Play and Learning Strategies (PALS)

MODEL
EFFECTIVENESS

Evidence-based model

MIECHV eligible

10
Manuscripts

Released in 1979 through 2024

3
Manuscripts

Impact studies rated high or moderate quality

Services intended at ages
0-6 months
7-11 months
12-23 months
24-35 months
36-47 months
48+ months
Favorable results from well-designed research
Child development and school readiness
Positive parenting practices

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Play and Learning Strategies (PALS) is designed to strengthen parent–child bonding and stimulate children’s early language, cognitive, and social development. PALS serves families with children who are ages 5 months through 4 years. The PALS Infant curriculum is used for families with children ages 5 months to approximately 18 months and consists of 11 weekly sessions. The PALS Toddler/Preschooler curriculum is used for families with children ages approximately 18 months through 4 years and consists of 14 weekly sessions. Both curricula, which include a scripted manual, set of exemplar videos, and age-appropriate toys, are offered through 90-minute home visits conducted by a parent coach, and the appropriate age to shift between Infant and Toddler/Preschooler curriculum may be decided based on the child’s developmental needs.

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.

10
Manuscripts

Released in 1979 through 2024

7
Manuscripts

Eligible for review

3
Manuscripts

Impact studies rated high or moderate quality

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.

Ambiguous findings are excluded from this table. An ambiguous finding is a statistically significant impact on an outcome measure in a direction that is not clearly beneficial for or potentially harmful to children and/or parents.

Outcomes Manuscripts Favorable Findings No Effects Findings Unfavorable Findings
Child Development and School Readiness View 3 Manuscripts 1 15 0
Child Health Not measured - - -
Family Economic Self-Sufficiency Not measured - - -
Linkages and Referrals Not measured - - -
Maternal Health Not measured - - -
Positive Parenting Practices View 3 Manuscripts 11 12 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
33%
Hispanic or Latino
35%
White
29%
Unknown
3%

Maternal Education

Data not available

Other Characteristics

Data not available

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

  • Texas

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

PALS is a preventive intervention that aims to enhance parents’ interactions with their infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. It is designed to strengthen the attachment between parent and child and stimulate early language, cognitive, and social development. Families can participate in the PALS Infant curriculum or the PALS Toddler/Preschooler curriculum. Families can participate in both curricula to continue practicing their skills if the implementing agency has capacity.

Intended population

PALS serves families at risk of poor outcomes, which includes families with caregivers under 21 years old, single or unmarried caregivers, caregivers with limited access to education, children with developmental delays or disabilities, and/or families with a history of involvement with the child welfare system. Local agencies that implement PALS may develop their own eligibility criteria based on their service area context.

The PALS Infant curriculum focuses on children ages 5 to approximately 18 months and their families. The PALS Toddler/Preschooler curriculum focuses on children ages approximately 18 months through 4 years and their families. The appropriate age to shift between Infant and Toddler/Preschooler curriculum may be decided based on the child’s developmental needs.

Intended outcomes

  • Strengthen the attachment between parent and child
  • Stimulate early language, cognitive, and social development

Highlights

Populations intended
Families with a history of child abuse or neglect, or interactions with child welfare services
Families with children with developmental delays or disabilities
Families with pregnant women under age 21
Services intended at ages
0-6 months
7-11 months
12-23 months
24-35 months
36-47 months
48+ months

Support Availability

Implementation support availability

The Children’s Learning Institute at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston supports implementation of PALS.

Ongoing consultation is available from the Children’s Learning Institute.

Highlights

Locations where model has been implemented
Within the U.S.

Service Delivery

Model services

PALS includes one-on-one home visits between a trained parent coach and a parent. During in-person implementation of PALS, the child must be available during the live coaching portion of a session. 

Parent coaches use the PALS Infant curriculum or the PALS Toddler/Preschooler curriculum. Each curriculum consists of a scripted manual, set of exemplar videos, and age-appropriate toys.

Model intensity and length

Home visiting requirements:

The PALS Infant curriculum consists of 11 weekly sessions. The PALS Toddler/Preschooler curriculum consists of 14 weekly sessions. Sessions last about 90 minutes.

Tailored services and enhanced models

The developer allows local agencies to offer an enhanced version of the required PALS training that combines PALS Infant and PALS Toddler/Preschooler coach preparation and certification. This enhanced model provides implementing agencies the flexibility to meet the developmental needs of children from infancy through preschool.

Highlights

Program is available in other language(s)
Spanish
Maximum program duration
One to six months
Visit frequency
Weekly
Delivery method supported
Supports hybrid in-person and virtual service delivery

Requirements

Staffing requirements

Education and supervisory requirements

Staff. Certified parent coaches implement PALS under the guidance of a supervisor. 

Education and experience. The developer recommends (but does not require) that parent coaches have, at minimum, an associate’s degree in early childhood (or a related field) or a high school diploma and two years of work experience in an early childhood setting. For parent coach supervisors, PALS requires at least a bachelor's degree in early childhood education or a related field and three to five years of work experience, preferably in parent or family education. 

Supervision. Supervisors must meet with each parent coach individually each month to observe a home visit and support the parent coach with their professional development. Recommended weekly group supervision sessions serve as a forum for ongoing training of PALS content and coaching strategies. 

Training and professional development

Pre-Service Training. Parent coaches must complete PALS training and be certified by the Children’s Learning Institute. This training can be provided in person or virtually. 

  • In-person training can take place at the Children's Learning Institute in Houston, Texas, or on-site at local implementing agencies. In-person training on the PALS Infant or PALS Toddler/Preschooler curriculum is 2.5 days, and combined training on both the PALS Infant and Toddler/Preschooler curricula lasts 5 days.
  • The virtual training option uses a hybrid model of self-study and facilitated training sessions, usually conducted weekly in two-hour sessions over the course of four weeks. 

Throughout the certification process, coaches participate in a professional learning community facilitated by PALS-certified trainers. Please contact the model developer for more information about the pre-service training requirements and options. 

Ongoing professional development. The developer requires supervisors to attend PALS training and recommends professional learning community sessions throughout the implementation process. The developer offers an extra professional learning community model for supervisors to address the organization’s specific needs and goals. Ongoing training for supervisors is available from the Children's Learning Institute upon request. Please contact the model developer for more information about the ongoing professional development offerings.

Organizational requirements

The Children’s Learning Institute recommends that PALS be implemented by agencies with a sustained funding mechanism and an organizational structure that can support model continuity. 

Supervisors maintain fidelity standards of coaches’ work through in-person observations or video recording observations. Fidelity standards mirror the original certification checklist.

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. HomVEE reserves the right to edit the profile for clarity and consistency. The description of the implementation of the model here may differ from how the model 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.