Cost-effectiveness of Family Group Conferencing in child welfare: a controlled study

Sharon Dijkstra; Hanneke E. Creemers; Francisca J. A. Van Steensel; Maja Deković; Geert Jan J. M. Stams; Jessica J. Asscher

doi:10.1186/s12889-018-5770-5

Cost-effectiveness of Family Group Conferencing in child welfare: a controlled study

Sharon Dijkstra
, Hanneke E. Creemers
, Francisca J. A. Van Steensel
, Maja Deković
, Geert Jan J. M. Stams
, Jessica J. Asscher

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Background
This study aimed to examine the short- and long term (cost-) effectiveness of Family Group Conferencing (FGC) compared to care as usual (CAU) in terms of improved child safety, empowerment and social support.

Methods
A subgroup of a larger randomized controlled trial, comprising 69 families in child welfare (experimental group: n = 46; control group: n = 23), was included.

Results
No additional effects of FGC on child safety, social support and only short-term positive effects on empowerment were found. There were no differences in costs between FGC and CAU. The chance for FGC to be cost-effective was small. For families who refused FGC, the FGC approach was more cost-effective than CAU, whereas it was less cost-effective for families that prepared or completed FGC.

Conclusions
Overall, FGC is not (cost-)effective in improving child safety, empowerment and social support, but cost-effectiveness varies at different levels of FGC-completion.

Trial registration
Dutch Trial Register number NTR4320. Registered 17 December 2013.

Original language	English
Article number	848
Journal	BMC Public Health
Volume	18
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5770-5
Publication status	Published - 9 Jul 2018

Keywords

Cost-effectiveness
Family group conferencing
Child welfare
Child safety
Empowerment
Social support

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https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-018-5770-5

Cite this

@article{43783f27a3c748a1a18624608984cbc6,

title = "Cost-effectiveness of Family Group Conferencing in child welfare: a controlled study",

abstract = "Background This study aimed to examine the short- and long term (cost-) effectiveness of Family Group Conferencing (FGC) compared to care as usual (CAU) in terms of improved child safety, empowerment and social support. Methods A subgroup of a larger randomized controlled trial, comprising 69 families in child welfare (experimental group: n = 46; control group: n = 23), was included. Results No additional effects of FGC on child safety, social support and only short-term positive effects on empowerment were found. There were no differences in costs between FGC and CAU. The chance for FGC to be cost-effective was small. For families who refused FGC, the FGC approach was more cost-effective than CAU, whereas it was less cost-effective for families that prepared or completed FGC. Conclusions Overall, FGC is not (cost-)effective in improving child safety, empowerment and social support, but cost-effectiveness varies at different levels of FGC-completion. Trial registration Dutch Trial Register number NTR4320. Registered 17 December 2013.",

keywords = "Cost-effectiveness, Family group conferencing, Child welfare, Child safety, Empowerment, Social support",

author = "Sharon Dijkstra and Creemers, \{Hanneke E.\} and \{Van Steensel\}, \{Francisca J. A.\} and Maja Dekovi{\'c} and Stams, \{Geert Jan J. M.\} and Asscher, \{Jessica J.\}",

year = "2018",

month = jul,

day = "9",

doi = "10.1186/s12889-018-5770-5",

language = "English",

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journal = "BMC Public Health",

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T1 - Cost-effectiveness of Family Group Conferencing in child welfare

T2 - a controlled study

AU - Dijkstra, Sharon

AU - Creemers, Hanneke E.

AU - Van Steensel, Francisca J. A.

AU - Deković, Maja

AU - Stams, Geert Jan J. M.

AU - Asscher, Jessica J.

PY - 2018/7/9

Y1 - 2018/7/9

N2 - Background This study aimed to examine the short- and long term (cost-) effectiveness of Family Group Conferencing (FGC) compared to care as usual (CAU) in terms of improved child safety, empowerment and social support. Methods A subgroup of a larger randomized controlled trial, comprising 69 families in child welfare (experimental group: n = 46; control group: n = 23), was included. Results No additional effects of FGC on child safety, social support and only short-term positive effects on empowerment were found. There were no differences in costs between FGC and CAU. The chance for FGC to be cost-effective was small. For families who refused FGC, the FGC approach was more cost-effective than CAU, whereas it was less cost-effective for families that prepared or completed FGC. Conclusions Overall, FGC is not (cost-)effective in improving child safety, empowerment and social support, but cost-effectiveness varies at different levels of FGC-completion. Trial registration Dutch Trial Register number NTR4320. Registered 17 December 2013.

AB - Background This study aimed to examine the short- and long term (cost-) effectiveness of Family Group Conferencing (FGC) compared to care as usual (CAU) in terms of improved child safety, empowerment and social support. Methods A subgroup of a larger randomized controlled trial, comprising 69 families in child welfare (experimental group: n = 46; control group: n = 23), was included. Results No additional effects of FGC on child safety, social support and only short-term positive effects on empowerment were found. There were no differences in costs between FGC and CAU. The chance for FGC to be cost-effective was small. For families who refused FGC, the FGC approach was more cost-effective than CAU, whereas it was less cost-effective for families that prepared or completed FGC. Conclusions Overall, FGC is not (cost-)effective in improving child safety, empowerment and social support, but cost-effectiveness varies at different levels of FGC-completion. Trial registration Dutch Trial Register number NTR4320. Registered 17 December 2013.

KW - Cost-effectiveness

KW - Family group conferencing

KW - Child welfare

KW - Child safety

KW - Empowerment

KW - Social support

U2 - 10.1186/s12889-018-5770-5

DO - 10.1186/s12889-018-5770-5

M3 - Article

SN - 1471-2458

VL - 18

JO - BMC Public Health

JF - BMC Public Health

IS - 1

M1 - 848

ER -

Cost-effectiveness of Family Group Conferencing in child welfare: a controlled study

Abstract

Keywords

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