Miller early childhood sustained homes visiting: Outcomes at 4 years and the transition to school (MECSH 2)

Project Status
Completed

Chief Investigators
Elizabeth Harris, Cathy McMahon, Stephen Matthey, Graham Vimpani, Teresa Anderson, Virginia Schmied, Lynn Kemp, Bob Perry, Sue Dockett

Other Team Members
Sheryl Scharkie, Siggi Zapart

Rationale

This study will follow-up the families in the MECSH project, and will determine whether the gains made by children in the MESCH project who have received sustained home visiting from pregnancy to age two, are maintained into the preschool years and the transition to school.

Aim

To determine the impact of a comprehensive sustained professional home visiting program initiated antenatally for at risk mothers who reside in a community characterised by profound socioeconomic disadvantage on outcomes including household environment and health, development and well-being of the family, mother and child.

Design and Method

A randomised controlled trial design is being undertaken, with mothers allocated following recruitment and baseline data collection to either the intervention or control groups.

Intervention group: At risk mothers in the 2168 postcode area randomly allocated to receive SPHV in addition to usual care for families in the 2168 postcode area.

Control group: At risk mothers in the 2168 postcode area randomly allocated to receive usual care for families in the 2168 postcode area.