The Baby TALK home visiting model and refugee families: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

This randomized controlled trial evaluates the effectiveness of the Baby TALK (Teaching Activities for Learning and Knowledge) Home Visiting Model in promoting child development, parental mental health, and community integration among refugee and immigrant families with young children. Conducted in partnership with a refugee resettlement organization in Chicago, the study included 199 participants randomly assigned to either an intervention or control group. The intervention group received biweekly home visits over 12 months focused on culturally responsive parent–child engagement, developmental curriculum, and resource linkages. Outcomes included child language and social-emotional development, parental stress and trauma symptoms, employment as a measure of self-sufficiency, and access to community resources.

Findings revealed that children in the intervention group demonstrated significantly higher language development scores (PLS-5) compared to the control group. Intervention families with stronger community linkages at baseline also had more referrals over time, supporting the model’s role in enhancing access to essential services. Although results related to social-emotional development, parental stress, and trauma symptoms favored the intervention group, they did not reach statistical significance. Notably, positive parenting practices improved significantly in the intervention group over 12 months. This study addresses a critical gap in early childhood and refugee mental health research by evaluating a relational home visiting intervention applicable to diverse, trauma-affected populations. The findings suggest that the Baby TALK Model offers a promising pathway to support child and family well-being and underscores the importance of culturally responsive, relationship-based interventions for newly resettled communities.