Integrating a Violence Prevention Parenting Programme into Preschool Services: A Mixed Method Cluster Randomised Feasibility Trial of the Irie Homes Toolbox

Background: Violence against children (VAC) is highly prevalent in Jamaica, and scalable parenting programs are central to prevention. The Irie Homes Toolbox (IHT) is an evidence-based, violence prevention, parenting intervention, developed for scale within the preschool system.
Objective: To assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of the IHT when delivered by preschool teachers as part of routine services.
Participants and Setting: Twenty four community preschools in Kingston were randomly assigned to intervention (n=12) or wait list control (n=12). Ten caregivers per school were recruited (n=240, n=120 per group), each with a child aged 2–6 years.
Methods: A mixed-method cluster randomized feasibility trial was conducted. Caregivers in intervention schools were offered eleven one-hour group parenting sessions facilitated by a preschool teacher. Quantitative assessments examined quality and fidelity of implementation, caregiver attendance, and effects on caregivers’ use of VAC, attitudes to VAC, preferences for harsh punishment, involvement with their child, parenting self-efficacy, and child conduct problems. Qualitative data included teacher interviews and research team logs.
Results: Caregivers attended a mean of 4.0 sessions. Significant benefits were found for caregivers’ use of VAC (effect size (ES)=–0.22, p=0.04), attitudes supporting VAC (ES=–0.36), caregiver involvement (ES=0.30), and self-efficacy (ES=0.29), with a marginal effect on preference for harsh punishment. No benefits were found for child conduct problems. Qualitative findings identified key enablers, barriers, and areas for improvement.
Conclusion: Preschool teacher delivery of the IHT is feasible and shows promise for large scale dissemination within Jamaica’s preschool system to reduce violence against children.