Nurturing Skills™ for Families
Nurturing Skills™ for Families is a program designed to improve parenting skills and prevent child abuse and neglect in families with children ages 0–19. The program aims to (1) build self-worth; (2) develop empathy and a sense of caring; (3) promote positive, non-violent discipline practices and techniques; (4) have appropriate family role expectations; and (5) help adults and children increase their personal power to positively influence their lives.
Facilitators conduct an initial assessment to identify the family’s needs and then work with the family to create a customized Family Nurturing Plan. This plan outlines which specific lessons within the program’s 18 core competencies facilitators should deliver in each session to help meet the family’s identified needs. In each session, facilitators deliver content to parents aligned with the Family Nurturing Plan. Child sessions are also available for children ages 3–12 to learn comparable content in separate groups. Facilitators can deliver content individually to one family, in a group setting to families with similar needs, or a combination of both.
During the parent sessions, facilitators teach content through videos, activities, discussion, and information from the Parent Handbook. Lessons focus on specific competency topics such as growth and development of children, developing empathy, managing anger and stress, and developing nurturing routines. Facilitators and families may also choose to include supplemental content in their Family Nurturing Plan from competencies such as prenatal parenting, foster and adoptive parenting, parenting children with developmental disabilities or special needs, and working with adolescents.
During the child sessions, facilitators teach key concepts to children ages 3–12 through a series of hands-on activities including introductions, active games, circle time or rap time, and art. Sessions may be taught to all children, or facilitators may choose to split children into groups of 3–8-year-olds and 9–12-year-olds. Content for the younger group includes topics such as anger, our bodies and touch, and praise and criticism. Content for the older group includes topics such as handling stress, problem solving and negotiation, and drugs and alcohol. Child sessions may also include Family Nurturing Time, where children and adults share a snack together, and Learning Centers, where children can engage in independent play.
Nurturing Skills for Families does not currently meet criteria to receive a rating because no studies of the program that achieved a rating of moderate or high on design and execution demonstrated a favorable effect on a target outcome.
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, the program or service developer’s website, and the studies reviewed.
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
Nurturing Skills for Families is designed to serve families with children ages 0–19.
Dosage
Facilitators deliver Nurturing Skills for Families weekly to individual families or groups of families with similar parenting needs. Each session is 60–90 minutes. The duration of the program depends on the number of sessions identified as meeting the family’s needs in the Family Nurturing Plan. In group settings, two facilitators co-facilitate the parent sessions while an additional two facilitators co-facilitate the children’s sessions. Additional volunteers may help facilitate the children’s sessions.
Location/Delivery Setting
Recommended Locations/Delivery Settings
Facilitators can deliver Nurturing Skills for Families in-home, in a group setting, or in a combination of home-based and group-based settings.
Education, Certifications and Training
Facilitators for all Nurturing Parenting® Programs, which includes Nurturing Skills for Families, are encouraged to attend a 3-day in-person or virtual facilitator training. Participants learn the philosophy of the program and basic strategies for implementing Nurturing Parenting Programs to meet families’ needs in home-based, group-based, and a combination of home-based and group-based settings. Additionally, participants learn how to administer program assessments and how to monitor families’ progress through the program.
Program or Service Documentation
Book/Manual/Available documentation used for review
Bavolek, S. J. (2022). Nurturing SkillsTM for Families Prenatal-19. Lesson guide for parents (7th ed). Family Development Resources, Inc.
Bavolek, S. J. (2021). Nurturing SkillsTM for Families Prenatal-19. Lesson guide for children (2nd ed). Family Development Resources, Inc.
Bavolek, S. J. (2021). Nurturing SkillsTM for Families Prenatal-19. Parent handbook (5th ed). Family Development Resources, Inc.
Available languages
Nurturing Skills for Families materials are available in English and Spanish.
Other supporting materials
About Nurturing Parenting Programs
For More Information
Website: https://www.nurturingparenting.com
Phone: 1-800-688-5822
Email: FDR@nurturingparenting.com
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 Nurturing Skills™ for Families |
|---|---|
| Identified in Search | 3 |
| Eligible for Review | 1 |
| Rated High | 0 |
| Rated Moderate | 1 |
| Rated Low | 0 |
| Reviewed Only for Risk of Harm | 0 |
| Outcome | Effect Size
 and Implied Percentile Effect
|
N of Studies (Findings) | N of Participants | Summary of Findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child safety: Child welfare administrative reports |
-0.03
-1 |
1 (12) | 7947 |
Favorable:
0 No Effect: 12 Unfavorable: 0 |
| Child permanency: Out-of-home placement |
-0.04
-1 |
1 (3) | 7947 |
Favorable:
0 No Effect: 3 Unfavorable: 0 |
Note: For the effect sizes and implied percentile effects reported in the table, a positive number favors the intervention group and a negative number favors the comparison group.
| Outcome | Effect Size
and Implied Percentile Effect
|
N of Studies (Findings) | N of Participants | Summary of Findings |
Months after treatment when outcome measured
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child safety: Child welfare administrative reports |
-0.03
-1 |
1 (12) | 7947 |
Favorable:
0 No Effect: 12 Unfavorable: 0 |
- |
| Study 14792 - NPP vs. Standard In-Home Family Preservation Services (Gross, 2022) | |||||
| Child Welfare Investigation |
0.05
1 |
- | 7947 | - | 0 |
| Child Welfare Investigation |
-0.03
-1 |
- | 6542 | - | 6 |
| Child Welfare Investigation |
-0.12
-4 |
- | 4649 | - | 12 |
| Substantiated Child Welfare Investigation |
0.00
0 |
- | 7947 | - | 0 |
| Substantiated Child Welfare Investigation |
-0.13
-5 |
- | 6542 | - | 6 |
| Substantiated Child Welfare Investigation |
-0.12
-4 |
- | 4649 | - | 12 |
| Investigation for Neglect |
0.05
1 |
- | 7947 | - | 0 |
| Investigation for Neglect |
0.00
0 |
- | 6542 | - | 6 |
| Investigation for Neglect |
-0.10
-3 |
- | 4649 | - | 12 |
| Investigation for Physical Abuse |
0.12
4 |
- | 7947 | - | 0 |
| Investigation for Physical Abuse |
0.03
1 |
- | 6542 | - | 6 |
| Investigation for Physical Abuse |
-0.11
-4 |
- | 4649 | - | 12 |
| Child permanency: Out-of-home placement |
-0.04
-1 |
1 (3) | 7947 |
Favorable:
0 No Effect: 3 Unfavorable: 0 |
- |
| Study 14792 - NPP vs. Standard In-Home Family Preservation Services (Gross, 2022) | |||||
| Child Removed from Home |
-0.04
-1 |
- | 7947 | - | 0 |
| Child Removed from Home |
-0.09
-3 |
- | 6542 | - | 6 |
| Child Removed from Home |
0.00
0 |
- | 4649 | - | 12 |
*p <.05
Note: For the effect sizes and implied percentile effects reported in the table, a positive number favors the intervention group and a negative number favors the comparison group. Effect sizes and implied percentile effects were calculated by the Prevention Services Clearinghouse as described in the Handbook of Standards and Procedures, Section 5.10.4 and may not align with effect sizes reported in individual publications.
Only publications with eligible contrasts that met design and execution standards are included in the individual study findings table.
Full citations for the studies shown in the table are available in the "Studies Reviewed" section.
The participant characteristics display is an initial version. We encourage those interested in providing feedback to send suggestions to preventionservices@abtglobal.com.
The table below displays locations, the year, and participant demographics for studies that received moderate or high ratings on design and execution and that reported the information. Participant characteristics for studies with more than one intervention versus comparison group pair that received moderate or high ratings are shown separately in the table. Please note, the information presented here uses terminology directly from the study documents, when available. Studies that received moderate or high ratings on design and execution that did not include relevant participant demographic information would not be represented in this table.
For more information on how Clearinghouse reviewers record the information in the table, please see our Resource Guide on Study Participant Characteristics and Settings.
| Characteristics of the Participants in the Studies with Moderate or High Ratings | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Study Location
|
Study Year
|
Age or Grade-level
|
Race, Ethnicity, Nationality
|
Gender
|
Populations of Interest*
|
Household Socioeconomic Status
|
| Study 14792 - NPP vs. Standard In-Home Family Preservation Services | ||||||
| Characteristics of the Children and Youth | ||||||
| Arizona, USA | 2018 | Average age: 7.4 years; Age range: 0-17 years |
42% White 40% Hispanic 19% Other |
51% Female | 100% Children were subject to at least one child welfare investigation in Arizona before the service referral; Average number of investigations in three years prior to service referral: 1.8 investigations; Common reasons for investigation: 79% Neglect, 36% Physical abuse; 39% Experienced a substantiated investigation in the three years before service referral; 19% Experienced a removal | -- |
| Characteristics of the Adults, Parents, or Caregivers | ||||||
| Arizona, USA | 2018 | Average caregiver age: 35 years | -- | -- | -- | -- |
“--” indicates information not reported in the study.
* The information about disabilities is based on initial coding. For more information on how the Clearinghouse recorded disability information for the initial release, please see our Resource Guide on Study Participant Characteristics and Settings. The Clearinghouse is currently seeking consultation from experts, including those with lived experience, and input from the public to enhance and improve the display.
Note: Citations for the documents associated with each 5-digit study number shown in the table can be found in the “Studies Reviewed” section below. Study settings and participant demographics are recorded for all studies that received moderate or high ratings on design and execution and that reported the information. Studies that did not report any information about setting or participant demographics are not displayed. For more information on how participant characteristics are recorded, please see our Resource Guide on Study Participant Characteristics and Settings.
Studies Rated Moderate
Study 14792Gross, M., Bhagwat, A., & Cole, R. (2022). Impact evaluation of the Nurturing Parenting Program Nurturing Skills for Families. Arizona Department of Child Safety. https://dcs.az.gov/sites/default/files/DCS-Reports/NPP_ImpactReport_2022-10-11.pdf
Gross, M., Bhagwat, A., & Cole, R. (2023). Effects of the Nurturing Parenting Program Nurturing Skills for Families on child safety and permanency. Child Abuse & Neglect, 143, Article 106338. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106338
This study was conducted in a usual care or practice setting (Handbook Section 6.2.2)Studies Not Eligible for Review
Study 14787
Bavolek, S.J. (2009). Nurturing the families of Hawaii: Nurturing parenting skills for the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Final report 2008-2009. https://nurturingfamiliescenter.com/wp-content/uploads/Research_hi_dhs_final_rept_2008_09_narrative-2009.pdf
Bavolek, S.J. (2009). Nurturing the families of Hawaii: Three year program to build nurturing parenting skills for the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Final report 2005-2008. https://nurturingfamiliescenter.com/wp-content/uploads/Research_hi_final_report_2005_08_dhs_prevention_2009.pdf
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 15252
Estefan, L., Coulter, M., VandeWeerd, C., Armstrong, M., & Gorski, P. (2013). Relationships between stressors and parenting attitudes in a child welfare parenting program. Journal of Child & Family Studies, 22(2), 199-208. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-012-9569-1
This study is ineligible for review because it does not use an eligible study design (Study Eligibility Criterion 4.1.4)