Academic progress of children who attended a preschool for abused children: a follow-up of the keepsafe project

Objective: This study was undertaken to assess academic progress of children 1 to 5 years after graduating from the C. Henry Kempe Center’s Therapeutic Preschool Day Treatment Program. Method: Information was gathered through chart review; telephone surveys of care providers, relatives, and social service workers; as well questionnaires on all children who attended the therapeutic preschool day treatment program between 1984 and 1989, including the 24 children reported on by Oates, Gray, Schweitzer, Kempe, and Harmon, 1995. Results: Classroom placement was determined for 27 of the 44 graduates (61.4%), 14 of whom (51.9%) were in a regular classroom, 10 (37.0%) in special education, two (7.4%) in residential treatment, and one (3.7%) was receiving home schooling. Twenty-two of the 27 children (81.5%) improved or remained in the same grade and type of classroom as they had been staffed into at the time of their graduation from the preschool day treatment program. Factors thought to affect stability of classroom placement were studied, of which frequency of family moves was the only significant variable. Its significance was in the direction opposite to that expected. The most effective method of locating families was to contact the Department of Social Services who provided information used to find 60% of them. Conclusions: Intervention in a therapeutic preschool day treatment program was found to be beneficial, as it enabled most of the children to progress appropriately in public school. Objectif: Cette étude a été entreprise pour évaluer l’évolution de la scolarité d’enfants entre 1 et 5 ans après avoir participé à un programme thérapeutique préscolaire au Centre de Jour Henry Kempe. Méthode: Les renseignements ont été réunis à partir d’une enquête téléphonique auprès des soignants, des membres de la famille et des travailleurs sociaux ainsi que d’un questionnaire auprès des enfants qui avaient suivi le programme thérapeutique au Centre de Jour entre 1984 et 1989, y compris les 24 enfants étudiés par Oates, Gray, Schweitzer, Kempe, et Harmon, 1995. Résultats: On a pu déterminer la classe où furent placés 27 des 44 enfants (61.4%): 14 (51.9%) dans un classe normale, 10 (37%) dans une classe spécialisée, 2 (7.4%) en internat thérapeutique, et un (3.7%) en scolarité à domicile. Vingt-deux des 27 enfants (81.5%) ont montré une amélioration ou sont restés dans la même classe et la même niveau que là où ils avaient été placés à leur sortie du programme de trait