Child Parent Enrichment Project (CPEP)

4

Manuscripts

Released in 1979 through 2011

1

Manuscript

Impact studies rated high or moderate quality

Services intended at ages
Prenatal
0-11 months (WILL BE REMOVED)
Favorable results from well-defined research
Child development and school readiness
Maternal health

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The Child Parent Enrichment Project (CPEP) was developed as a child-abuse prevention pilot program by Richard Barth at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Social Welfare. The program was offered through a nonprofit community-based organization in Contra Costa County, California. CPEP targeted pregnant mothers at risk for child abuse and aimed to reduce child abuse by alleviating the stressors that can contribute to child abuse and promote good parenting.

Effectiveness

Does not meet criteria established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for an evidence-based home visiting model.

Does not meet criteria for an evidence-based home visiting model for Indigenous peoples and communities.

Extent of Evidence

For more information about manuscripts, search the research database.

For more information on the criteria used to rate research, please see details of HomVEEʼs methods and standards.

4

Manuscripts

Released in 1979 through 2011

2

Manuscripts

Eligible for review

1

Manuscript

Impact studies rated high or moderate quality

Note: When an individual manuscript reports findings from multiple studies, HomVEE reviews each study as a distinct manuscript. In these rare instances, HomVEE counts that manuscript multiple times in this table, once for each study identified, screened, and reviewed by HomVEE.

Summary of Findings

To see details on each manuscript HomVEE reviewed in well-designed research, click on the manuscript counts in the table.

Favorable:
A finding showing a statistically significant impact on an outcome measure in a direction that is beneficial for children and parents.

No effect:
Findings are not statistically significant.

Unfavorable:
A finding showing a statistically significant impact on an outcome measure in a direction that may indicate potential harm to children and/or parents.

Outcomes Manuscripts Favorable Findings No Effects Findings Unfavorable Findings
Child development and school readiness View 1 Manuscript 1 2 0
Child health View 1 Manuscript 0 4 0
Family economic self-sufficiency Not measured - - -
Linkages and referrals Not measured - - -
Maternal health View 1 Manuscript 1 6 0
Positive parenting practices Not measured - - -
Reductions in child maltreatment View 1 Manuscript 0 1 0
Reductions in juvenile delinquency, family violence, and crime Not measured - - -

Research Characteristics

Well-designed impact studies about this model included participants with the following characteristics:

Race/Ethnicity

Black or African American
17.00%
Hispanic or Latino
31.00%
White
45.00%
Some other race
7.00%

Well-designed impact studies about this model were conducted in the following locations:

  • West
  • California
Enrollment in means-tested programs
40.00%

Implementation

In this section:

Overview

Theoretical approach, intended population, and targeted outcomes.

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Support Availability

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Service Delivery

Model services, adaptions and enhancements, model intensity and length.

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Requirements

Staffing and organizational requirements.

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Overview

Theoretical approach

Child Parent Enrichment Project (CPEP) was based on the theory that enhancing mother-child relationships, social and material support, goal setting, and problem solving can reduce the risk of child abuse. Positive mother-child relationships were seen as a byproduct of a healthy pregnancy and labor, an overall feeling of wanting the child, and knowing that caring for the child will be manageable. Having the emotional, informational, and material resources that often accompany a social support network were thought to lessen the risk of child maltreatment. The ability to set goals and solve problems could help parents manage the difficulties of infant caregiving. Implementation of CPEP was based on a task-centered approach in which parents identified and completed tasks to achieve their goals.

Intended population

CPEP served pregnant women at risk for child abuse. Mothers were eligible for referral to the program if they exhibited two or more risk factors on a nine-item checklist, although community professionals had considerable discretion when making referrals. The checklist included underuse of needed community services; a criminal or mental illness record; mother previously suspected of abuse; low self-esteem; chaotic lifestyle; lack of social support from father or family; low intelligence or poor health of mother; unplanned or unwanted pregnancy; and previous or ongoing abuse of mother.

Targeted outcomes

CPEP aimed to reduce the stressors that can contribute to child abuse, promote good parenting, and ultimately reduce child abuse.

Highlights

Services intended at ages
Prenatal
0-11 months (WILL BE REMOVED)

Support Availability

Implementation support availability

CPEP was developed as a child abuse-prevention pilot program by Richard Barth at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Social Welfare and offered through a nonprofit community-based organization. Implementation support and technical assistance was available through the developer.

Service Delivery

Model services

CPEP services consisted of home visits with paraprofessional parenting consultants. During home visits, consultants and parents discussed tasks associated with the parent’s goals for caring for herself and the child and recorded tasks that had been performed. Tasks could be completed during or between home visits, and in the parent’s home or within the community. There were three types of tasks: parent-focused, consultant-focused, and shared. Parent-focused tasks were completed by the parents alone and could include preparing one clean room for the baby to come home to; visiting a thrift shop to obtain a crib; visiting the labor room; and using a respite care program one-half day per week after the child is born. Tasks led by parenting consultants, either during or between visits, included modeling positive parenting and home care skills; advocating on a client’s behalf; and discussing the care of a colicky baby. Typical joint tasks were driving together to a church to pick up food and repairing an appliance together.

No information was available about the curriculum used for this model.

Model intensity and length

Home visits occurred approximately twice per month over a six-month period.

Adaptations and enhancements

No adaptations or enhancements were made to CPEP.

Requirements

Staffing requirements

Public health, education, or social service professionals referred clients to CPEP after assessing clients during routine meetings to determine whether their circumstances might be risk factors for child abuse. Paraprofessional parenting consultants who either were mothers or had significant infant caregiving responsibilities delivered the program components. Parenting consultants were paired with parents from the same geographic community and of the same racial/ethnic background.

No information was available regarding supervisor or coordinator roles. No information was available regarding the minimum education requirements for the parenting consultants or minimum education or experience requirements for supervisors.

Parenting consultants were primarily supervised as a group, with consultation provided as needed.

Paraprofessional parenting consultants underwent more than 100 hours of training that covered the perinatal period, community resources, child abuse and child abuse reporting, and team building. Training also included the basics of implementing a task-centered service approach, in which consultants focused on identifying goals to improve parental self-care and child care and enhancing parents’ ability to identify and complete tasks to meet their goals.

No information was available about whether the model required that parenting consultants participate in ongoing professional development.

Organizational requirements

CPEP was provided by a nonprofit community-based organization in Contra Costa County, CA.

No information was available about whether the model specified any fidelity guidelines that implementing programs or parenting consultants were required to meet on an ongoing basis.

HomVEE requests input and feedback from the model developers on their profiles. The information in this implementation profile reflects feedback, if provided, from this model’s developer as of the above date. HomVEE reserves the right to edit the profile for clarity and consistency. The description of the implementation of the model(s) here may differ from how the model(s) was implemented in the manuscripts reviewed to determine this model’s evidence of effectiveness. Model developers are encouraged to notify HomVEE of any changes to their contact information on this page.