Centre for Research
on Children and Families
Evidence-based
management in child
welfare services
SSHRC Knowledge Impact in Society
Initiative
2006 Plan
Centre for Research on
Children and Families
Research Team
• Nico Trocmé & Wendy Thomson, McGill University,
Centre for Research on Children and Families
• Michael Udy & Claude Laurendeau, Batshaw Youth
and Family Centres
• Sonia Hélie, the Institut de Recherche pour le
Développement Social des Jeunes
• Bruce MacLaurin, University of Calgary
• Aron Shlonsky, University of Toronto
• John McDermott, the Alberta Ministry of Children
Services / FPT National Outcomes Matrix Initiative.
Centre for Research on
Children and Families
Funding: 2006-2009
• Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council
Knowledge Impact in Society Initiative (SSHRCKIS)
• McGill University
• Batshaw Youth and Family Centres
• Centre of Excellence for Child Welfare
• Association des Centres Jeunesse du Québec.
Centre for Research on
Children and Families
Overall objective
develop and evaluate a child welfare
knowledge mobilization model that places
the question of evidence at the forefront of
management and service delivery decisions
in a child welfare agency
Centre for Research on
Children and Families
Knowledge Mobilization
 the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation
(CHSRF) KM model:
“collaborative problem-solving between researchers and
decision makers that happens through linkage and
exchange. Effective knowledge mobilization involves
interaction between decision makers and researchers and
results in mutual learning through the process of planning,
producing, disseminating, and applying existing or new
research in decision-making”
Centre for Research on
Children and Families
Project Objectives:
1. Improve capacity to access and analyze service and client information
data;
2. Develop systematic mechanisms to integrate clinical expertise in
service and policy decisions;
3. Support access to research literature to inform service and policy
decisions;
4. Develop a research agenda that addresses high-priority knowledge
gaps;
5. Support the development of a national knowledge mobilization
network.
6. Evaluation.
Centre for Research on
Children and Families
The “TRAL” model
 Effective knowledge mobilization requires the production of evidence
that is Timely, Relevant, Accurate and Local
1) responses must be provided in a timely fashion (weeks not years),
2) research must address the most pressing questions facing decisionmakers (Relevant),
3) research must make use of accurate information (Accurate), and
4) research must make as much use as possible of local expertise and
information (e.g., provincial laws, agency policies & procedures).
Centre for Research on
Children and Families
EBM Project: Two Phases
 The EBM Project will develop in two phases:
I) Knowledge Mobilization at Batshaw Youth and Family
Centres
II) Expansion phase: Links to provincial and national
initiatives
I: Knowledge Mobilization at Batshaw
Youth and Family Centres
 Development of 3 knowledge mobilization
strategies:
1) Track client and service outcome indicators;
2) Make systematic use of clinical expertise;
3) Knowledge brokers.
Centre for Research on
Children and Families
I: Knowledge Mobilization at Batshaw
Youth and Family Centres
1) Track client and service outcome indicators:
• Operationalize National Outcomes Matrix using PIJ
information system
• Pilot test, analyze and contextualize outcome
indicators
• Produce a public report card
Centre for Research on
Children and Families
I: Knowledge Mobilization at Batshaw
Youth and Family Centres
2) Make systematic use of clinical expertise:
• Monitor the quality of assessments and service
plans with a standardized file evaluation tool
• Use Significant Event Analysis to record, interpret
and discuss positive and negative cases in order to
highlight potential service improvements
Centre for Research on
Children and Families
I: Knowledge Mobilization at Batshaw
Youth and Family Centres
3) Knowledge brokers:
• Senior researcher/practitioner assisted by a graduate
student.
• Embedded in management teams/committees developing
or reviewing key service policies and procedures
• Brokers assist in formulating questions and accessing and
evaluating best available evidence (published and gray
research, programs in other jurisdictions and relevant
service data from Batshaw)
Centre for Research on
Children and Families
II: Expansion phase: Links to provincial
and national initiatives
1) Build an agency research agenda that goes beyond the available
evidence by evaluating programs with rigorous research designs.
2) Link the Batshaw initiative to provincial and national initiatives:
•
PIBE (Quebec child welfare data information bank);
•
NOM (FPT Working group and University of Calgary initiatives);
•
CECW research summaries;
•
Children’s Services Information System at University of Toronto;
•
Systematic reviews with the Research Institute for Evidence-Based Social Work at University
of Toronto;
•
Provincial and national connections.
Centre for Research on
Children and Families
Evaluation of EBM Project
1) Pre-post survey of manager use of research and
possible focus groups
2) Process evaluation (e.g., number of meetings,
who attended, what was discussed)
3) Monitor and assess quality of products (e.g.,
research summaries, report card, SEA
summaries)
Centre for Research on
Children and Families
nico.trocme@mcgill.ca
stephanie.belanger1@mcgill.ca
www.cecw-cepb.ca
www.mcgill.ca/crcf/
Centre for Research
on Children and Families