From outcomes to impact in child welfare

Research suggests that while many non-profit and community agencies who work with Child Welfare clients have outcome data, there has been little success in achieving significantly better outcomes at a magnitude that matches... [ view full abstract ]

Research suggests that while many non-profit and community agencies who work with Child Welfare clients have outcome data, there has been little success in achieving significantly better outcomes at a magnitude that matches the need in critical areas such as mental health, child outcomes, parent outcomes, and more. Some researchers suggest that we have not marshalled the full extent of available knowledge and applied it to complex problems which would in turn generate new knowledge to address some of our toughest social problems. Calgary Counselling Centre’s experience suggests that this complexity has the potential to result in improved client outcomes. Our counselling program data suggests that since 2007, individual client outcomes and program outcomes are improving far beyond sector benchmarks.

To accomplish these changes, we have used available empirical knowledge combined with new thinking arising from Practice Based Evidence Research to change program design and delivery. The goal is to test these ideas with other program and other contexts to determine if we can further enhance client improvement and hence “move the bar” - on treating mental health and psychosocial problems, both of which will improve the outcomes for those involved with child welfare systems. The Centre’s goal is to scale success at a client, agency and community level.

This workshop will describe the strategies being used by Calgary Counselling Centre to improve client outcomes towards increasing overall agency and community impact. This has involved the specific implementation of a clinical-based response system – routine outcome measurement and translation the evidence from practice to program design and system change within the Centre. This presentation will provide practical examples that can be used by other agencies to implement outcome measurement at a client, program and agency levels.