Educational Support Interventions for Children in Care

Study Overview
=================
Brief Summary
-----------------
A Randomized controlled study of two different educational support interventions developed for children in foster care (age 6-13).

Detailed Description
-----------------
A Randomized controlled study of two different educational support interventions developed for children in foster care (age 6-13). One intervention is school-based and involves a team of professionals at the child's school, and the other is a home-based tutoring intervention provided by the foster parents. The participants in the study are assigned to three groups (the two intervention groups and control group). Based on power calculation we aim to recruit approximately 180-200 foster children, their foster parents and public schools to participate in the study.

Official Title
-----------------
A Randomized Controlled Trial of Educational Support Interventions for Children in Care

Conditions
-----------------
Learning Problems

Intervention / Treatment
-----------------
* Behavioral: School intervention
* Behavioral: Parents as Tutors


Participation Criteria
=================
Eligibility Criteria
-----------------
Inclusion Criteria: age 6-13 fostercare placement placement in a participating municipality Exclusion Criteria: persuasive developmental disorders special education students

Ages Eligible for Study
-----------------
Minimum Age: 6 Years
Maximum Age: 13 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
-----------------
All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
-----------------
No

Study Plan
=================
How is the study designed?
-----------------

Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| No Intervention: Control<br>Control | |
| Experimental: Parents as Tutors<br>Educational support intervention | Behavioral: Parents as Tutors<br>* A home-based intervention, comprising a structured tutoring programme that allows foster parents to systematically support the foster child's school performance. Foster parents will attend an introductory tutor training seminar at which they will be introduced to relevant theory on learning and counselled on tutoring practice. The intervention itself is designed to provide approximately three hours per week of individual home-based tutoring for a period of 40 weeks.<br>|
| Experimental: school intervention<br>Educational support intervention | Behavioral: School intervention<br>* A school-based intervention that builds on the promising Swedish programme SkolFam, but is adapted to a Danish school context. The two main components of the programme are a) comprehensive assessment of the child, involving testing of the child's cognitive and academic abilities and difficulties as well as an evaluation of the child's behaviour, school-related social relations and well-being, and b) a systematic and individually targeted intervention plan, made in collaboration between a psychologist, the teachers, and a special educational teacher at the school (e.g., the reading counsellor).<br>|

What is the study measuring?
-----------------
Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Academic performance | Reading test and mathematical test | 17 months after intervention start | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cognitive functions | Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children IV and Contingency Naming Test | 17 months after intervention start | 

 Terms related to the study
=================
Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
-----------------
academic performance, cognitive development, children in care, prevention of school failure