Evidence-Based Practice in Foster Parent Training and Support ...

EBP in Foster Parent Training and SupportPopulation: Family-based foster careFindings: Parents’ parenting behavior improved on over-reactivity, laxness, andverbosity. Children were less hostile/aggressive, anxious, andhyperactive/distractable,and had less difficult behavior as a result of participating in 1-2-3 Magic. At the one-yearfollow-up, a subgroup of the original 1-2-3 Magic group showed maintained improvedresults on parenting behavior and child behavior, although difficult behaviorimprovements were not maintained.Limitations: The sample was predominately white, middle-class and educated; theresults might not generalize to other groups.Behaviorally-Oriented Training Emerging PracticeBoyd, L. H. & Remy, L. L. (1978). Is fosterparenttraining worthwhile? Social Service training program for foster parents. The original training consisted of an intensiveMethod: This study was a two year follow-up evaluation on a behaviorally-orientedReview, 52, 275-29.behaviorally-oriented sixteen week program. Classes were complemented with in-homevisits from the private agency staff. The 267 placements were divided according towhether the foster parents were trained or not trained, whether placements were shortor long term, and whether training preceded or followed the placement, resulting in fivegroups of placements. The first group consisted of children who were in placement twoyears or less and whose parents were trained prior to placement (N = 55); the secondPopulation: Family-based foster care group, a comparable (control) group, consisted of children who were in placement twoyears or less and whose parents had no training (N = 113); the third group consisted ofchildren who were in placement longer than two years and whose parents were trainedduring or after placement (N=27); the fourth (control) group consisted of children whowere in placements longer than two years and whose parents were not trained (N=40);a fifth residual group consisted of 32 child placements which did not meet the otherconditions.Findings: Altogether, 87.5% of a total of 120 foster families were examined. Of these46.7% were no longer licensed. Of those examined, only 34.4% had one or bothparents trained. Altogether 267 placements were studied. Foster parent training had adecisive impact on all placement outcomes.Limitations: The sample and measures which were used to obtain the data were notfully described.Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare (CASCW)University of Minnesota School of Social WorkContact: Kristine N. Piescher, Ph.D. kpiesche@umn.edu 46