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National SafeCare Training and Research Center

School of Public Health

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Model

Model

High angle view of a couple of attractive young Hispanic parents lying in a bed with their cute baby girl

SAFECARE® MODEL

SafeCare focuses on three key outcomes that are universally important for families: creating positive relationships between caregivers and their children, ensuring homes are safe to reduce the risk of child unintentional injury and keeping children as healthy as possible.

“It helped with my interactions with my kids…it’s helped out in so many areas in our day-to-day life.”

- Parent

Program Description

SafeCare focuses on three key outcomes that are universally important for families: creating positive relationships between caregivers and their children, ensuring homes are safe to reduce the risk of child unintentional injury, and keeping children as healthy as possible. SafeCare is a brief, evidence-based skills training program for caregivers of children under the age of 5. Providers work with caregivers to strengthen skills in the following areas:

Father in gray shirt holding and reading with baby in onesie.

Parent-Child Interaction

Parent-Child/Parent-Infant Interactions Module - Providers work with caregivers to strengthen their skills in structuring daily activities for their children, providing engaging and stimulating activities, increasing positive interactions and preventing challenging child behavior. The program targets behaviors to promote a safe, stable, nurturing relationship and encouraging social and emotional health in children. It also targets risk factors associated with neglect and physical abuse.  
Young baby girl playing on the stairs, mother is near by helping her learn to climb the stairs safely.

Safety

Providers partner with caregivers to childproof the home by identifying and eliminating safety and health hazards. The importance of caregiver supervision of children in an age-appropriate manner is also discussed. The program promotes a safe environment to protect against environmental neglect and unintentional injury.
Sick boy with thermometer laying in bed and holding mother's hand who is taking temperature.

Health

Providers work with caregivers to identify common childhood illnesses and injuries and implement a structured process to determine when and how to care for their child when sick or injured. Caregivers receive health reference materials, including a validated SafeCare health manual and are offered practice opportunities to familiarize themselves with using the materials. The program promotes child health to prevent risk factors for medical neglect.

Service Delivery

Trained SafeCare professionals provide in-home, module-based skills training. Sessions typically run 60 minutes, are recommended on a weekly basis and are provided in the family’s home (when possible). Virtual SafeCare sessions may be an option for some families with unique needs. SafeCare is delivered in 18 sessions, though the length of services is dependent on caregivers’ progress and whether other services are integrated into SafeCare delivery. Providers work with caregivers until they meet a set of skill-based criteria established for each of the three modules (Health, Safety, Parent-Child/Infant Interaction).

More

The SafeCare modules can be delivered in any order. Providers work with the caregivers to identify which of the SafeCare modules will best meet their needs based on the referral and/or caregiver preference. An individualized plan is then drafted for each family.

Each module begins with an observational assessment to determine caregivers’ current skills and to identify what skills training would be most beneficial to strengthening the family. Providers work with caregivers during the training sessions until the caregiver has mastered the module skills. SafeCare Providers conduct a final assessment to confirm caregivers’ uptake of skills.

Training sessions use principles from well-established social learning theory and research. Parenting skills are taught by: 1) Explaining the skills and why they are important, 2) demonstrating how to do each skill, 3) having caregivers practice the skills, and 4) providing positive and corrective feedback to caregivers on their use of the skills.

Young woman or mother teaches child to pencil in daycare. Early education in preschool, kindergarten or home.Training sessions use principles from well-established social learning theory and research. Parenting skills are taught by: 1) Explaining the skills and why they are important, 2) demonstrating how to do each skill, 3) having caregivers practice the skills, and 4) providing positive and corrective feedback to caregivers on their use of the skills.

“A mother whose children came into care due to substance abuse and unsafe living conditions was finally reunited after months of counseling, recovery and SafeCare... The [final] visit was short and bittersweet, knowing I probably wouldn't see this family again, but knowing it was for good reason."

-Testimonial from SafeCare Provider

Contact Us

Address

PO Box 3995, Atlanta, GA 30302

Downtown Atlanta Campus

Connect With Us

404-413-1387

[email protected]

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