KEEP SAFE
KEEP SAFE is a parent skills training and support program designed for foster and kinship parents of teens age 13 and older. KEEP SAFE is an adaptation of KEEP Standard and can be delivered to informal kinship parents who are caring for a child outside of the child welfare system (such as grandparents, aunts, or uncles) using KEEP Connecting Kin – SAFE. KEEP SAFE aims to empower parents to be agents of change for the teens in their care and ultimately decrease placement disruptions, increase permanency, and improve teen outcomes. KEEP SAFE uses a trauma-informed approach focusing on: (1) reinforcing normative and pro-social behavior, (2) incentivizing positive behavior, (3) building cooperation, (4) teaching new behaviors, (5) using gentle and effective limit setting, and (6) managing emotions while parenting.
Each week, parents participate in a group session, complete a home practice assignment, and participate in individual discussions about their teen’s behavior to help track progress and challenges. During the group session, group leaders share parenting strategies, lead peer-to-peer discussions about those strategies in the context of the parent’s unique home and the teen they are caring for, and facilitate role-plays to practice new behaviors and parenting techniques.
Group leaders tailor KEEP SAFE content to the specific challenges that the parents share and their teens’ developmental needs. Session 1 provides an overview of the program, introduces parents to each other, and identifies each teen’s strengths and areas for improvement. Session 2 focuses on the use of praise and positive reinforcement to encourage cooperation. Session 3 explores how to set expectations for teens and how parents can teach positive and safe behaviors in advance of a difficult situation. Sessions 4 and 5 explore strategies to monitor and manage behavior, such as using charts, contracts, and incentives. Sessions 6–9 explore limit setting, power struggles, balancing limit setting and discipline with encouragement, and handling challenging behaviors. Session 10 focuses on stress management strategies for parents. Sessions 11 and 12 aim to promote school success and positive peer relationships. Sessions 13–15 teach parents how to monitor and talk to teens about sex, substance use, and appropriate technology use. Session 16 reviews earlier content and celebrates the parents’ strengths and successes.
KEEP SAFE does not currently meet criteria to receive a rating because no studies met eligibility criteria for review.
Date Research Evidence Last Reviewed: Sep 2024
Sources
The following sources informed the program or service description, target population, and program or service delivery and implementation information: the program or service manual and the program or service developer’s website.
This information does not necessarily represent the views of the program or service developers. For more information on how this program or service was reviewed, visit the download the Handbook of Standards and Procedures, Version 1.0
Target Population
KEEP SAFE is designed for foster and kinship parents of teens age 13 or older.
Dosage
Group leaders deliver KEEP SAFE to groups of 7–12 parents in 16 weekly 90-minute sessions. Two group leaders facilitate each KEEP SAFE session. A group leader also connects individually with each parent during a weekly 10-minute phone call.
Location/Delivery Setting
Recommended Locations/Delivery Settings
Group leaders deliver KEEP SAFE in person in community settings or online.
Education, Certifications and Training
Group leaders participate in a 5-day training on the core components of the KEEP SAFE program. Group leaders typically start leading KEEP groups within three weeks after completing training.
Group leaders may apply for certification after leading three groups. Group leaders who choose to obtain certification participate in weekly coaching sessions with coaches from the Oregon Social Learning Center Developments, Inc. (ODI). All KEEP sessions are recorded to monitor alignment to the model and are submitted to ODI for use in the weekly coaching sessions.
For organizations that would like to implement KEEP SAFE, a 3-month pre-implementation planning process is required. Site certification and a train-the-trainer program are available for organizations that would like to grow the program in their area.
Program or Service Documentation
Book/Manual/Available documentation used for review
KEEP SAFE:
Keeping Families Supported (2023). KEEP group leader manual: KEEP SAFE.
Connecting Kin – SAFE:
Keeping Families Supported (2023). KEEP group leader manual: KEEP Connecting Kin – SAFE.
KEEP Connecting Kin – SAFE was not determined to have any substantial adaptations from KEEP SAFE and therefore was not considered to be a different program or service for the purposes of the review.
Available languages
KEEP SAFE materials are available in English and Spanish.
Other supporting materials
For More Information
Website: https://keepforfamilies.org/
Contact Form: https://keepforfamilies.org/contact/
Note: The details on Dosage; Location; Education, Certifications, and Training; Other Supporting Materials; and For More Information sections above are provided to website users for informational purposes only. This information is not exhaustive and may be subject to change.
| Results of Search and Review | Number of Studies Identified and Reviewed for KEEP SAFE |
|---|---|
| Identified in Search | 3 |
| Eligible for Review | 0 |
| Rated High | 0 |
| Rated Moderate | 0 |
| Rated Low | 0 |
| Reviewed Only for Risk of Harm | 0 |
Studies Not Eligible for Review
Study 15122
Kim, H. K., Buchanan, R., & Price, J. M. (2017). Pathways to Preventing Substance Use Among Youth in Foster Care. Prevention science : the official journal of the Society for Prevention Research, 18(5), 567-576. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-017-0800-6
This study is ineligible for review because it is not a study of the program or service under review (Study Eligibility Criterion 4.1.6).Study 15126
Hu, A., Van Ryzin, M. J., Schweer-Collins, M. L., & Leve, L. D. (2021). Peer Relations and Delinquency Among Girls in Foster Care Following a Skill-Building Preventive Intervention. Child maltreatment, 26(2), 205-215. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077559520923033
Kim, H. K., & Leve, L. D. (2011). Substance use and delinquency among middle school girls in foster care: A three-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 79(6), 740-750. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0025949
Kim, H. K., Pears, K. C., Leve, L. D., Chamberlain, P., & Smith, D. K. (2013). Intervention effects on health-risking sexual behavior among girls in foster care: The role of placement disruption and tobacco and marijuana use. Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse, 22(5), 370-387. https://doi.org/10.1080/1067828X.2013.788880
Smith, D. K., Leve, L. D., & Chamberlain, P. (2011). Preventing internalizing and externalizing problems in girls in foster care as they enter middle school: Impact of an intervention. Prevention Science, 12(3), 269-277. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-011-0211-z
Chamberlain, P., Leve, L. D., & Smith, D. K. (2006b). Preventing behavior problems and health-risking behaviors in girls in foster care. International Journal of Behavioral Consultation and Therapy, 2(4), 518. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0101004
This study is ineligible for review because it is not a study of the program or service under review (Study Eligibility Criterion 4.1.6).Study 15133
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. https://doi.org/10.1177/0308575916657956
This study is ineligible for review because it does not use an eligible study design (Study Eligibility Criterion 4.1.4)