Multisystemic Therapy (MST) is a home-based intervention, enabling practitioners to observe interactions directly within the home and adapt strategies to fit family needs. It is aimed at young people aged 11 to 17 years old who are at risk of going into care or custody because of serious antisocial or offending behaviour. Real-time feedback provides parents with practical tools to manage communication, and problem solving in everyday situations. Intensive support, usually over several months, ensures that changes are embedded and sustained.
MST not only builds parental skills but also addresses the wider family system. This includes tackling patterns of conflict between family members, strengthening communication, and taking a multi-agency approach to problem solving (e.g., by working with schools or community-based services). By combining direct work with parents and coordinated support across the multi-agency, MST ensures that improvements in parenting are reinforced by the wider partnership. The coordinated, multi-agency design of MST means that parents are not left to make changes in isolation, and instead improvements in parenting practices are supported by and reinforced across the range of support present in the family’s life.
Families with a young person aged 11 to 17 years old, who are at risk of going into care due to serious antisocial and/or offending behaviour.
MST begins with an assessment of risk factors across domains such as family, school, peers, and the wider community. Therapists collaborate with families to establish shared goals and identify the root causes of difficulties. Support is then tailored to the needs of both parents and the young person. For the parent(s), this may involve strengthening parenting practices, developing effective behaviour management strategies, improving monitoring and communication, and resolving conflict. For the young person, the focus may be on addressing issues such as impulsivity, anger management, or social skills. MST also engages with schools, youth justice services, and community networks to reinforce progress. Safety planning and crisis support are provided throughout the intervention.
The model is delivered by therapists with a master’s level qualification in social work, psychology, or a related discipline. All therapists are supported by structured supervision from experienced MST supervisors, which is a required element of the model to maintain fidelity. Therapists receive 40 hours of intervention training and booster training is required.
MST is normally delivered over a period of four to six months. The work is highly intensive at the outset, with therapists often visiting families multiple times per week or even daily where necessary. As families make progress, the frequency of sessions reduces, with intensity being flexible over time according to need.
The intervention is delivered primarily in the home of the young person and their family, but therapists also work flexibly within schools, community services, and neighbourhood settings where relevant.
Boys Town In-Home Family Services is a skill-based, family-centred intervention provided in the home. It is designed to help parents strengthen their parenting and life skills, identify and build on their existing strengths, and access resources to address family difficulties. Its aim is to prevent children from entering out-of-home care or to support family reunification where children are already in care. The intervention draws on the Common-Sense Parenting curriculum alongside coaching, modelling, and practice assignments. This intervention is not yet available in the UK.
The service is available to families with children aged from birth to 17 years old who are at risk of entering children’s social care or out-of-home placement. It is particularly relevant where caregivers are experiencing high levels of stress, have limited resources or parenting skills due to adversities being faced, or are raising children with emotional or behavioural difficulties.
The intervention provides structured parenting skills training, teaching parents how to encourage positive behaviour, prevent problems, and manage challenging behaviour calmly and effectively. It also supports families with practical life skills such as budgeting, school attendance, and helping keep children safe. Throughout, practitioners work to build strong and supportive relationships with parent(s), help families access community resources, and develop individualised support plans.
The programme is delivered by Family Consultants who generally hold a bachelor’s degree in psychology/social work (considered behavioural sciences in a US context), although in some contexts, a master’s degree may be required. Consultants are trained in the programme model and receive supervision from more senior staff, such as lead consultants or practice supervisors.
Support usually lasts between 10 and 20 weeks, with families receiving one or two face-to-face visits per week, equating to around two to six hours of contact time each week.
The intervention is delivered in the family home, whether that is the birth family home, a foster or kinship placement, or an adoptive home. Work is also coordinated with schools and other community services as appropriate.
https://www.cebc4cw.org/program/boys-town-in-home-family-services/
Connect is a structured, manualised group programme for parents and caregivers of children and young people. It is attachment-based and trauma-informed, aiming to decrease child’s emotional symptoms (e.g., anxiety and depression) and enhance parents’ reflective response and sensitivity to the reasons behind a child’s behaviours. The intervention uses methods such as role play and reflective discussions to promote more supportive parenting, particularly during conflict or times of emotional distress. This intervention is not yet available in the UK.
Connect is designed for caregivers of children aged 8-18 years who are experiencing aggressive or harmful emotional and behavioural problems. It is suitable for biological parents as well as foster or kinship carers.
The programme consists of 10 weekly sessions, each lasting about 90 minutes. Sessions are delivered in small groups of parents or caregivers and focus on key attachment principles relevant to adolescence. Parents are encouraged to reflect on their own and their child’s internal states, develop greater emotional regulation, and foster cooperation and mutuality in their relationships. Role play, reflective exercises, and between-session practice activities help parents apply these principles in real-life situations.
Connect is facilitated by two trained and certified group leaders, who are usually professionals from mental health, children’s social care, or community service backgrounds with expertise in trauma-informed and attachment-based practice.
Intervention duration
The programme runs for 10 weeks, with one 90-minute session each week.
Connect is delivered in group settings such as in schools, community agencies, or mental health centres, and may also be offered virtually in some areas .
https://www.cebc4cw.org/program/connect-an-attachment-based-program-for-parents-and-caregivers/
Functional Family Therapy (FFT) is a family-based therapeutic intervention for children and young people aged 10–18 years old who are engaged in antisocial behaviour, crime, or substance misuse. The aim is to reduce negative patterns of family interaction, improve communication, and reduce anti-social behaviour.
The programme is designed for children and/or young people and their families, where the child/young person is displaying serious behavioural problems. It is often used in the context of youth justice or community referrals and can also include siblings and wider family members.
FFT begins by building trust and engaging the family, before working to reduce blame and increase motivation. The relational assessment phase maps family interactions to identify the functions of behaviours. Behaviour change work then teaches and rehearses skills such as communication, problem-solving, and conflict management. Finally, families practice these new skills in wider contexts to consolidate and embed progress.
FFT is delivered by therapists with a master’s level qualification in psychology, social work, family therapy, or a related field. Delivery is supported by structured clinical supervision and oversight to maintain fidelity to the model.
The programme typically involves between 12 and 14 sessions, although this can range from eight sessions in less complex cases to up to 30 sessions where needs are higher. It is usually delivered over a period of 3 to 6 months.
FFT is most often delivered in the family home but may also take place in outpatient clinics, schools, or community organisations.
Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT) is a time-limited intervention for children and young people with behavioural problems, including truancy and substance misuse. Based on a family-system approach, whichsees the family as a unit, it seeks to identify and change maladaptive family interaction patterns that maintain a young person’s behaviours. The therapist plays an active role in observing family interactions, reframing communication, and coaching more constructive ways of relating.
BSFT is aimed at children and young people between the ages of 6–17 years old and their where the child or young person is presenting with behavioural difficulties. It is particularly relevant in families where harmful interaction patterns play a significant role in sustaining problems.
The therapy progresses through stages: 1) where the therapist builds trust and engages family members; 2) then diagnosis, where repetitive negative interaction patterns are observed and mapped; 3) and restructuring, where those patterns are challenged and replaced with more adaptive interactions. Strategies include reframing, task assignments, and live coaching of family members during sessions.
BSFT is delivered by trained therapists, usually licensed mental health professionals such as psychologists or social workers. Adherence to the model and supervision are key to maintaining quality.
The programme usually consists of 12 to 16 sessions over a period of about three months, although duration may be extended in more severe cases.
BSFT can be delivered in a range of settings, including family homes, community clinics, and health or children’s social care settings.
https://www.cebc4cw.org/program/brief-strategic-family-therapy/
MST-CAN is a specialist adaptation of Multisystemic Therapy, designed for families, who have recently been reported to child protection services for physically abusing and/or neglecting a child or young person aged 6 to 17 years old. It is intensive and home-based, delivered over six to nine months by a multidisciplinary team. The intervention integrates trauma treatment, safety planning, parental support, and crisis intervention to prevent further maltreatment and enable children to remain safely at home.
The programme is targeted at families with children aged 6 to 17 who have recently been reported to child protective services for physical abuse or neglect. It can be offered whether the child is still living at home or in foster care with the goal of reunification.
MST-CAN provides comprehensive support that addresses both parent and child needs. For parents, this includes work on substance abuse, anger management, and neglectful parenting practices. For children, it addresses trauma symptoms and mental health difficulties. Family communication and problem-solving skills are developed, and safety planning is prioritised. The model also ensures families have access to 24/7 crisis support.
The intervention is delivered by therapists with a master’s level qualification in counselling, psychology, social work, or related fields. They are supported by supervisors with expertise in child protection and trauma, as well as a crisis caseworker and a part-time psychiatrist.
MST-CAN typically lasts for six to nine months. It is highly intensive, with multiple sessions each week and additional support available on a 24/7 basis.
The intervention is delivered primarily in the family home, but practitioners work flexibly to support families in other community settings where required.
https://foundations.org.uk/toolkit/guidebook/multisystemic-therapy-for-child-abuse-and-neglect/
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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