Childhaven: Childhood Trauma Treatment
Effectiveness

Effective

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Effective

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Where the program was applied
Country of application
Description

This is a therapeutic treatment service specialized in the care of children from 0 to 5 years of age who are victims of abuse, neglect, aggression, or drug abuse in their families. This is an intervention carried out in an alternative care institution, with home visits, and extending to the school environment.
The objective is to prevent the negative consequences related to traumatic experiences and chronic stress by identifying each child’s needs and implementing individualized interventions that include psychosocial, emotional, behavioral, developmental, and biological factors. Work with families aims to develop parenting skills, strengthen relationships, and promote resilience.
Children are referred through institutions specialized in the protection of children’s rights and health services, and receive medical and psychological treatment in a therapeutic childcare setting, where services are offered five days a week, lasting five and a half hours per day.

Impact evaluations

An impact evaluation found later arrests for youth monitored by the program and fewer episodes of delinquent behavior; caregivers reported their children experienced fewer attention problems and more social acceptance [1].

Bibliographic reference

[1] Moore, E., Armsden, G. & Gogerty, P. L. (1998). A Twelve-Year Follow-Up Study of Maltreated and At-Risk Children who Received early Therapeutic Child Care. Child Maltreatment, 3(1), 3–16. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077559598003001001