Parent-Child Interaction Therapy: A Primer for Child Welfare Professionals

Parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT) is a family-centered treatment approach for children ages 2-7 with disruptive behavior and has also been used with abused and at-risk children ages 2-12. It is an appropriate therapy for all caregivers—birth parents, adoptive parents, or foster or kin caregivers—and includes the treatment of both the parent and child together along with live coaching. One of PCIT's benefits is that it can help reduce the risk for child maltreatment. This factsheet is intended to help child welfare professionals gain a better understanding of PCIT, including which clients should be referred for PCIT, how it is implemented, and resources for additional information. 

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