Early parenting education program seeks to prevent child abuse

Abstract Background: The prevention of child abuse and neglect is an urgent matter, as abuse and neglect are associated with serious effects even into adulthood, and as there is an increased risk of the offspring of abused children being abused themselves. Intervening as early as possible may prevent abuse that can begin in infancy. Although several systematic reviews and meta-analyses have investigated the effects of interventions on populations at risk for child abuse and neglect, few studies have focused on at-risk women or interventions that start during perinatal periods. This study aims to describe a systematic review to examine the effects of interventions to prevent child abuse and neglect that begin during pregnancy and just after childbirth (less than one year). The study will involve performing a systematic review and meta-analysis based on the latest research articles up to and including November 2020 and a broader literature search.Methods: The protocol was prepared using the 2015 statement of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols. The review will follow Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis guidelines/statements. The literature search will be performed using the MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases from inception onward. Randomized controlled trials of interventions that begin during pregnancy or the first year postpartum and are designed to prevent child abuse and neglect in at-risk families will be included. Data collection, quality assessment, and statistical syntheses will be conducted by following methods in the protocol that are defined in advance.Discussion: The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis will be important in clinical and political settings for the prevention of child abuse and neglect. The results of this study will provide a basis for the development of evidence-based intervention programs for expectant and new parents and child abuse prevention policies. Additionally, this study will encourage future studies to conduct more evidence-based intervention programs and illuminate the direction of research on the prevention of child abuse and neglect.Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42021266462

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The Parenting Education Needs of Women Experiencing Incarceration in South Australia: Proposal for a Mixed Methods Study

JMIR Research Protocols ◽

10.2196/18992 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (8) ◽

pp. e18992

Author(s):

Belinda Lovell ◽

Mary Steen ◽

Adrian Esterman ◽

Angela Brown

Keyword(s):

Mixed Methods ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Education Program ◽

Research Training ◽

South Australia ◽

Mixed Methods Study ◽

Parenting Education ◽

Current Evidence ◽

Torres Strait ◽

Education Needs

Background The mother-child relationship is extremely important, and for mothers experiencing incarceration, this relationship has unique challenges. There is limited evidence currently available to identify the type and content of parenting education that would best suit women who are incarcerated. Objective This study aims to design and evaluate a parent education program for women experiencing incarceration in South Australia. The program must meet the specific needs of incarcerated women and considers the cultural needs of Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islanders and migrant women. Hereafter Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples will be referred to as Aboriginal; the authors acknowledge the diversity within Aboriginal cultures. Methods This study will utilize a mixed methods approach, including six phases framed by a community-based theoretical model. This methodology provides a collaborative approach between the researcher and the community to empower the women experiencing incarceration, allowing their parenting education needs to be addressed. Results A scoping review was undertaken to inform this study protocol. This paper describes and discusses the protocol for this mixed methods study. Recruiting commenced in December 2019, results will be published in 2020, and the project will be completed by August 2022. This project has been supported by a Research Training Scholarship from the Australian Government. Conclusions The scoping review highlighted a lack of rigorous evidence to determine the most appropriate parenting education program to suit women experiencing incarceration specifically, and there was little consideration for the cultural needs of women. It also became clear that when quantitative and qualitative data are utilized, the women’s voices can assist in the determination of what works, what will not work, and what can be improved. The data collected and analyzed during this study, as well as the current evidence, will assist in the development of a specific parenting education program to meet the needs of women experiencing incarceration in South Australia and will be implemented and evaluated as part of the study. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/18992

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