Abstract
BACKGROUND: Children in out-of-home care constitute a vulnerable population often experiencing mental health challenges related to early adversity and placement disruptions. The Circle of Security Parenting program(®) (COS-P) is an attachment-based intervention designed to enhance carer sensitivity and reflective competence, ultimately improving the quality of carer-child relationships. METHODS: This study protocol follows a mixed-methods randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of the COS-P program for foster carers in France. A total of 70 foster carers will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group (receiving COS-P in addition to Treatment as Usual) or the waitlist control group (receiving Treatment as Usual only). Quantitative measures, including the Caregiving Composite Questionnaire, Parenting Stress Index, and the Marschak Interaction Method, will be administered at baseline and at follow-up). Qualitative data will be collected through focus groups with foster carers and COS-P facilitators, and through self-confrontation interviews with a subset of foster carers. DISCUSSION: This study is the first to evaluate the COS-P program for foster carers in France. Findings will provide valuable insights into the program's effectiveness in improving carer-child relationships and foster carer well-being, ultimately contributing to better outcomes for children in out-of-home care. The study will also explore potential moderators of treatment outcome, and shed light on the subjective experiences of participants. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov : NCT06701877.