Towards Evidence-Based Policy and Practice in Child Abuse Prevention

developed for the network of Parent Aide programs

with the National Exchange Club Foundation

by Jill Bomberger, MSW student and Jeanette Harder, PhD

February 26, 2008

This article describes evidence-based practice as it relates to the roles administrators play in child abuse prevention as well as what is needed in order to establish the Parent Aide model as "evidence-based." Different issues surrounding evidence-based practice in community settings are explored. The strength of evidence supporting child abuse prevention interventions is discussed. Increasing efforts at program evaluation can both expand the base of empirical evidence supporting interventions and improve program service delivery. [read more, pdf]