There are no requirements about the type or characteristics of organizations that can implement ABC-Infant. Currently, the model is primarily implemented by agencies that conduct home visits with foster parents, adoptive parents, and high-risk birth parents.
Implementing Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-Up (ABC) -Infant
Implementation last updated: 2020
The information in this profile reflects feedback, if provided, from this model’s developer as of the above date. The description of the implementation of the model(s) here may differ from how the model(s) was implemented in the research reviewed to determine this model’s evidence of effectiveness. Inclusion in the implementation report does not mean the practices described meet the HHS criteria for evidence of effectiveness. Similarly, models described here may not all have impact studies, and those with impact studies may vary in their effectiveness. Please see the Effectiveness button on the left for more information about research on the effectiveness of the models discussed here.
Prerequisites for implementation
Staffing requirements
ABC-Infant is implemented by parent coaches who conduct home visits. The program development team supervises the parent coaches until they achieve certification. The program development team offers training to program sites on how to provide ongoing supervision for their parent coaches after the supervision from the program development team ends.
Staff education and experience
All parent coaches are required to pass a screening process that involves a 45-minute video interview with the program development team to assess the parent coach candidates’ openness to attachment theory, ability to provide in-the-moment comments about caregiver-child behavior, and their agencies’ readiness for implementation.
There are no education or experience requirements for the parent coaches.
Supervision requirements
Parent coaches are considered trainees until they become certified after a year-long supervision process and assessment of their adherence and fidelity to the model. Each week for one year, parent coach trainees must participate in two videoconferences with a supervisor from the program development team. These meetings are explained below:
- Group clinical supervision. A one-hour meeting of two or three trainees with a supervisor; the meeting includes a review of videos from home visit sessions.
- “In the moment” commenting supervision. A 30-minute one-on-one meeting between a supervisor and trainee. Before each supervision meeting, the trainee and supervisor code the trainee’s use of commenting in a 5-minute videotaped segment from the trainee’s home visit sessions. The goal of the supervision is to enhance comment quality and frequency by supporting trainees’ assessment of their own commenting.
Ongoing supervision is recommended but not required after parent coaches complete the certification process. The developer recommends that parent coaches use the fidelity monitoring tool to independently assess and maintain their skills throughout service delivery. Parent coaches receive training on this tool during the certification process. Training for program sites to provide ongoing supervision after certification is available. No information is available on the recommended supervisor-to-parent coach ratio.
Staff ratio requirements
A full-time parent coach can visit up to 12 families per week.
Data systems/technology requirements
To implement the model, staff must have access to laptop computers, the Internet, and video cameras.
Implementation notes
The information contained on this page was last updated in July 2020. Recommended further reading lists the sources for this information. In addition, the information contained in this profile was reviewed for accuracy by Dr. Caroline Roben on April 9, 2020. HomVEE reserves the right to edit the profile for clarity and consistency.