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Study Name
Study of Child First
Study Sharepoint ID
101031
Evaluation name
Child First Home Visiting Impacts During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Intervention (standard name)
Outcome domains examined
Strength of Evidence Tag
Design
Services
Populations targeted
Settings in which the intervention was studied
Subgroups
Subgroup data - Female
No
Subgroup data - Male
No
Subgroup data - White
No
Subgroup data - Black
No
Percent homeless
17.82
Percent female
35.16
Percent No high school diploma or GED
12.29
Percent With a high school diploma or GED
87.71
Percent Parents
100.00
Percent Single Parents
39.23
Percent Employed
66.29
Percent Unemployed
36.46
Percent Black or African American
19.89
Percent Hispanic or Latino of any race
31.49
Percent White not Hispanic
44.20
Percent another race
4.42
Mean age
34.60
Group formation formatted
Site supervisors responsible for screening new applicants randomized eligible families into either the Child First intervention group or the intervention group. The RCT was designed such that new applicants had a 60% chance of receiving Child First.
Study timing formatted
The follow-up survey was administered between August 2020 and March 2021.
Study funding formatted
Arnold Ventures and The Duke Endowment
Sample Characteristics
The study sample was composed of 182 families with the average age of the primary caregiver being about 35 years old. Approximately 75% of participating households were reported as low-income and the majority had had current or previous involvement in the child welfare system. Nearly all caregivers reported seeking assistance with behavioral issues from their children.
Implementing organization formatted
Child First
Program history
The Child First program has been in existence since at least 2011.
Treatment condition formatted
Families in the treatment group received a hybrid version of the typical Child First program. The intervention consisted of care coordination, connecting families to available and relevant resources, and a trauma-informed intervention aimed at promoting executive functioning and healthy family relationships delivered by a trained clinician. Families received twice weekly touchpoints, either in-person or virtually, with a clinician and a care coordinator during the first month of enrollment followed by weekly visits for the remainder of the program.
Comparison condition formatted
Control group families were placed on an 18-month embargo making them ineligible to receive Child First services. Instead, they received a list of other available resources in their community.
Mandatory services formatted
None
Timing of study formatted
The treatment group families received Child First for an average duration of just under 8 months.
Program funding formatted
Families First Prevention Services Act
Setting details formatted
The study examined 9 Child First sites in Connecticut and one site in North Carolina. The actual intervention was delivered at the homes of participating families.
Delivered by public or private entity?
Private
Secondary domains examined
The study also examines impacts on other measures of assistance or support, food insecurity, housing stability, caregiver psychological well-being, and child behavior.
Earliest publication year
2026
Most recent publication year
2026
Manuscripts
Check edits flag
No
Primary Service
Mental health services
Services Unclear
This field is populated using a formula. Do not manually edit.
Enrollment Period
June 2019 to March 2020
Intervention Duration
7.00
Subgroup data - Hispanic
No
State & Region