Improving care quality and preventing maltreatment in institutional care - a feasibility study with caregivers

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Social Work
• International Development

Background:

• Institutionalized children in low-income countries are vulnerable to maltreatment and inadequate care.
• Childhood adversities, including abuse and neglect in institutional settings, are linked to significant mental health problems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility and efficacy of a manualized caregiver training workshop to improve care quality and prevent maltreatment.
• To evaluate the impact of caregiver training on children's exposure to maltreatment and their mental health outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Study 1: Caregivers (n=29) rated training feasibility and efficacy post-workshop. Study 2: Assessed maltreatment exposure and mental health in children (n=28) before and after caregiver training.
• Longitudinal interviews and assessments were conducted with children over a 20-month period.

Main Results:

• Caregivers reported high demand, feasibility, motivation, and acceptance of the training.
• Improvements were noted in caregiver-child relationships and children's behavior.
• Children reported a decrease in physical maltreatment, and assessments indicated a reduction in mental health problems post-training.

Conclusions:

• The caregiver training approach is feasible in challenging institutional environments.
• The intervention shows initial promise in reducing child maltreatment and improving mental health.
• Further research is warranted to confirm efficacy and long-term sustainability.