Evaluation in Child and Family Services. Comparative Client and Program Perspectives

By: T. Vecchiato, A.N. Maluccio, C. Canali, eds.

ABSTRACT: How can we, in diverse settings within diverse countries, improve practice and service delivery on behalf of children and families who come to the attention of agencies and practitioners in child and family services? How can we learn from each other’s research on outcome evaluation? What particular program findings can be generalized to improve services? How can we share and implement new solutions?

The contributions to this volume have been organized and edited to address such questions from varying international perspectives. Contributors provide answers and generate discussion points for consideration by practitioners as well as researchers. In particular, they undertake the evaluation of a range of programs offering substitute family care, child and family centers, group child care and treatment, and family reunification. In addition, several of the contributors examine staff and consumer involvement in outcome research in a variety of agency contexts.