externalizing behavior problems.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Does parent management training for children with externalizing problem behavior in routine care result in clinically significant changes? Hautmann, C., Stein, P., Hanisch, C., et al.[2015]

A randomized trial involving 700 foster and kinship parents tested the KEEP intervention, which is based on the Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care model, and found it significantly reduced child behavior problems compared to a control group.

Improvements in child behavior were linked to enhanced parenting practices, particularly benefiting high-risk children who initially reported more than six behavior problems per day.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Prevention of behavior problems for children in foster care: outcomes and mediation effects. Chamberlain, P., Price, J., Leve, LD., et al.[2018]

The paper by Ward et al. highlights the development of a new program aimed at parents of children at high risk for behavioral problems in a deprived South African township, indicating a focus on early intervention in challenging environments.

It raises important questions about the necessity of creating new programs when effective ones already exist, suggesting a need for collaboration among program developers to identify the most effective strategies for different populations.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Commentary: Do we need new parenting programmes for different cultural groups or should we adapt those that already exist: a commentary on Ward et al. (2019). Thompson, M., Thompson, C.[2021]

The KEEP (Keeping Foster Parents Trained and Supported) intervention effectively reduced externalizing behavior problems in children in foster care, based on a study involving 335 foster and kinship families.

The intervention not only helped improve behavior in multiple children within the same household but also significantly reduced parental stress related to managing these behavior issues.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of the KEEP Foster Parent Intervention on Child and Sibling Behavior Problems and Parental Stress During a Randomized Implementation Trial. Price, JM., Roesch, S., Walsh, NE., et al.[2018]

References

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

Cascading implementation of a foster and kinship parent intervention. [2021]

2. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Summary of comparison between FFT-CW® and Usual Care sample from Administration for Children's Services. [2022]

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

Effect of a Parenting Intervention on Foster Care Reentry After Reunification Among Substance-Affected Families: A Quasi-Experimental Study. [2018]

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

A model for training foster parents in behavior modificiation techniques. [2004]

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

Effects of a foster parent training intervention on placement changes of children in foster care. [2018]

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

Effects of the Nurturing Parenting Program Nurturing Skills for Families on child safety and permanency. [2023]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Does parent management training for children with externalizing problem behavior in routine care result in clinically significant changes? [2015]

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

Prevention of behavior problems for children in foster care: outcomes and mediation effects. [2018]

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

Commentary: Do we need new parenting programmes for different cultural groups or should we adapt those that already exist: a commentary on Ward et al. (2019). [2021]

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

Effects of the KEEP Foster Parent Intervention on Child and Sibling Behavior Problems and Parental Stress During a Randomized Implementation Trial. [2018]