TY  - SER
AU  - Fergusson, David M. 
AU  - Boden,Joseph M.
AU  - Horwood,Leonard John
TI  - Nine year follow-up of a home-visiting program : : a randomized trial
PY  - 2013///
PB  - American Academy of Pediatrics
KW  - PREVENTION
KW  - FVC
KW  - AUKATI TŪKINOTANGA
KW  - reo
KW  - PATU TAMARIKI
KW  - CHILD ABUSE
KW  - RECOMMENDED READING
KW  - CHILD DEVELOPMENT
KW  - EVALUATION
KW  - FAMILIES
KW  - INJURY PREVENTION
KW  - INTERVENTION
KW  - MĀORI
KW  - PARENTING
KW  - PROGRAMMES
KW  - SOCIAL SERVICES
KW  - ĀRAI WHARA
KW  - MĀTUA
KW  - WHĀNAU
KW  - NEW ZEALAND
N1  - Pediatrics, 2013, 131(2): 297-303; Recommended reading; nz
N2  - This article provides an evaluation of the Early Start programme, a home visitation strategy targeting at-risk families. This programme was born out of the concerns identified by the Christchurch Health and Development Study, namely the effect of childhood adversity and disadvantaged family environments on child outcomes. Many service providers were involved in the development of the Early Start programme, such as the Plunket Society, Child, Youth and Family Services, and the Family Help Trust. To evaluate the programme, researchers conducted a random trial involving 220 families involved in Early Start and a control group of 223 families with no connection to the programme. Findings from the nine year follow-up show that up, children of families enrolled in Early Start had:
• Lower rates of hospital attendance for non-intentional injury (accidents) (p <.01). These differences were most marked for the 0–3 year period.
• Lower rates of parental reported physical child abuse (p <.01). These differences were most marked for the 0–3 year
period.
• Lower rates of parental reported punitive parenting (p <.05).
• Higher rates of parental reported competent parenting (p <.0001).
• Fewer parental reported childhood problem behaviours (p <.05).

The outcomes were similar for Māori and non-Māori families enrolled in the Early Start programme.

There was no evidence to suggest Early Start had benefits for a range of parental and family outcomes that included: maternal
depression; parental substance use; family violence; family economic circumstances; family stress and adversity.
Statistical analyses showed the differences in rates of sample retention for the Early Start and Control groups were unlikely to threaten study validity. (from report summary). See item #4010 for publicly available evaluation report, or follow the website link. Record #4252

UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1542/peds.2012-1612
UR  - http://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/evaluation/early-start/index.html
ER  -