Family Foundations
Reducing parental conflict to improve child and family health
Project Lead
Project Partners
Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
Drummond Street Services
Merri Health
Department of Health and Human Services
What is the project about?
Interparental Conflict (IPC) and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) are preventable public health problems affecting over one million Australian families annually. IPC and IPV are associated with children’s physical and mental health problems, cognitive and learning difficulties, and can lead to intergenerational cycles of poor health, relationship conflict and family violence. Few evidence-based interventions are available in Australia that engage both parents/caregivers and build substantive skills to disrupt patterns of IPC.
Family Foundations (FF) is an evidence-based intensive skills-based program designed to strengthen coparenting relationships, reduce parental conflict, and promote parent mental health during pregnancy and the early years of parenting. The manualised 10-session program is delivered by trained facilitators with an allied health background using discussion-based activities, modelling, and skills practice. Families can receive FF in their own home or via telehealth, or with other families in a group setting. FF is provided flexibly (e.g., weeknights, weekends) to ensure that all parents, co-parents, and caregivers in the family have an opportunity to participate.
FF was developed by Prof Mark Feinberg at Penn State University, and has been evaluated extensively in the United States. In partnership with Merri Health and Drummond Street services, and funding by the Victorian DHHS, researchers at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) conducted a pilot study demonstrating (a) high acceptability of FF to families, (b) significant reductions in IPC and parent mental health difficulties, and (c) delivery with high fidelity. Enhancements to FF were made to increase the representation of families and their experiences in Australia.
A comprehensive implementation pilot of FF is currently underway, reaching over 400 families across Victoria. Results will be available in 2024.
What can we expect to come out of this project?
In partnership with Merri Health and Drummond Street services, and funding by the Victorian DHHS, we will:
Obtain preliminary evidence of the outcomes of FF for parents/caregivers
Describe who enrolled, completed and dropped out of FF
Assess parents’/carers’ experiences of FF
Assess parent coaches’ and services’ experiences of delivering FF
Conduct an implementation support evaluation.
This evidence will inform recommendations for trials and the future delivery of FF in child, youth and family services.
What has this project achieved so far?
Read all about the project here