Family Connections (Birth to Age 5)

Last updated: 2011

In brief

Evidence of model effectiveness

This model does not meet the criteria established by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for an “evidence-based early childhood home visiting service delivery model” for the general population or for tribal populations because there are no high- or moderate-rated effectiveness studies of the model.

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Model description

Family Connections is designed to improve protective factors such as parenting skills and attitudes and reduce risk factors such as parent depression and child behavioral problems. It is a community-based neglect prevention program targeting at-risk families with children between the ages of 0 and 18. For the purposes of the HomVEE review, only studies of programs targeted to children birth to age 5 were included in the review. The core program components of Family Connections are (1) outreach and engagement, (2) intake and screening, (3) emergency services, (4) comprehensive family assessment, (5) case planning based on goals, (6) home visiting, (7) client advocacy and service facilitation (indirect services), (8) assessing progress on case plans at least every 90 days, and (9) multifamily recreational and supportive activities (optional). Families enrolled in Family Connections receive at least one hour of face-to-face services at least once per week for at least three months. For more information, please read the Model Overview.

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Extent of evidence

Results of search and review
Number of manuscripts
At least one finding was eligible for review…
0
  …and at least one finding rated high
0
  …and at least one finding rated moderate (but none rated high)
0
  …and all findings that were eligible for review rated low
0
  …but manuscript is additional source1
0

1Additional sources have findings or details that perfectly overlap with another manuscript and are not rated.

For more information, see the research database. For more information on the criteria used to rate research, please see details of HomVEE’s methods and standards.

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Summary of findings

To see details on each finding HomVEE reviewed in well-designed research, click on the name of an outcome domain in the tables below. Findings rated low quality by HomVEE are not summarized here.

Outcomes
Findings

Outcome Child Development and School Readiness

Not measured

Outcome Child Health

Not measured

Outcome Family Economic Self-Sufficiency

Not measured

Outcome Linkages and Referrals

Not measured

Outcome Maternal Health

Not measured

Outcome Positive Parenting Practices

Not measured

Outcome Reductions in Child Maltreatment

Not measured

Outcome Reductions in Juvenile Delinquency, Family Violence, and Crime

Not measured

The section above focuses on findings from the full sample in a study. Subgroups that have been replicated in distinct samples also have findings reported above. HomVEE does not report the findings of non-replicated subgroups. Beginning with research reviewed in 2021, however, HomVEE, lists those subgroups on the details page of each manuscript that had at least one finding that rated moderate or high.

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Criteria established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Information based on comprehensive review of all high- and moderate-rated manuscripts
CriterionCriterion descriptionCriterion met?
1High- or moderate-quality impact study?No eligible studies
2Across high- or moderate-quality studies, favorable impacts in at least two outcome domains within one sample OR the same domain for at least two non-overlapping samples?Not applicable
3Favorable impacts on full sample?Not applicable
4Any favorable impacts on outcome measures sustained at least 12 months after model enrollment?
Reported for all research but only required for RCTs.		Not applicable
5One or more favorable, statistically significant impact reported in a peer-reviewed journal?
Reported for all research but only required for RCTs.		Not applicable

Notes: If the model does not meet criterion 3 but meets criteria 1 and 2 based on findings from subgroups, the impacts must be replicated in the same domain in two or more studies using non-overlapping analytic study samples. HomVEE assesses and reports criteria 4 and 5 for all models that have well-designed research, but meeting those two criteria is only required of models for which all findings are from randomized controlled trials. Please read the HHS criteria for evidence-based models for more information.

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