RecruitingACTRN12619001517167

Cradle to Kinder: A Qualitative and Quantitative Evaluation of a Maternal and Child Health Intervention for Disadvantaged Young Mothers

Cradle to Kinder: A Prenatal and Postnatal Support Program for Young Mothers to Improve both Maternal and Infant Outcomes

Sponsor

Monash University

Enrollment

50 participants

Start Date

Jul 12, 2017

Study Type

Interventional

Conditions

Maternal health and wellbeing Infant health and wellbeing

Summary

Young disadvantaged mothers are at a higher likelihood of having their child/children removed from their care, which results in poor psychosocial outcomes for the mother and the infant. Therefore, a prospective cohort study will be conducted to evaluate the efficacy of the Cradle to Kinder program on psychosocial outcomes among young and vulnerable families. An anticipated sample of 50 young at-risk women and their families will receive the Cradle to Kinder program, commencing from pregnancy up until the child turns four years old, Cradle to Kinder is a targeted, intensive and long-term ante- and postnatal support service for vulnerable young mothers (aged less than 25 years with one or more risk factors) and their families. Cradle to Kinder practitioners will conduct weekly to fortnightly home visits and engage families in a range of different interventions to support and facilitate health outcomes. Assessments will be conducted by the practitioner at baseline and then every six months over the four years of the intervention. Maternal health outcomes (i.e., mental health, parenting capacity) will be measured using the North Carolina Family Assessment Scale, and infant outcomes (i.e., attachment style, social and emotional development) will be assessed by the Brigance. It is expected that families who engage in the program for its entire duration will demonstrate better psychosocial outcomes at the conclusion of the program compared to the beginning.

Eligibility

Sex: FemalesMin Age: 16 YearssMax Age: 25 Yearss

Plain Language Summary

Simplified for easier understanding

Young mothers facing significant disadvantage — including mental health challenges, housing instability, experience in foster care, or domestic violence — are at greater risk of losing the care of their children. Early, intensive support during pregnancy and the first years of a child's life can make a transformative difference for both mother and baby. The Cradle to Kinder program provides exactly this — weekly to fortnightly home visits from trained practitioners, beginning in pregnancy and continuing until the child turns four. This prospective cohort study will follow approximately 50 young women and their families who participate in the Cradle to Kinder program. Practitioners will conduct regular assessments of maternal mental health, parenting capacity, and child development using standardised tools. Researchers hope to show that families who engage fully in the program demonstrate significantly better outcomes by the time the child reaches kindergarten age. You may be eligible if you are a pregnant woman under 25 years of age and have at least one risk factor such as mental health issues, substance use, past involvement in the child protection system, low socioeconomic status, or domestic violence. Mothers under 18 can participate with guardian consent. Families must live within the Child FIRST catchment area, and English is required. This program is designed with compassion and an understanding of the very real challenges young mothers face.

This summary was AI-generated to explain the trial in plain language. It is not medical advice. Always discuss eligibility with your doctor before enrolling in a clinical trial.

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Interventions

Cradle to Kinder Intervention. Cradle to Kinder is a targeted, intensive and long-term ante- and postnatal support service for vulnerable young mothers (aged less than 25 years) and their families c

Cradle to Kinder Intervention. Cradle to Kinder is a targeted, intensive and long-term ante- and postnatal support service for vulnerable young mothers (aged less than 25 years) and their families commencing from pregnancy (at 30 weeks) until the child is four years old. Cradle to Kinder comprises a series of home visits, where each family is allocated their own Cradle to Kinder key worker (a trained social worker) who visits the family home once a week, on average, for approximately 1.5 hours. On average, frequency of contact is weekly or fortnightly home visits with regular phone contact in between, depending on the family’s need. The phone conversations are guided by the needs of the client and can include the following: reminder of strategies discussed during previous interactions, active listening and responding and reminders regarding upcoming appointments and meetings. Cradle to Kinder may also involve responding to unexpected or crisis situations that may arise over time during which the family will likely to require additional program support and frequency of contact. In home visits, the Cradle to Kinder practitioner implements interventions to support the family through their multiple and complex needs. Evidence-based intervention strategies that may be implemented during home visits include infant-parent relationship building, safety in the home, psycho-education, feeding practices, developing routines, improving caregiver sensitivity and responsively, and building practical parenting skills to respond to and manage varying behaviours. These interventions are delivered using verbal discussions, educational brochures and observational modelling. Adherence to the intervention was reported in the key worker's case notes after each visitation which asks the worker to complete the content of the intervention delivered, duration of visitation and any other observations they need to report.

Locations(1)

VIC, Australia

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ACTRN12619001517167