Family Check-Up is a strengths-based, family-centered intervention designed to support parents’ efforts to promote children’s competence, mental health, and risk reduction. The model is tailored to address the specific needs of each family and can be integrated into a variety of service settings, including home visiting.
Implementing Family Check-Up® For Children
Implementation last updated: 2019
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.
Model overview
Implementation support
The REACH Institute at Arizona State University (ASU) offers training, implementation support, and resources to Family Check-Up service providers.
Intended population
The target population for this model is families with risk factors including socioeconomic disadvantage, maternal depression, family and child risk factors for child conduct problems, and academic failure.
Families with children ages 2 through 17 years are eligible for Family Check-Up. Family Check-Up for Children is a version of the model that is appropriate for families with children ages 2 through 5. For the purpose of the HomVEE review, only studies of sites that used home visiting as the primary service delivery method and that included families with children ages 2 through 5 were included.
Targeted outcomes
Family Check-Up is designed to reduce children’s conduct, academic, and internalizing problems, and to improve maternal depression, parental involvement, and positive parenting.
Model services
Family Check-Up has two phases. Phase 1 is composed of three sessions that occur within the home and involve an interview, assessment, and feedback. During the feedback session, the home visitor, referred to as a provider, and family collaboratively decide what follow-up services may be needed, if any. As needed, the provider may refer families to additional community services which would initiate Phase 2. In Phase 2, providers may deliver the Everyday Parenting family management training program to families in the home (Everyday Parenting consists of 1 to 15 sessions). Everyday Parenting provides a basis for more intensive parenting support and is designed to enhance parents’ skills in positive behavior support, healthy limit-setting, and relationship-building. Phase 2 may also include support for child’s school success or services to address parent behavioral or mental health. Phase 2 services are tailored to the family’s needs.
When used as a health maintenance model, Family Check-Up involves yearly check-ups, in which families complete Phase 1 and participate in Phase 2, as needed. This annual contact enables providers to track family and child behaviors over time and continue to motivate families to change persistent areas of difficulty.
Model intensity and length
Phase 1 of Family Check-Up consists of three initial one-hour sessions (interview, assessment, and feedback), which are scheduled in close proximity to one another. In Phase 2, parents may choose to engage in follow-up services, which may include Everyday Parenting. As a health promotion and prevention strategy, Phase 2 of Family Check-Up can be limited to 1 to 3 Everyday Parenting sessions. As a treatment approach, Phase 2 can range from 3 to 15 Everyday Parenting sessions. Families typically participate in Everyday Parenting for an average of 3 to 6 sessions.
When used as a health maintenance model, Family Check-Up recommends annual check-ups (Phase 1, and Phase 2 as needed) through age 17.
Location
Family Check-Up is currently being offered in the following states: Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia. It is also implemented in Canada, the United Kingdom, and in Sweden by the Center for Progress in Children’s Mental Health.
Adaptations and enhancements
Phase 1 of Family Check-Up has been delivered in two, rather than three, sessions: one extended interview and assessment session, plus one feedback session.
Implementation notes
The information contained on this page was last updated in October 2019. Recommended Further Reading lists the sources for this information. In addition, the information contained in this profile was reviewed for accuracy by the REACH Institute at Arizona State University on May 6, 2019. HomVEE reserves the right to edit the profile for clarity and consistency.