Nature-based interventions and equine-assisted learning may be as effective as counseling for families with complex needs Families who are experiencing adversity can benefit from interventions that aim to support social and emotional skills, well-being, mental health and family relationships. However, the efficacy of different intervention types that are offered to families with the most complex challenges are not well understood. This study evaluated the impact of interventions that families were referred to as part of the Supporting Families Program in England. The program provides interventions for families with interrelated challenges, which may include mental and physical health problems, domestic violence and poor family relationships, educational challenges and children in need (such as children on child protection plans, under the care of local authorities, or children with disabilities). The interventions examined by this study included a talk-based program (TBP), a nature-based intervention (NBI) and a five-day equine-assisted learning (EAL) program.
The study was conducted with families in the UK who were referred to intervention services by social workers when their situation triggered domestic violence, child-in-need, and/or education indicator flags. To be included in the study, at least one family member had to have been referred to one of the intervention types (EAL, NBI or TBP). The NBI used in the study was a care farm that aimed to support young people’s (age 8–18) well-being using a solution-based approach to encourage their engagement in education. Study participants included 203 families in the TBP, 81 families in the NBI, and 206 families in the EAL. The average family size was 3.95 people. The study utilized data collected by the local authority Supporting Families Program team. The effectiveness of each intervention was assessed based on the number of flags (indicators for domestic violence, child-in-need, and education concerns) per person in a family before participation in the intervention, compared to a one-year follow-up. Data were statistically analyzed to examine whether participation in each type of intervention resulted in a reduction of the total number of flags, as well as specific domestic violence, child-in-need, and education flag indicators.
Results indicated that all three intervention types significantly reduced the total number of flags experienced by families at one-year follow-up. For the total number of flags, significant differences were not detected between the intervention types, suggesting that all three types “may be of equal value for supporting vulnerable families with various challenges.” For domestic violence flags, each intervention type was found to support a significant reduction. Families in TBPs were found to have more domestic violence flags at both pre- and post-intervention compared with NBI and EAL programs, which may suggest that families facing such challenges tend to be referred to TBP more frequently. These results reveal “similar efficacy across the three interventions for reducing domestic violence flags, despite possible differences in referral patterns.” Analyses of education and child-in-need (CiN) flags focused only on family members under the age of 23. For education flags, no significant changes were detected for any of the intervention types. Families with education flags tended to be referred to either NBI or EAL programs rather than TBPs. For CiN flags, each intervention type was found to have a significant positive impact. However, differences between intervention types were also detected, with the NBI being less effective at reducing CiN than TBPs and EAS. Again, this finding may reflect differences in the types of referrals and goals of each intervention type.
Findings suggest that each intervention was similarly effective in supporting vulnerable families overall. Each of the interventions was also similarly effective for reducing reported domestic violence flags and child-in-need flags. Additionally, findings revealed differences in referral patterns. Importantly, findings provide evidence supporting the effectiveness of NBI and EAL as appropriate alternatives for clients who prefer to avoid trauma-focused therapies or who find TBPs ineffective. For families navigating complex circumstances, NBI and EAL services might be advantageous because they enable active engagement and support the development of agency and self-determination. The researchers conclude that “common barriers to engagement with TBPs such as institutional environments or an expectation to verbalize emotions may be mitigated through EAL or NBI, which may support marginalized clients to develop improved agency in strengths-based environments.”
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