BC Healthy Connections Project

Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) is a primary prevention program that was developed by Dr. David Olds in the United States (US) with the goal of helping vulnerable young first-time mothers and their children. The program involves public health nurses (PHNs) visiting mothers in their homes, providing intensive supports starting in pregnancy and continuing until children reach their second birthday. Studies in the US have shown that NFP significantly reduces child maltreatment and child behaviour problems, while also improving children's early learning and mother's economic self-sufficiency. Economic studies have also shown that the program pays for itself over the long-term. However, NFP has never been tested in Canada. Due to major differences in our populations and in our public services, we do not know whether NFP will show the same benefits here. We therefore plan to conduct a scientific evaluation of NFP's effectiveness in British Columbia (BC), in close collaboration with the BC government and BC's Health Authorities. Using randomized-controlled trial methods, NFP's effectiveness will be specifically evaluated in comparison with existing perinatal services in BC regarding outcomes across three fundamental domains: 1) pregnancy and birth; 2) child health and development; and 3) maternal health and life course. Findings from this evaluation will be used to improve the NFP program - to better meet the needs of vulnerable young mothers and their children in BC.