Implementation and effectiveness of the Connect for Relative/Kinship Carers program

This randomised controlled trial aims to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of Connect for Relative/Kinship Carers (Connect-Rel/Kin Carers; Moretti, Ostling, & Pasalich, 2017; Pasalich et al., 2021), which is an adaptation of the Connect parent program (Moretti, Pasalich, & O’Donnell, 2018; Moretti, 2020). Connect-Rel/Kin Carers has been tailored to the specific needs of relative/kinship caregivers and the children in their care. The program is trauma-informed and incorporates key principles from attachment theory which are applied to the context of relative/kinship care. These intervention features are significant for promoting the wellbeing and resilience of children in relative/kinship care who have histories of trauma and disrupted attachment relationships. Connect-Rel/Kin Carers will be implemented by caseworkers and practitioners who will be trained in the manualised intervention and then provided with weekly supervision while delivering their first parent group. Caseworkers/practitioners will be trained in the program by members of the research team. Training will take place roughly 4 weeks before the first study cohort is recruited and will involve attendance at 6 half-day training sessions. Two caseworkers/practitioners will co-facilitate each parent group of around 10 relative/kinship caregivers. Groups will meet weekly for 1.5 hours over 9 weeks. Each Connect-Rel/Kin Carer session introduces an attachment principle that relates to child development, trauma and sensitive caregiving, and captures a key aspect of the caregiver-child relationship and common parenting challenges (e.g., empathy, conflict, growth and change). Experiential activities, including role-plays and reflection exercises, are used to illustrate each principle and build caregiver sensitivity and skills to promote secure attachment and family connectedness. Intervention fidelity will be assessed using an observational scale developed for the program (see Pasalich et al., 2021) and other indicators of program attendance (e.g., session attendance, program dropouts) will be measured using reports provided by program facilitators. References: Moretti, M. M. (2020). Connect: An Attachment Based and Trauma Informed Program for Parents and Caregivers, Third Edition,TM ©. Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University. Moretti, M. M., Ostling, O., & Pasalich, D. S. (2017). Connect for Kinship Parents. Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University Moretti, M. M., Pasalich, D. S., & O’Donnell, K. A. (2018). An attachment-based program for parents of teens. In H. Steele & M. Steele (Eds.), Handbook of attachment-based interventions. New York, NY: Guilford Press. Pasalich, D. S., Moretti, M. M., Hassall, A., & Curcio, A. (2021). Pilot randomized controlled trial of an attachment-and trauma-focused intervention for kinship caregivers. Child Abuse & Neglect, 120, 105178.