As more evidence-based programs are implemented in community settings, there is a strong need to ensure those models are implemented with integrity. Implementation of programs should be evaluated for fidelity, the degree of adherence to treatment protocols, and competence, the level of skill in implementation (Schoenwald et al., 2011). The purpose of this study was to review audio recordings of SafeCare home visiting sessions to discover the relationship between the measures of fidelity and competence. Six coders were assigned 209 SafeCare home visiting audiotapes to be coded for fidelity and competence. A sample of audios were double coded to evaluate fidelity and competence scores for inter-rater reliability. Fidelity and competence items were classified into process and content categories, forming the six main variables of process fidelity, content fidelity, total fidelity, process competence, content competence, and total competence. Total fidelity correlated with total competence at a level of .615, with process fidelity and process competence correlating at a much lower level than content items. The total correlation level can be interpreted as that fidelity and competence are strongly related measures, but are not identical constructs. The goal for SafeCare coders would be to continue refining competence definitions and attempting to remove the subjective nature from the competence coding process. With these two efforts, competence reliability should increase to an acceptable level. Given the main fidelity and competence correlation level, it is advisable for SafeCare coders to continue to code both fidelity and competence to avoid missing valuable components of the session. Additional research may be needed once the competence scale becomes better established.

Family level data was collected from those served in a state-wide rollout of SafeCare® in Georgia between January of 2010 and November of 2011. Families who received SafeCare were trained in the intervention’s three modules: Parent-Child or Parent-Infant Interaction, Home Safety, and Child Health. The purpose of this study was to measure changes in parental skill demonstration by analyzing pre- and post-training assessments. Additionally, parental demographic characteristics were also assessed for associations with skill acquisition within each module. Follow-up analysis concluded that families displayed increases in parenting skills among all SafeCare modules. Moderator analysis showed that those with only one child showed greater decreases in home hazards as did those with two children. Also, it was found that income level moderated performance in the Parent-Child Interaction module with participants below the median income level exhibiting a greater increase in PCI skill demonstration than those above the median income level. Further research should consider modeling multiple parental characters (e.g. CPS status and income) with skill performance over time. Lastly, additional research should aim to determine if those who exhibit increases in parenting skills are also less likely to experience future child maltreatment reports.