Keeping Foster and Kinship Parents Supported (KEEP) is a parenting intervention for foster and kinship carers responsible for a child between the ages of 5 and 12 years old with behavioural difficulties. KEEP is delivered by two practitioners to groups of seven to 10 foster carers. Foster carers attend 16 weekly sessions where they learn practical methods for developing a positive relationship with the children in their care and managing difficult child behaviour.
The information above is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
5 to 12 years old
Group
Keeping Foster and Kinship Parents Supported (also known as KEEP or KEEP Standard) is a parenting intervention for foster and kinship carers responsible for a child between the ages of 5 and 12 years with behavioural difficulties. KEEP aims to empower parents to be agents of change for the children in their care and ultimately decrease placement disruptions, increase permanency, and improve child outcomes.
KEEP is delivered by two practitioners to groups of 7 to 10 foster carers. Foster carers attend 16 weekly sessions where they learn practical methods for developing a positive relationship with the children in their care and managing difficult child behaviour.
Group leaders tailor KEEP’s content to the specific challenges the group parents share in supporting their children’s developmental needs. However, it is likely that the following topics will be covered during the first 14 weeks:
Sessions 15 and 16 are reserved for reviewing earlier content and celebrating the parents’ strengths and successes.
Throughout the intervention, parent learning is reinforced through group discussion, role-play activities, home practice assignments, and participate in individual discussions about their child’s behaviour to help track progress and challenges.
5 to 12 years old
Foster and kinship carers responsible for a child between the ages of 5 and 12 years old with behavioural difficulties.
Disclaimer: The information in this section is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
Science-based assumption
Children in care are in greater risk of exhibiting challenging behaviours and emotions
Challenging child behaviours are the primary reason for breakdowns in foster care placements
Poor placement stability increases the risk of poor outcomes for children in foster care.
Science-based assumption
Ineffective parenting responses can inadvertently increase the frequency and intensity of challenging behaviours in children receiving foster care.
Science-based assumption
Foster and kinship carers responsible for a child between the ages of 5 and 12 years with behavioural difficulties often benefit from advice and support for managing challenging child behaviour.
Intervention
Foster and kinship carers learn to:
Communicate effectively with the children in their care
Promote positive parent–child interaction
Reinforce positive child behaviour through praise and rewards
Discourage challenging child behaviour through age-appropriate discipline.
Short-term
Carers understand and implement effective parenting strategies
Carers experience less stress
Conflict within the home is reduced.
Medium-term
Foster carers experience greater satisfaction
Child behaviour improves.
Long-term
Children experience greater placement stability
Children experience increased wellbeing
Children are at less risk of poor outcomes in adolescence and adulthood.
Foster and kinship carers responsible for a child between the ages of 5 and 12 years with behavioural difficulties.
KEEP is delivered in 16 sessions of 1.5 hours’ duration each by two practitioners to groups of seven to 10 foster carers.
The primary aim of KEEP is to help foster and kinship carers learn effective strategies for managing unwanted child behaviour and emotional problems.
These strategies include effective use of the 5:1 rule, meaning that carers should aim to positively reinforce the child at least five times for every one time they correct or discipline the child.
The curriculum is heavily informed by social learning theory, but carers are helped to fit the techniques specifically to the child they are looking after.
Carers are also given many opportunities to learn and practise non-harsh methods of discipline, including the use of time-out (Take a Break) and the removal of privileges.
The facilitators use a mixed methods approach to delivering the content with a strong focus on carer participation.
The two practitioners who deliver this intervention are KEEP facilitators with qualifications in a relevant field such as psychology, medicine, nursing, social work, or counselling.
Practitioners have 37 hours of intervention training. Booster training of practitioners is recommended.
It is recommended that practitioners are supervised by one intervention developer supervisor (qualified to QCF 7/8 level) and one host-agency supervisor (qualified to QCF-6 level), with 37 hours of intervention training.
Intervention fidelity is maintained through the following processes:
*Please note that this information may not be up to date. In this case, please visit the listed intervention website for up to date contact details.
KEEP has preliminary evidence from two pre–post studies conducted in the UK and United States consistent with Foundations’ Level 2 evidence strength criteria.
The first study was conducted in the UK, observing statistically significant pre–post-intervention improvements in KEEP caregivers’ reports of problematic child behaviour, emotional wellbeing, symptoms of hyperactivity and peer problems. There was no comparison group, however.
The second study was conducted in the United States, observing statistically significant pre–post-intervention improvements in KEEP caregivers’ reports of problematic child behaviour and increased placement stability. There was no comparison group, however.
KEEP has preliminary evidence of improving a child outcome, but we cannot be confident that the intervention caused the improvement.
| Identified in search | 9 |
| Studies reviewed | 4 |
| Meeting the L2 threshold | 2 |
| Meeting the L3 threshold | 0 |
| Contributing to the L4 threshold | 0 |
| Ineligible | 5 |
| Study design | Pre–post study |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sample characteristics | 849 foster and kinship carers and 797 focus children aged 5 to 12 |
| Race, ethnicities, and nationalities |
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| Population risk factors |
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| Timing | Post-test |
| Child outcomes | Reduced child emotional and behavioural problems |
| Other outcomes | Reduced disruptive parenting discipline styles |
| Study rating | 2 |
| Citations | Study 1a: Warburton, J. & Glynn, G. (2015) NIS programme report: KEEP Keeping Foster and Kinship Carers Trained and Supported. National Implementation Service. Study 1b: Roberts, R., Glynn, G. & Waterman, C. (2016) ‘We know it works but does it last? The implementation of the KEEP foster and kinship carer training programme in England. Adoption & Fostering. 40 (3), 247–263. |
| Study design | Pre–post study |
| Country | United States |
| Sample characteristics | 65 children aged 4 to 12 years old (average age 7 years 7 months) and their foster and kinship caregivers. |
| Race, ethnicities, and nationalities |
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| Population risk factors | Children were placed under the care of foster and kinship carers. 39% had behavioural problems, scoring in the clinical range on the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL). |
| Timing |
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| Child outcomes |
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| Other outcomes | None |
| Study rating | 2 |
| Citations | Greeno, Elizabeth J., Mathew C. Uretsky, Bethany R. Lee, Jessica E. Moore, Richard P. Barth & Terry V. Shaw. (2016) Replication of the KEEP Foster and Kinship Parent Training program for youth with externalizing behaviors. Children and Youth Services Review. 61, 75–82. |
The following studies were identified for this intervention but did not count towards the intervention’s overall evidence rating. An intervention receives the same rating as its most robust study or studies.
Chamberlain, P., Price, J., Leve, L.D., Laurent, H., Landsverk, J.A. & Reid, J.B. (2008) Prevention of behaviour problems for children in foster care: outcomes and mediation effects. Prevention Science. 9, 17-27.
Chamberlain, P., Price, J., Reid, J. & Landsverk, J. (2008) Cascading Implementation of a Foster and Kinship Parent Intervention. Child Welfare. 87 (5), 27–48.
Chamberlain, P., Moreland, S. & Reid, K. (1992) Enhanced services and stipends for foster parents: Effects on retention rates and outcomes for children. Child Welfare. 71 (5), 387–401.
DeGarmo, D.S., Chamberlain, P., Leve, L.D. & Price, J. (2009) Foster parent intervention engagement moderating child behavior problems and placement disruption. Research on Social Work Practice. 19 (4), 423–433.
Greeno, E. J., Lee, B. R., Uretsky, M. C., Moore, J. E., Barth, R. P. & Shaw, T. V. (2015) Effects of a foster parent training intervention on child behavior, caregiver stress, and parenting style. Journal of Child and Family Studies. 25 (6), 1991–2000.
Knibbs, S., Mollidor, C. & Bierman, R. (2016) KEEP Standard evaluation research report: October 2016.
Leathers, S. J., Spielfogel, J. E., McMeel, L. S. & Atkins, M. S. (2011) Use of a parent management training intervention with urban foster parents: A pilot study. Children and Youth Services Review. 33 (7), 1270–1279.
Price, J. M., Chamberlain, P., Landsverk, J., Reid, J., Leve, L. & Laurent, H. (2008) Effects of a foster parent training intervention on placement changes of children in foster care. Child Maltreatment. 13 (1), 64–75.
Price, J. M., Roesch, S. & Walsh, N. E. (2012) Effectiveness of the KEEP foster parent intervention during an implementation trial. Children and Youth Services Review. 34, 2487–2494.
Note on provider involvement: This provider has agreed to Foundations’ terms of reference (or the Early Intervention Foundation's terms of reference), and the assessment has been conducted and published with the full cooperation of the intervention provider.
Rated 1: Set up and delivery is low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of less than £100.
Rated 2: Set up and delivery is medium-low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £100–£499.
Rated 3: Set up and delivery is medium cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £500–£999.
Rated 4: Set up and delivery is medium-high cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £1,000–£2,000.
Rating 5: Set up and delivery is high cost. Equivalent to an estimated unit cost of more than £2,000.
Set up and delivery cost is not applicable, not available, or has not been calculated.
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Supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing child maltreatment: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Enhancing school achievement & employment: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing crime, violence and antisocial behaviour: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing substance abuse: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing risky sexual behaviour & teen pregnancy: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing obesity and promoting healthy physical development: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Rated 2: Has preliminary evidence of improving a child outcome from a quantitative impact study, but there is not yet evidence of causal impact.
Rated 2+: Meets the level 2 rating and the best available evidence is based on a study which is more rigorous than a level 2 standard but does not meet the level 3 standard.
Rated 3: Has evidence of a short-term positive impact from at least one rigorous study.
Rated 3+: Meets the level 3 rating and has evidence from other studies with a comparison group at level 2 or higher.
Rated 4: Has evidence of a long-term positive impact through at least two rigorous studies.
Rated 4+: Meets the level 4 rating and has at least a third study contributing to the Level 4 rating, with at least one of the studies conducted independently of the intervention provider.
Rating has a *: The evidence base includes mixed findings i.e., studies suggesting positive impact alongside studies, which on balance, indicate no effect or negative impact.
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