How do we get through this mess? Developing and using best evidence to inform practice

Beginning in the late 1990's with Eileen Gambrill's positioning of Evidence-based medicine as a model for practice in the helping professions, academics have been arguing about the definition of Evidence-informed Practice... [ view full abstract ]

Beginning in the late 1990's with Eileen Gambrill's positioning of Evidence-based medicine as a model for practice in the helping professions, academics have been arguing about the definition of Evidence-informed Practice (EIP), and whether and how it can be implemented in social care. There is little doubt that the generation and use of evidence in practice is a social justice issue; that to formulate, recommend, decide upon or even deliver social services requires a commitment to using the very best evidence at our disposal. In all likelihood, few would argue this point. But actually identifying and delivering effective services can be a difficult proposition. How do we make this happen? What types of evidence should be used and when? How do we anticipate and measure outcomes in complex social service systems? How can professionals make use of evidence in ways that enhance their skills? How do we avoid the trap of focusing on outputs instead of outcomes? This talk uses an evidence-informed practice framework to describe how an outcomes-oriented approach, implemented well, can lead to the identification and implementation of effective services and policies. Specifically, it will describe how information collected at the local, regional, and state levels can be utilized to develop outcomes reporting systems that monitor individual client progress for practitioners as well as overall program performance for social care agencies, moving toward data-integrated implementation of effective programs and practices in child welfare. Case examples from the province of Ontario in Canada and the Northern Territory of Australia will be used to illustrate the model.