Chicago Child-Parent Centers

Note: Chicago Child-Parent Centers was not responsive to the CEBC's request for information about their program. The following information was obtained from publicly available sources (websites, articles, etc.).

Scientific Rating:
3
Promising Research Evidence
See scale of 1-5

Relevance to Child Welfare Rating:
1
High
See scale of 1-3

Child Welfare Outcomes: Safety and child/family well-being.

Brief Description:

The Chicago Child-Parent Centers program has been rated by the CEBC in the area of Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (Secondary). The Chicago Child-Parent Centers program is a center-based early intervention that provides educational and family support services. The program is designed for low-income children and families from preschool to early elementary school. Class sizes are kept small and teachers are given in-service training. The Child-Parent Centers focus on five areas: early intervention; parent involvement; a structured language and basic skills approach; health and social services; and continuity between preschool and early elementary school. The parent component includes a full-time parent resource teacher; parent educational activities and GED classes; and support for parent-child interactions and interactions among parents. The program also includes home visitation and parent conferences to support their five focus areas.

Manual and Training section:
The publicly available information indicates that there is training available for Chicago Child-Parent Centers.

Relevant Published, Peer-Reviewed Research:

Chicago Child Parent Centers is rated a "3-Promising Research Evidence" on the Scientific Rating Scale based on the published, peer-reviewed research available. The practice must have at least one study utilizing some form of control (e.g., untreated group, placebo group, matched wait list) establishing the practice's efficacy over the placebo, or found it to be comparable to or better than an appropriate comparison practice. For more information on the rating of a "3 - Promising Research Evidence," please see the Scientific Rating Scale.

Reynolds, A. J., Temple, J. A., & Ou, S. (2003). School-based early intervention and child well-being in the Chicago Longitudinal Study. Child Welfare, 82, 633-656.

Type of Study: Non-randomized matched control group
Number of participants: Data for 1,314 participants on educational attainment, 1,404 on juvenile delinquency.
Population:

Age Range: 4 - 21
Race/Ethnicity: Intervention group: 94.0% African American; Comparison group: 92.6% African American
Status (e.g., foster care, CW): Families with children living in impoverished neighborhoods and attending public schools.

Location/Institution: Chicago
Summary: (To include comparison groups, outcomes, measures, notable limitations) The Chicago Longitudinal Study is an ongoing evaluation of a cohort of low income children beginning in 1983. The intervention group received education and family support from the Chicago Child-Parent Centers (CPC) from preschool through third grade. The comparison group who enrolled in alternative kindergarten programs without CPC support. The present report analyzed group differences at various ages in five indicators of well-being. These indicators were school readiness, family support behavior, remedial education experiences, and educational attainment. In the domain of school readiness, CPC children more likely to be at or above the national mean in readiness and reading achievement, based on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills. CPC families showed greater parent involvement, according to teacher and parent ratings, and were less likely to have child maltreatment reports between the ages of 4 and 17. Children in the CPC group were also less likely to have had to repeat a grade, to require special education, and to exhibit juvenile delinquency or experience arrest between the ages of 10 and 18. CPC children were also more likely to have completed high school and attained a higher level of education by age 21.
Length of post-intervention follow-up: 13 years.

Reynolds, A. J., & Ou, S., & Topitzes, J. W. (2004). Paths of effects of early childhood intervention on educational attainment and delinquency: A confirmatory analysis of the Chicago Child-Parent Centers. Child Development, 75(5), 1299-1328.

Type of Study: Non-randomized matched comparison group
Number of participants: 1,404
Population:

Age Range: 4-21
Race/Ethnicity: Intervention group: 94.0% African American; Comparison group: 92.6% African American
Status (e.g., foster care, CW): Families with children living in impoverished neighborhoods and attending public schools.

Location/Institution: Chicago
Summary: (To include comparison groups, outcomes, measures, notable limitations) Note: This analysis uses the same longitudinal data as the Reynolds, Temple, et al (2003) study. The present study used statistical analysis to account for which pathways influence the observed outcomes of children who attended the Chicago Child Parent Center's early education programs. These children experienced higher rates of educational attainment and lower rates of juvenile arrest than did those in the comparison group. Factors thought to influence these outcomes included 1) greater cognitive development, 2) better family support, 3) better school support, 4) motivational advantage, and 5) better social adjustment. Statistical analysis indicated that the primary factors were attendance at higher quality elementary schools, lower mobility, higher literacy in kindergarten, avoiding retention, higher levels parent involvement in schools, and lower rates of child maltreatment.
Length of post-intervention follow-up: 13 years.

References:
There are no published reference articles about Chicago Child-Parent Centers.

Contact Information
Affiliation/Agency: Chicago Public Schools
Contact Name: Pamela Stevens
E-mail: pstevens@csc.cps.k12.il.us
Website: http://www.ecechicago.org/programs/ece/cpc.html

Date review compiled: February 2008