CDC COMMUNITY GUIDE: Early Childhood Home Visitation to Prevent Violence
CDC
An Evidence-Based Practice
Description
Home visitation to prevent violence includes programs in which parents and children are visited in their home by:
• Nurses
• Social workers
• Paraprofessionals
• Community peers
Some visits must occur during the child's first two years of life, but they may be initiated during pregnancy and may continue after the child's second birthday.
The Task Force on Community Preventive Services recommends early childhood home visitation programs based on strong evidence of their effectiveness in reducing child maltreatment among high-risk families.
• Nurses
• Social workers
• Paraprofessionals
• Community peers
Some visits must occur during the child's first two years of life, but they may be initiated during pregnancy and may continue after the child's second birthday.
The Task Force on Community Preventive Services recommends early childhood home visitation programs based on strong evidence of their effectiveness in reducing child maltreatment among high-risk families.
Results / Accomplishments
Results from the Systematic Reviews:
• Child maltreatment in high-risk families: median reduction of 38.9% in episodes (interquartile interval: -74.1% to -24.0%; 21 studies, 26 study arms)
-Longer-duration programs produced larger effects; programs of less than 2 years duration did not appear to be effective.
-Professional home visitors may be more effective than trained paraprofessionals, but longer-duration programs with trained paraprofessionals can also be effective.
• Violence by the visited children: findings are inconsistent (4 studies)
• Intimate partner violence: lack of statistically significant results (one study)
• Violent behavior by visited parents (other than maltreatment): lack of statistically significant results (one study)
• All programs reviewed were directed at families considered to be at high risk of child maltreatment (e.g., single or young mothers, low-income households, families with low birth weight infants).
• Child maltreatment in high-risk families: median reduction of 38.9% in episodes (interquartile interval: -74.1% to -24.0%; 21 studies, 26 study arms)
-Longer-duration programs produced larger effects; programs of less than 2 years duration did not appear to be effective.
-Professional home visitors may be more effective than trained paraprofessionals, but longer-duration programs with trained paraprofessionals can also be effective.
• Violence by the visited children: findings are inconsistent (4 studies)
• Intimate partner violence: lack of statistically significant results (one study)
• Violent behavior by visited parents (other than maltreatment): lack of statistically significant results (one study)
• All programs reviewed were directed at families considered to be at high risk of child maltreatment (e.g., single or young mothers, low-income households, families with low birth weight infants).
About this Promising Practice
Primary Contact
The Community Guide
1600 Clifton Rd, NE
MS E69
Atlanta, GA 30329
(404) 498-1827
communityguide@cdc.gov
https://www.thecommunityguide.org/
1600 Clifton Rd, NE
MS E69
Atlanta, GA 30329
(404) 498-1827
communityguide@cdc.gov
https://www.thecommunityguide.org/
Topics
Health / Prevention & Safety
Community / Domestic Violence & Abuse
Community / Social Environment
Community / Domestic Violence & Abuse
Community / Social Environment
Source
Community Guide Branch Epidemiology and Analysis Program Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Location
USA
For more details
https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/violenc...
https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/violenc...
https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/violenc...
Target Audience
Children, Adults, Families