IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/cysrev/v110y2020ics0190740919310928.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Improving child welfare’s use of data for service planning: Practitioner perspectives on a training curriculum

Author

Listed:
  • Romano, Elisa
  • Stenason, Lauren
  • Weegar, Kelly
  • Cheung, Connie

Abstract

In 2000, the Ontario Looking After Children (OnLAC) project was developed as a child welfare initiative to monitor and improve the developmental outcomes of youth in out-of-home care through annual assessments. However, challenges remain in child welfare’s use of OnLAC data for service planning and delivery. We established a partnership with several Ontario child welfare agencies to develop, deliver, and conduct a preliminary evaluation of a training curriculum aimed at enhancing child welfare practitioners’ use of OnLAC data for service planning related to young people’s educational outcomes. This study examined training outcomes for practitioners across three Ontario child welfare agencies using a mixed-methods design that made use of post-training feedback questionnaire data (n = 58) and focus groups (n = 14). For reactions to the training, results suggested that the majority of practitioners (85.2–95.2%) responded positively to the content and delivery of the training curriculum. Several reported that the introduction of an evidence-informed practice framework and the use of case examples were particularly beneficial in helping them better understand how OnLAC data can be incorporated into service delivery. Turning to learning outcomes, the majority of practitioners (62.7–65.6%) indicated that the training increased their understanding of and confidence with the OnLAC data, as well as their intention to apply OnLAC data to their service planning. Several also reported that the training challenged their attitudes toward and knowledge of evidence-informed practice and OnLAC data. Suggestions for improving the training included greater use of more complex case examples, and practitioners also indicated that the use of OnLAC data would be increased if information pertaining to an individual youth became available in a timelier manner and was presented as a profile highlighting unique strengths and needs of youth themselves (rather than as aggregate data). Our findings have implications for future training efforts and other initiatives that aim to build child welfare capacity around evidence-informed practice.

Suggested Citation

  • Romano, Elisa & Stenason, Lauren & Weegar, Kelly & Cheung, Connie, 2020. "Improving child welfare’s use of data for service planning: Practitioner perspectives on a training curriculum," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:110:y:2020:i:c:s0190740919310928
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.104783
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740919310928
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.104783?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tonino Esposito & Nico Trocmé & Martin Chabot & Lorry Coughlin & Chloé Gaumont & Ashleigh Delaye, 2016. "Better Understand to Better Serve: a Province-Wide Knowledge Mobilization Initiative in Child Protection," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 9(3), pages 651-661, September.
    2. Cheung, Connie & Goodman, Deborah & Leckie, George & Jenkins, Jennifer M., 2011. "Understanding contextual effects on externalizing behaviors in children in out-of-home care: Influence of workers and foster families," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(10), pages 2050-2060, October.
    3. Frey, Lauren & LeBeau, Mary & Kindler, Diane & Behan, Christopher & Morales, Isabel M. & Freundlich, Madelyn, 2012. "The pivotal role of child welfare supervisors in implementing an agency's practice model," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(7), pages 1273-1282.
    4. O'Higgins, Aoife & Sebba, Judy & Gardner, Frances, 2017. "What are the factors associated with educational achievement for children in kinship or foster care: A systematic review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 198-220.
    5. Collins-Camargo, Crystal & Sullivan, Dana & Murphy, April, 2011. "Use of data to assess performance and promote outcome achievement by public and private child welfare agency staff," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 330-339, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Julien-Chinn, Francie J. & Lietz, Cynthia A., 2019. "Building learning cultures in the child welfare workforce," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 360-365.
    2. Lee, Jane Jiyoun & Holmes, Lisa, 2021. "Longitudinal trajectories of behavioral problems among children in out-of-home care: A systematic review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    3. Vanschoonlandt, Femke & Vanderfaeillie, Johan & Van Holen, Frank & De Maeyer, Skrällan & Robberechts, Marijke, 2013. "Externalizing problems in young foster children: Prevalence rates, predictors and service use," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 716-724.
    4. Boatswain-Kyte, Alicia & Esposito, Tonino & Trocmé, Nico & Boatswain-Kyte, Alicia, 2020. "A longitudinal jurisdictional study of Black children reported to child protection services in Quebec, Canada," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    5. Brännström, Lars & Karlsson, Henrik & Vinnerljung, Bo & Hjern, Anders, 2018. "Childhood risk factors for disability pension among adult former Swedish child welfare clients: Same or different as for majority population peers?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 94-102.
    6. Garcia-Molsosa, Marta & Collet-Sabé, Jordi & Montserrat, Carme, 2021. "What are the factors influencing the school functioning of children in residential care: A systematic review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    7. Miranda, Alejandra & Rodriguez, Michael C., 2023. "Are bullying experiences and developmental assets associated with education outcomes for youth in foster care?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    8. Connolly, Paul & Sebba, Judy & Winter, Karen & Roberts, Jennifer & Tah, Priya & Millen, Sharon, 2023. "The effectiveness of book-gifting programmes to enhance the reading skills of children in care: A randomised controlled trial of ‘Reading Together’ in England," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    9. Semanchin Jones, Annette & Bowen, Elizabeth & Ball, Annahita, 2018. "“School definitely failed me, the system failed me”: Identifying opportunities to impact educational outcomes for homeless and child welfare-involved youth," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 66-76.
    10. McBeath, Bowen & Jolles, Mónica Pérez & Chuang, Emmeline & Bunger, Alicia C. & Collins-Camargo, Crystal, 2014. "Organizational responsiveness to children and families: Findings from a national survey of nonprofit child welfare agencies," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 123-132.
    11. Townsend, Indra M. & Berger, Emily P. & Reupert, Andrea E., 2020. "Systematic review of the educational experiences of children in care: Children’s perspectives," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    12. Kothari, Brianne H. & Godlewski, Bethany & McBeath, Bowen & McGee, Marjorie & Waid, Jeff & Lipscomb, Shannon & Bank, Lew, 2018. "A longitudinal analysis of school discipline events among youth in foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 117-125.
    13. Leloux-Opmeer, Harmke & Kuiper, Chris H.Z. & Swaab, Hanna T. & Scholte, Evert M., 2017. "Children referred to foster care, family-style group care, and residential care: (How) do they differ?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 1-9.
    14. McGuire, Austen & Gabrielli, Joy & Hambrick, Erin & Abel, Madelaine R. & Guler, Jessy & Jackson, Yo, 2021. "Academic functioning of youth in foster care: The influence of unique sources of social support," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    15. Semanchin Jones, Annette & LaLiberte, Traci, 2013. "Measuring youth connections: A component of relational permanence for foster youth," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 509-517.
    16. Chuang, Emmeline & Collins-Camargo, Crystal & McBeath, Bowen & Jolles, Monica Pérez, 2023. "Organizational supports for evidence use in child welfare," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    17. Cheung, Connie & Lwin, Kristen & Jenkins, Jennifer M., 2012. "Helping youth in care succeed: Influence of caregiver involvement on academic achievement," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(6), pages 1092-1100.
    18. Goulet, Julie & Maltais, Christine & Archambault, Isabelle & Noël, Véronique & Guériton, Muriel, 2024. "Supporting academic achievement of children in out-of-home care through effective interventions: results of a systematic review and meta-analyses," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    19. Hagleitner, Wolfgang & Sting, Stephan & Maran, Thomas, 2022. "Socio-economic status and living situation of care leavers in Austria," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    20. Steen, Julie A. & Smith, Sarahlin, 2012. "An organizational view of privatization: Is the private foster care agency superior to the public foster care agency?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 851-858.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:110:y:2020:i:c:s0190740919310928. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/childyouth .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.