Program Evaluations & Studies

Includes evaluative studies of State and local family preservation programs and reports on the effectiveness of family preservation services in preventing child placement and achieving other desired outcomes for children and families.

Assessing the Worker-Client Relationship in Child Welfare and Family Preservation Services
Smithgall (2003)
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Identifies factors associated with the quality of the worker-client relationship and examines whether quality of the relationship is associated with client outcomes.

Evaluating Family Preservation Services: Reframing the Question of Effectiveness
Bagdasaryan
Children and Youth Services Review, 27(6), 2005
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Examines data from 488 families receiving family preservation services in Los Angeles to answer the question: Under what service conditions are family preservation services effective in preventing out-of-home placement and for which families?

Evaluation of Family Preservation and Reunification Programs. Final Report. Volume 1 and Volume 2
Westat, Chapin Hall Center for Children, James Bell Associates (2002)
Evaluation findings for federally funded family preservation programs, including Homebuilders programs in Kentucky, New Jersey, and Tennessee, and a home-based service model in Philadelphia.

Family Preservation Services for African-American Families at Risk of Neglect
Nelson (2003)
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Summarizes implementation and outcome evaluation findings of the Family Enhancement Program, a program in Oregon to address the needs of African American families at risk of placement for child neglect.

Family Preservation Services to At-Risk Families: A Macro Case Study
Sallee & Sallee
Family Preservation Journal, 5(2), 2001
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Profiles the In-Home Safety Services program in Texas and reports data collected from a survey completed by the director of Child Protective Services.

Final Report: A Retrospective Evaluation of North Carolina's Intensive Family Preservation Services Program (MS Word - 299 KB)
Kirk (2000)
Analyzes case records to examine the effectiveness of North Carolina's family preservation program and compares outcomes for treatment participants and nonparticipants. (PDF - 490 KB)

The Impact of Family Preservation Services on Child and Family Well-Being
Cash & Berry
Journal of Social Service Research, 29(3), 2003
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Examines the relationships between family characteristics, in-home family preservation services, and outcomes related to successful case closure, child well-being, and family well-being.

Intensive Family Preservation Services: Demonstrating Placement Prevention Using Event History Analysis
Kirk & Griffith
Social Work Research, 28(1), 2004
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Examines the ability of intensive family preservation services to prevent out-of-home placements of children in abusive or neglectful families.

Making It Count: Evaluating Family Preservation Services. A Guide for State Administrators
Tufts University, Family Preservation Evaluation Project (2000)
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Presents a five-tier evaluation model incorporating needs assessment, monitoring and accountability, quality review and program clarification, achieving outcomes, and establishing impact.

Matching Family Problems With Specific Family Preservation Services: A Study of Service Effectiveness
Ryan & Schuerman
Children and Youth Services Review, 26(4), 2004
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Investigates the effects of specific services on family functioning, child maltreatment, and substitute care placement.

A Multilevel Model of Client Participation in Intensive Family Preservation Services
Littell & Tajima
Social Service Review, 74(3), 2000
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Explores the influences on parental participation in treatment planning and parental compliance with program expectations.

Social Workers' Perceptions of Family Preservation Programs
Maccio, Skiba, Doueck, Randolph, & Weston
Family Preservation Journal, 7(1), 2002
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Presents findings from interviews with 20 social services volunteers regarding their experiences with multisystemic therapy, traditional family preservation services, and practice as usual.

State of Mississippi Title IV-E Child Welfare Waiver Demonstration Project: Final Evaluation Report (PDF - 388 KB)
Siegel & Loman (2005)
Describes the processes, impact, challenges, and costs of Missouri's waiver project, which focused on a family-centered intensive services model and incorporated family team conferences.