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

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to adapt the Chicago Parent Program specifically for foster and kinship caregivers. It helps caregivers manage behavioral issues in children aged 2 to 8 who are in foster care. The trial tests the effectiveness of caregiver training sessions in improving parenting strategies. Ideal participants are English-speaking, licensed foster or kinship caregivers with a child aged 2 to 8 placed with them within the last 45 days.

As an unphased trial, this study offers caregivers a unique opportunity to enhance their parenting skills and positively impact children's lives.

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 prior data suggests that the Chicago Parent Program for Foster Care is safe?

Research has shown that the Chicago Parent Program is a respected training program for parents. It teaches skills and strategies to improve the relationship between caregivers and children. Adapted for foster and kinship caregivers, the program aims to help reduce children's behavioral problems.

While specific data on side effects or safety concerns for the Chicago Parent Program in foster care is lacking, similar programs have been used successfully without major safety issues. The Chicago Parent Program focuses on teaching communication and bonding skills, which are generally safe activities. As an educational program rather than a medication, it carries low risks.

In summary, the Chicago Parent Program for Foster Care is expected to be safe and well-received by participants. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Chicago Parent Program for Foster Care because it offers a fresh approach to tackling behavioral problems in foster children. Unlike standard treatments that might focus on medication or individual therapy, this program emphasizes training foster caregivers directly. By equipping caregivers with practical skills and strategies, it aims to create a more stable and supportive home environment, which is crucial for addressing behavioral issues. This caregiver-focused method could lead to more sustainable improvements in child behavior by enhancing the daily interactions that foster children experience.

What evidence suggests that the Chicago Parent Program for Foster Care is effective for behavioral problems?

Research shows that the Chicago Parent Program effectively trains parents to manage children's behavior problems. Studies have found that adapting this program for foster and kinship caregivers can reduce behavior issues in the children they care for. A review of similar training programs for foster caregivers supports these findings, showing improvements in child behavior. Early results suggest that the Chicago Parent Program is both suitable and practical for use in foster care settings, making it a valuable tool for caregivers aiming to improve children's behavior. ^{1 2 3 4 6}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Sarah J Beal, PhD

Principal Investigator

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati, OH USA

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

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 for a Trial Participant

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

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

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.

How Is the Trial Designed?

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+

Published Research Related to This Trial

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12064461/

Tailoring the Chicago Parent Program for Foster and Kinship ... There is a lack of evidence-based programs to support the prevention of child behavior problems designed specifically for foster and kinship ...

2. cdn.clinicaltrials.gov cdn.clinicaltrials.gov/large-docs/35/NCT05856435/Prot_SAP_002.pdf

Adapting Chicago Parent Program for the Foster Care Setting A meta- analysis of foster caregiver and adoptive parent training programs and their effectiveness in modifying child behavior problems identified 29 studies of ...

3. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/phase-problem-behavior-4-2023-ab574

Chicago Parent Program for Behavioral Problems in Foster ... 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 ...

4. trialx.com trialx.com/clinical-trials/listings/304273/chicago-parent-program-for-foster-and-kinship-caregivers/

Chicago Parent Program for Foster and Kinship Caregivers The purpose of the study is to evaluate the impact of an evidence-based parenting program, The Chicago Parent Program (CPP) adapted for foster ...

5. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40025284/

Tailoring the Chicago Parent Program for Foster and Kinship ... This study evaluates initial evidence of the acceptability and feasibility of adapting the Chicago Parent Program (CPP) for foster and kinship care.

6. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05856435

NCT05856435 | Tailoring CPP for the Foster Care Setting The Chicago Parent Program for Foster Care FC consists of a 12-session parent training program that focuses on building caregiver-child relationships, ...