Training professionals in community settings: Change processes and outcomes in a child protection context

Authors

  • Ana Teixeira de Melo At the time of the study the author was a Scholar of the Foundation for Science and Technology (SFRH/BD/39912/2007) and a Doctoral student in Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the University of Coimbra, Portugal.
  • Madalena Alarcão Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the University of Coimbra, Portugal.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14195/1647-8606_57-2_3

Keywords:

training, systemic thinking, community-based practice, multi-challenged families, case-study

Abstract

This article reports an action-research focused on the improvement of a training program for professionals working with multi-challenged families with at-risk or maltreated children. The program aimed at the implementation of a multi-systemic, collaborative and strength-based family assessment and intervention model. Outcome evaluation results indicate that professionals improved their skills and achieved minimal competence. Process evaluation reveals that participating in the training has been a transformative experience and highlights facilitator and constraining conditions for participants’ learning and changing as well as suggestions for improvement of the training program. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

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Published

2015-07-07

How to Cite

Melo, A. T. de, & Alarcão, M. (2015). Training professionals in community settings: Change processes and outcomes in a child protection context. Psychologica, 57(2), pp. 53-72. https://doi.org/10.14195/1647-8606_57-2_3

Issue

Vol. 57 No. 2 (2014)

Section

Articles

License

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows sharing the work with recognition of authorship and initial publication in Antropologia Portuguesa journal.