Four-Year Longitudinal Impact Evaluation of the Action for Children UK Neglect Project: Outcomes for the Children, Families, Action for Children, and the UK

• NCJ Number: 248088
• Journal: Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 38 Issue: 8 Dated: August 2014 Pages: 1358-1368
• Author(s): Tony Long; Michael Murphy; Debbie Fallon; Joan Livesley; Patric Devitt; Moira Mcloughlin; Alison Cavanagh
• Date Published: August 2014
• Length: 11 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Study/Research); Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Findings and methodology are presented for a longitudinal impact evaluation of the United Kingdom's (UK's) Action for Children Project, which provides services to improve outcomes for neglected children throughout the UK.

Abstract

The evaluation found that the project intervened successfully in most cases of neglect, even when neglect was a serious concern. In cases where parents refused or were unable to respond positively, children's transition into appropriate care was efficiently achieved. Further work is needed in order to identify the factors in parents that support or undermine a positive response to offers of help. Additional research is also required to determine the means for giving support workers the skills and experience needed in working with uncooperative parents. The Action for Children Assessment Tool was effective in enabling practitioners to work with parents in developing a joint understanding of problematic aspects of parenting and to plan for staged improvements. The tool was also a valuable source of evidence for objective assessment and review. Testing for its continued effectiveness and retention of both objectivity and specificity is necessary. Other factors essential to the project's success were the home visits and the interaction between parents and support workers. Some parents have refused the admission of workers to the home, or once in the home, prevented workers from relating directly to the child. The prospective cohort study included 85 cases of neglected children under 8 years old from seven Action for Children Centers across the UK. Data were collected between 2008 and 2012 through serial quantitative recording of the level of concern about neglect. Serial review of qualitative case file data was undertaken for the examination of assessments, interventions, and outcomes for the neglected children. 4 tables, 2 figures, and 40 references