The Family Check-up is a brief family intervention aimed at the early identification of problems and providing support to parents who experience difficulties in raising their child. For example, emotional or behavioural problems. In three sessions during which youth care professionals visit families at home, they examine what is going well in the families, where improvement is possible and what additional support may be needed. By changing family factors, such as parenting, atmosphere and conflicts within the family, the Family Check-up aims to reduce problems in children and prevent more serious problems later in life. Motivational interviewing is used to increase families’ willingness to change their behaviour and their engagement.
First study in the Netherlands
The Family Check-up was developed in the United States and has been tested for effectiveness in several international studies.
The intervention has proven effective in the United States and Sweden. But does the intervention also work well in the Netherlands? To gain more insight into this, we used a pilot study to adapt the Family Check-up to the Dutch context and examine the effectiveness and practical feasibility of this intervention in the Netherlands. The pilot study consisted of a small-scale effectiveness evaluation (without a control group) and a process evaluation. Families and youth care professionals were asked to complete questionnaires and participate in individual or group discussions.
More conscious and positive parenting
The results of the effectiveness evaluation, commissioned by ‘FNO Zorg voor kansen’, suggest that families develop positively in several areas targeted by the Family Check-up. For example, parents reported that after the Family Check-up they encouraged more positive behaviour in their children through compliments and/or rewards, displayed less negative parenting behaviour (for example, shouting at their child), experienced fewer conflicts with their children and within the family, and experienced less parenting stress.
These positive developments are confirmed by the discussions with parents and youth care professionals. Parents and youth care professionals were enthusiastic about the Family Check-up, and they particularly appreciated the intervention’s positive and practical approach.
The future of the Family Check-up in the Netherlands
Based on the results of this pilot study, Entrea Lindenhout is offering the Family Check-up at all primary schools in Nijmegen. In addition, as of 1 July 2021, the Family Check-up will be offered in Nijmegen through the new Buurtteam Jeugd en Gezin. The University of Amsterdam is also currently conducting a larger study to further examine the effectiveness of the Family Check-up in a Dutch setting.
Do you have any questions?
For questions about the pilot study, please contact Tessa Scheffers-van Schayck of the Trimbos Institute. For questions about the implementation of the Family Check-up at Entrea Lindenhout, please contact Chris Raaijmakers ([email protected]). For questions about the University of Amsterdam study, please contact Dr Brechtje de Mooij ([email protected]).
Photo: Frank Penders for FNO.