An evaluation of the effectiveness of a parent-to-parent program in changing attitudes and increasing parental engagement in the juvenile dependency system

Outcomes of the Iowa Parent Partner program evaluation: Stability of reunification and re-entry into foster care

“…These findings demonstrated that families who participated in the Iowa Parent Partner program had higher rates of family reunification and lower rates of subsequent child removals than their matched families who did not participate in the program. Our findings align with past studies that have documented the effectiveness of peer-based supports in the substance abuse and mental health fields (Chinman et al, 2014;Davidon et al, 2018;Davidson, 2013;Pfeiffer, Heisler, Piette, Rogers, & Valenstein, 2011) and add to the growing body of literature on the effects of parent partner programs among children and families with child welfare involvement (Berrick et al, 2011;Bohannan et al, 2016;Budde & Schene, 2004;Layzer et al, 2001;Summers et al, 2012;Suter & Bruns, 2009).…”

“…In an effort to help bridge the gap in trust and equality between workers and parents, improve reunification outcomes for families, and empower the families that workers serve, child welfare agencies across the country have begun implementing parent partner programs (Bohannan, Gonzalez, & Summers, 2016;Capacity Building Center for States, 2016;Leake, Longworth-Reed, Williams, & Potter, 2012;Summers, Wood, Russell, & Macgill, 2012). These programs identify parents who were previously involved in the child welfare system due to child protection issues and who overcame interpersonal obstacles through their own recovery process to achieve reunification with their children.…”

“…While parent partner programs have shown some promise for improving distal outcomes such as increased placement stability, few studies have rigorously examined their effectiveness or have attempted to directly link intervention activities to child welfare-related outcomes (Leake et al, 2012). For example, previous research has demonstrated the positive effects of peer support interventions on increased parent engagement and knowledge (Center for Social Services Research, 2004;Layzer et al, 2001;Summers et al, 2012), expanded social networks (Budde & Schene, 2004), improved family functioning and parenting skills (Layzer et al, 2001), and improved youth functioning (Suter & Bruns, 2009). In a cross-sectional study, Bohannan et al (2016) demonstrated increased engagement and reunification rates for families who participated in a peer-mentoring program compared to families who did not participate.…”

“…It should also be noted that substance abuse recovery is often a key variable in the court's determination of a child's length of stay in out-of-home care (Semidei, Radel, & Nolan, 2001). Previous research indicates that parents involved in peer mentoring programs are more engaged in their case plan than similar parents who are not involved in such programs (Bohannan et al, 2016;Summers et al, 2012). Thus, it is possible that judges who are privy to parent partner program involvement and believe that the parent is making positive changes may choose to leave a child in placement for a longer period of time to ensure safety and demonstrate consistency with decisions involving similar non-parent partner cases.…”

Factors mediating the association of the recency of parent’s marijuana use and their adolescent children’s subsequent initiation.

“…Given this association of parents’ behavior with their offspring’s marijuana initiation, future adolescent drug prevention interventions might logically be targeted to parents, rather than adolescents, the focal targets of the campaign. Interventions targeting parents have the potential to influence parental attitudes (Summers, Wood, Russell, & MacGill, 2012), thereby altering parental behavior, and may indirectly affect adolescents’ attitudes, as they are less likely to counter-argue messages directed toward parents (Crano, Siegel, Alvaro, & Patel, 2007). …”