From Evidence to Outcomes in Child Welfare: An International Reader

251 Pages·2013·1.627 MB·English

by  Aron Shlonsky, Rami Benbenishty

From Evidence to Outcomes in Child Welfare
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From Evidence to Outcomes in Child
Welfare
AN INTERNATIONAL READER
Edited by Aron Shlonsky
Rami Benbenishty
1
3

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
From evidence to outcomes in child welfare : an international reader / edited by Aron Shlonsky,
Rami Benbenishty.
pages cm
ISBN 978–0–19–997372–9 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Child welfare. 2. Children—Services for.
I. Shlonsky, Aron, editor of compilation. II. Benbenishty, Rami, editor of compilation.
HV713.F76 2013
362.7—dc23
2013023789
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed in the United States of America
on acid-free paper
Contents

Acknowledgments vii
List of Contributors ix
Introduction xi
Aron Shlonsky and Rami Benbenishty
part 1 | setting the context  
1. From Evidence to Outcomes in Child Welfare  3
Aron Shlonsky and R ami Benbenishty
2. Th e Decision-Making Ecology  2 4
Donald J. Baumann , John D.  F luke, Len D algleish, and Homer   Kern  
part 2 | beyond empirically supported interventions: innovative
strategies for a complicated world  
3. Th e Transportability of Empirically Supported Interventions  4 1
Knut Sundell and Laura Ferrer-Wreder
4. Common Elements and Common Factors Approaches to Evidence-Informed Children’s
Services: Stacking the Building Blocks of Eff ective Practice  5 9
Richard P.   Barth and Bethany R.   Lee  
5 . U sing Implementation Science to Improve Service and Practice in Child Welfare: Actions and
Essential Elements  8 3
Robyn   Mildon , Nancy Dickinson, and Aron Shlonsky
v
vi Contents
part 3 | the question drives the method: different types of
evidence and their use  
6. Poverty and the Black/White Placement Gap: Using Context to Understand the Role
of Evidence-Based Interventions   105
Fred Wulczyn , Bridgette   Lery, and Lonnie Snowden
7. Challenges to Learning fr om Experiments: Lessons fr om Evaluating Independent
Living Services  1 17
Mark E. Courtney , Michael Pergamit , Maria Woolverton, and Marla McDaniel
8. Th e Case for a Needs-Based Model in Child Welfare: A Concept to Address Child
Well-Being   133
Katherine L. Casillas and J ohn D.  F luke
part 4 | the delivery of services within an agency context  
9. Human Service Organizations and Th eir Use of Evidence  1 45
Hillel   Schmid
10. Training Social Workers to Understand and Use Evidence  1 61
Anat   Zeira
11. Supporting Evidence-Based Management in Child Protection: A Canadian
University-Agency Collaboration  1 71
Nico   Trocmé , Lise   Milne , Tonino Esposito , Claude Laurendeau, and Mathieu-Joel Gervais
Epilogue   189
References   193
Index   231
Acknowledgments

despite notions to the contrary, modern-day academics rarely have the opportu-
nity to discuss big ideas with our colleagues. Mostly, we work from project to project,
oft en in specialist roles with other specialists, chasing aft er the next grant, publishing the
next paper, and interacting with the larger fi eld of scholars only through reading pub-
lications or attending short presentations at conferences. Th is volume grew out of two
extraordinary meetings in which a small group of scholars from around the world had
the opportunity to debate, at length, what evidence can tell us and how we might use
this knowledge to improve the welfare of vulnerable children and youth. We thank our
gracious hosts in the Haruv Institute in Jerusalem, Israel, and the Chapin Hall Center
for Children at the University of Chicago for providing such inspiring conditions for
our work.
Th is book could not have been written without the generous support of Mrs. Lynn
Schusterman. Her dedication and devotion to the welfare of children across the globe
has been an inspiration. Also instrumental was the leadership of Hillel Schmid, the fi rst
director of the Haruv Institute in Israel, who brought us all together and made us all feel
welcome, but also kept us on task and reminded us of the importance of our work.
Th e editors also wish to thank all of the volume’s contributing authors. Our pace may
have been slower than we wished but, at the end of the day, we think the book is better
for it. To our readers who work in child welfare practice and policy, we thank you for
your dedication and tenacity in trying to help those less fortunate than you, oft en doing
so in extreme circumstances and without much support or guidance. Finally, and most
importantly, we would like to acknowledge the many children and families who have
received services from child welfare providers throughout the world. We hope that this
book will make a small but important contribution to the safety and well-being of chil-
dren everywhere.
vii
viii Acknowledgments
Aron: I would like to thank Rami Benbenishty for being a patient colleague and
friend, gently but fi rmly pushing us to fi nish this important project. I would also like to
thank my sister, Liana, for stepping up and caring for our mother in this very diffi cult
time. Th anks also to my universities, the University of Toronto and the University of
Melbourne, for creating environments where these types of ideas can fl ourish.
Rami: I would like to acknowledge that many of the ideas shared in this volume came
out of my long and fruitful collaboration with Ron Avi Astor, a colleague and dear friend.
Our shared ideas, debates, and disagreements have enriched my thinking in so many ways.
I would like to thank my wife Ruthy, the one and only, my children and grandchildren,
Inbar, Rami, Rowee, Tamar, Amit, Adi, Yaara, Ariel, Aniam, and Imri. Everything I do
comes from my love to you all.
We both would like to thank all the many scholars, professionals, and clients who have
made our lives so rich. We hope that in our work we are sharing your wisdom with readers
across the globe.
List of Contributors

Richard P . Barth , PhD, MSW, is dean and professor at the University of Maryland School
of Social Work.
Donald J . Baumann, PhD, teaches at Saint Edwards University, Austin, Texas.
Rami Benbenishty , PhD, is a professor at the Louis and Gabi Weisfeld School of Social
Work at Bar Ilan University, Israel.
Katherine L . Casillas , PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at
the University of Colorado School of Medicine, Kempe Center for the Prevention and
Treatment of Child Abuse & Neglect.
Mark E . Courtney, PhD, is a professor of social service administration at the University
of Chicago.
Len Dalgleish , PhD, was a professor at the Department of Nursing and Midwifery,
University of Stirling, UK.
Nancy S . Dickinson, MSSW, PhD, is clinical professor and director of the National Child
Welfare Workforce Institute at the University of Maryland School of Social Work.
Tonino Esposito , PhD, is a senior research associate at McGill University School of
Social Work.
Laura Ferrer-Wreder , PhD, is an associate professor of psychology, at Stockholm
University’s Department of Psychology.
John Fluke , PhD, is the associate director for systems research and evaluation and associ-
ate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School
of Medicine, Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse &
Neglect.
Mathieu-Joel G ervais , BA, is a PhD student and research assistant at University of
Quebec at Montreal.
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