Family Check-Up® For Children

Model Effectiveness
Evidence Based Model
MIECHV Eligible

131

Manuscripts

Released in 1979 through 2021

14

Manuscripts

Impact studies rated high or moderate quality

Services intended at ages
24-35 months
36-47 months
48+ months
Favorable results from well-defined research
Child development and school readiness
Linkages and referrals
Maternal health
Positive parenting practices

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Family Check-Up is a strength-based, family-centered intervention designed to support parents’ efforts to promote children’s behavioral and mental health and prevent behavior problems. It can be integrated into a variety of service settings, including home visiting. The model focuses on families with children who are at risk for conduct problems and academic failure and face familial adversity including socioeconomic disadvantages and maternal depression. Families with children ages 2 through 17 years old are eligible for Family Check-Up. Family Check-Up is designed to reduce children’s behavioral problems, academic difficulties, and emotional problems, and to improve maternal depression, parental involvement, and positive parenting. Family Check-Up has two phases. The first phase involves three sessions with a Family Check-Up provider who has been trained in the model. In Phase 2, the provider recommends additional services that are tailored to the needs of the family, if appropriate. Services could include the Everyday Parenting family management training curriculum, school consultation, or community referrals. While the model description includes services to all age groups regardless of service delivery setting, the HomVEE review only included studies that offered the Everyday Parenting curriculum, used home visiting as the primary service delivery method, and focused on families with children ages 2 through 5 years old. Thus, for the purpose of the HomVEE review, HomVEE uses the name Family Check-Up for Children to describe Family Check-Up that includes the Everyday Parenting curriculum and is delivered in the home to families with children ages 2 through 5 years old.

Where to find out more

Effectiveness

This model meets 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.

131

Manuscripts

Released in 1979 through 2021

29

Manuscripts

Eligible for review

14

Manuscripts

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 8 Manuscripts 10 27 0
Child health Not measured - - -
Family economic self-sufficiency Not measured - - -
Linkages and referrals Not measured - - -
Maternal health View 2 Manuscripts 7 2 0
Positive parenting practices View 10 Manuscripts 18 8 1
Reductions in child maltreatment Not measured - - -
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. The evidence for effectiveness for the model may include additional studies that did not report this participant information.

Race/Ethnicity

The race and ethnicity categories may sum to more than 100 percent if Hispanic ethnicity was reported separately or respondents could select two or more race or ethnicity categories.

Black or African American
28.07%
Hispanic or Latino
12.21%
White
49.45%
Two or more races
11.63%
Unknown
7.82%

Maternal Education

Less than a high school diploma
23.50%
High school diploma or GED
41.00%
Unknown
35.40%

Other Characteristics

This data is only reported if known for at least 50 percent of participants in well-designed impact studies of the model.

Enrollment in means-tested programs
100.00%

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

  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Virginia

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

Family Check-Up is a strength-based, family-centered intervention designed to support parents’ efforts to promote children’s behavioral and mental health and prevent behavior problems. The model is tailored to address the specific needs of each family. It can be integrated into a variety of service settings, including home visiting. The model can be delivered by telehealth with virtual sessions for parents and/or through a web-based application that allows asynchronous family engagement.

Intended population

The intended population for this model is families with children who are at risk for conduct problems and academic failure and face familial adversity including socioeconomic disadvantages and maternal depression.

Families with children ages 2 through 17 years old are eligible for Family Check-Up. The HomVEE review only included studies that used home visiting as the primary service delivery method, incorporated the Everyday Parenting curriculum, and focused on families with children ages 2 through 5 years old. Thus, for the purpose of the HomVEE review, HomVEE uses the name Family Check-Up for Children to describe Family Check-Up that incorporates the Everyday Parenting curriculum and is delivered in the home to families with children ages 2 through 5 years old.* There are few differences between the implementation of Family Check-Up and Family Check-Up for Children, so the information in this profile applies to Family Check-Up broadly, unless specified otherwise.

*Family Check-Up is a flexible model that can be delivered to children and adolescents in the home or in other settings. Family Check-Up for Children is HomVEE’s designation for the group of studies on Family Check-Up that HomVEE reviewed. Family Check-Up for Children does not appear as a version of Family Check-Up on the developer’s website because the requirements for implementing Family Check-Up for Children do not differ from those for Family Check-Up.

Targeted outcomes

Family Check-Up is designed to reduce children’s behavioral problems, academic difficulties, and emotional problems, and to improve maternal depression, parental involvement, and positive parenting.

Highlights

Populations Intended
Families with a history of child abuse or neglect, or interactions with child welfare services
Families with a history of substance use disorders or in need of substance use disorder treatment
Families with children who have low student achievement
Services intended at ages
24-35 months
36-47 months
48+ months

Support Availability

Implementation support availability

The University of Oregon and Northwest Prevention Science Inc. offer training and resources to Family Check-Up providers.

When needed, implementation support is provided by the University of Oregon on an hourly basis to help providers and site administrators address uptake barriers, establish or tailor implementation benchmarks, or identify an optimal implementation plan.

Highlights

Locations where model has been implemented
Within the U.S.
Internationally, outside the U.S.

Service Delivery

Model services

Family Check-Up has two phases. Phase 1 includes three sessions: an interview, an assessment, and a feedback session. During the feedback session, the provider and the family collaboratively decide which follow-up services, if any, would be beneficial. In Phase 2, the provider can refer the family to additional community services as needed and/or may deliver the Everyday Parenting family management training curriculum to the family.* The Everyday Parenting curriculum provides a basis for more intensive parenting support and is designed to enhance parent skills in reinforcing positive behavior, setting healthy limits, and building relationships. Phase 2 services, which the provider tailors to the family’s needs, may also include support for the child’s school success or services to address the parent’s behavioral or mental health needs.

When used as a health maintenance model, Family Check-Up involves yearly behavioral and mental health check-ups in which families complete Phase 1 and participate in Phase 2 as needed. This annual contact enables providers to track family and child behavior over time and continue to motivate families to change persistent areas of difficulty.

The Family Check-Up curriculum details objectives for the initial interview, assessment, and feedback sessions and the process skills needed to accomplish these objectives. It also provides tips and strategies to deliver the model.

The Everyday Parenting curriculum manual presents session outlines and materials organized into three skill areas: (1) supporting positive behavior, (2) setting healthy limits, and (3) building family relationships.

*Family Check-Up may be delivered without the Everyday Parenting curriculum, but the effectiveness of the model has only been evaluated when offered in conjunction with the Everyday Parenting curriculum.

Model intensity and length

Phase 1 of Family Check-Up consists of three initial one-hour sessions (interview, assessment, and feedback), which are scheduled no more than one month apart. In Phase 2, parents may choose to engage in follow-up services, which may include Everyday Parenting sessions that are at least 30 minutes long. As a health promotion and prevention strategy, Phase 2 of Family Check-Up can be limited to 1 to 3 Everyday Parenting sessions. As a treatment approach, Phase 2 can range from 3 to 15 Everyday Parenting sessions. (The average family participates in 3 to 6 sessions.)

When used as a health maintenance model, Family Check-Up involves annual behavioral and mental health check-ups (Phase 1, and Phase 2 as needed) through age 17 years.

Adaptations and enhancements

Phase 1 of Family Check-Up has been delivered in two, rather than three, sessions: (1) an extended interview and assessment session, and (2) a feedback session.

Additionally during pre-service staff training, a Family Check-Up consultant certified by the University of Oregon discusses with providers the adaptations that are allowable, without compromising model fidelity, to meet the needs and service delivery of local implementing programs.

Highlights

Language that the program is available in
Spanish
Maximum program duration
Program duration varies
Visit frequency
Visit frequency varies
Delivery Method Supported
Supports hybrid in-person and virtual service delivery

Requirements

Staffing requirements

A Family Check-Up provider meets with families to conduct the interview, assessment, and feedback sessions. They may also deliver the Everyday Parenting curriculum. If additional services are required, the provider refers families to community resources. To promote model sustainability, sites are encouraged to have at least one provider trained as a Family Check-Up trainer/supervisor to train and supervise other providers at the program.

Family Check-Up providers must have experience delivering family-based interventions. It is also recommended that providers have experience with behavior-based parent training programs and motivational interviewing. There are no education requirements for Family Check-Up providers. While not required, it is recommended that Family Check-Up providers have a master’s degree in counseling, social work, education, or a related field. Trainers/supervisors must have a minimum of a master’s degree (or equivalent) in education, social work, psychology, or a related field.

The University of Oregon strongly recommends, but does not require, that the Family Check-Up trainer/supervisor offer providers weekly individual and monthly group supervision during the first year of implementation. Supervision is encouraged to promote implementation quality and fidelity and to provide the opportunity to address barriers to implementation and discuss adaptations to support model sustainability.

The University of Oregon requires providers to participate in 10 hours of training on Family Check-Up and 5 hours of training on the Everyday Parenting curriculum before they start delivering services. Training as a Family Check-Up trainer/supervisor requires demonstrating competence in using the Family Check-Up fidelity assessment tool, delivering training, and supervising staff. On average, training to become a Family Check-Up trainer/supervisor requires 15 to 18 hours of consultation. Please contact the model developer for additional information about the pre-service training requirement.

After the initial training is complete, monthly one-hour group or individual consultation is recommended but not required for the first six months of implementation. Please contact the model developer for additional information about the ongoing professional development requirement.

Organizational requirements

Family Check-Up for Children is typically implemented by community mental or behavioral health agencies.

The model requires providers to meet a set of ongoing fidelity guidelines. Please contact the model developer for additional information about these guidelines.

Highlights

Minimum education requirement
High school diploma or GED
Professional certification required for home visitors
No

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.