Early childhood intervention programs: Opportunities and challenges for preventing child maltreatment

Due to the destructive impact of child maltreatment and limited available funding to address its consequences, the value of preventive measures is evident. Early Childhood Intervention Programs (ECIPs) provide excellent opportunities to prevent and identify cases of child maltreatment, among other varied objectives. These programs are typically targeted at high-risk families with children under age 5 and address risk factors across various levels of intervention (child, parent, immediate context, and broader context). A sample of ECIPs within home, school, clinic, and community settings were selected for description in this paper if they include services that address common child maltreatment risk factors, demonstrated reductions in risk factors through outcome research, and provide valuable lessons for preventing child maltreatment. Challenges to preventing child maltreatment through ECIPs are discussed, including unreliable identification of high-risk families, lack of involvement of low-income and minority parents, and barriers to effective dissemination and implementation of programs. Recommendations for future research and improving child maltreatment prevention through ECIPs are provided.