PEGASE3: Evaluating a Standardized Health Program for Children Under Five in Child Protective Care

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to study the health and development of children who are taken into care by child protective services (CPS) and to evaluate the PEGASE program designed to provide regular, standardized medical follow-ups, including mental and physical health assessments. The study focuses on children under CPS care who are not enrolled in the PEGASE program, creating a control group called the ESPER cohort. The goal is to compare health outcomes and program effectiveness over time, with a special focus on mental health after two years. Children in the ESPER cohort are followed using the usual care practices of their CPS centers without the additional PEGASE standardized assessments. The study collects data at the time of placement and then at one and two years later through questionnaires and health records, including developmental assessments using standardized tools like ASQ-SE and ASQ-3. The program includes children less than 42 months old at their first entry into the center and involves a follow-up period of two years. Participating children will have health and developmental data collected at baseline, one year, and two years, either in person or by phone if no longer in care. Information includes mental health, physical growth, communication and motor skills, school integration, and care pathways. The primary outcome is mental health after two years, with secondary outcomes covering various developmental and health measures and a cost-effectiveness evaluation. The study plans to enroll 220 children over 24 months, with each child followed for 24 months.

Prospective Cohort Study of Protected Children