Early / family help JSNAA (health and wellbeing needs in South Tyneside)
Evidence for interventions
A range of interventions have been shown to have a positive impact on early outcomes and reduce infectious diseases, including:
- Financial incentives for smoking cessation in pregnancy.
- Lactation support to increase breastfeeding initiation and duration.
Early cognitive outcomes have long term impacts on educational and employment success as well as mental and physical wellbeing.
Interventions which have evidence relating to cognitive outcomes include:
- Parents as First Teachers and the Family Nurse Partnership programmes which improve early language development and other cognitive outcomes.
- Reading Recovery, which is a programme that helps improve reading skills for those who struggle to read initially.
Behavioural development involves development of self-regulatory skills which have long term impacts on developing interpersonal relationships, success in school, and avoidance of criminal activity in young adulthood.
Interventions that have been shown to reducing problematic behaviours in the early years include Group Triple P, Empowering Parents / Communities, and Incredible Years.
Adolescent behavioural problems tend to require more intensive interventions. Intensive family interventions with evidence include Multisystemic Therapy, Functional Family Therapy and Treatment Foster Care Oregon Adolescent.
Through social and emotional development, children gain the knowledge and skills to:
- manage their emotions
- show empathy
- maintain relationships
- make responsible decisions
These skills impact on long term relationships and mental wellbeing into adulthood.
Interventions which improve children's attachment security include infant parent psychotherapy, child parent psychotherapy, and the Family Nurse Partnership.
School based programmes which improve children's emotional and social skills include the Good Behaviour Game, PATHS, FRIENDS for life, and Positive Action.
During adolescence, school based programmes that support general wellbeing include advanced life skills training and FRIENDS for youth.
Family based programmes which have evidence of reducing specific mental health symptoms include trauma focused cognitive behavioural therapy and Group Teen Triple P.