6311-10d

Respond to at least two colleagues from the perspective of an interested stakeholder for the program by doing the following:

• Provide a brief description of the stakeholder role that you are taking.
• Provide an evaluation of the group research design that they have chosen and the measurement criteria they have generated.
• Provide support based on your evaluation.
• Ask questions about the plan for research design and the purpose of the evaluation from your chosen stakeholder perspective.

1-Ashley- 

Provide a brief description of the foster parent training program (1??2 sentences). 

A foster parent training program consists of assisting foster families develop their skills to help navigate healthy relationships with the children they foster. This program offers support to parents by offering tools to ensure the foster parents are prepared for any behavioral issues, trauma issues, or emotional issues. Emotionally supportive interventions may reduce the psychological distress of caregivers, but evidence of effective interventions is lacking (Gregory & Gellis, 2020). 

Identify which group research design you will use (from those outlined in the Resources as appropriate for the Program Evaluation case study) and state why. 

I would utilize the quasi-experimental design, non- equivalent control group designs because it can provide information on the program’s effectiveness, and it allows evaluation of the comparison between trained foster parents and untrained foster parents.  

Identify the outcomes to be measured. 

The outcome that would be measured is foster care stability. Tracking the parents ability to deal with challenges with the foster children. Lastly, tracking the difference in care between trained foster parents and untrained foster parents. These outcomes will provide information on wether the program is effective. 

Describe specific measurements that you will use to assess those outcomes.  

The measurements that I would use to assess the outcomes would include surveys and questionnaires and direct interviews with the foster parents. The interview would help provide details on what support is needed.  Interviews can sometimes be expensive however, they are useful in getting direct answers to questions related to the program. 

Explain which data collection method you will use and why?

The data collection method used will be questionnaires and surveys along with direct interviews. The reason is because these types of collection methods offer because it can help provide information that is direct to the need or error of the program. An interviewer can use probing comments to obtain more information about a question or topic and can request clarification of an unclear response (Singleton & Straits, 2009Links to an external site.). 

Ask questions about the plan for research design and the purpose of the evaluation from your chosen stakeholder perspective. 

What challenges is the program looking to specifically change to change the foster displacement rates? 

What types of ongoing support is in place to assist foster families after training is provided? 

Specify who will collect the data and how the data will be collected. 

The data will be collected by independent evaluator staff.  The data will be collected using surveys and questionnaires and direct interviews with foster parents. Questionnaires may be in paper form and mailed to participants, delivered in an electronic format via email or an Internet-based program such as SurveyMonkey, or a combination of both, giving the participant the option to choose which method is preferred (Ponto et al., 2010Links to an external site.).

2-ida- 

Provide a brief description of the foster parent training program.

The new foster parent training program is a structured curriculum comprising six biweekly, 3-hour sessions, utilizing detailed manuals and training materials to enhance foster parents’ skills and knowledge. Its primary goals are to reduce foster placement disruptions, improve the quality of services delivered, and increase child well-being by providing better-trained foster families (Case Study).

Identify which group research design you will use (from those outlined in the Resources as appropriate for the Program Evaluation case study) and state why.

I will employ a Quasi-Experimental Nonequivalent group design with a Delayed Implementation Control Group. This design is appropriate because random assignment is not feasible due to organizational constraints, and it allows for comparison between groups starting the new training at different times (Dudley, 2020a). Specifically:

• Feasibility: The regional centers have predetermined schedules for implementing the new program.
• Comparison Groups: Three centers will start the new training immediately, while four will continue with the existing program for 12 months, providing a natural comparison group.
• Control Over Variables: While not as rigorous as true experimental designs, this quasi-experimental approach helps control for external variables by comparing similar groups (Dudley, 2020a).

Identify the outcomes to be measured.

1. Foster Placement Disruptions: The frequency of unplanned placement changes or terminations.
2. Quality of Services Delivered: Foster parents’ ability to provide care, measured through assessments of their skills and competencies.
3. Child Well-being: Physical, emotional, and social well-being of foster children under the care of trained foster parents.

These outcomes align with the goals of the training program and are essential for evaluating its effectiveness (Case Study; Dudley, 2020a).

Describe specific measurements that you will use to assess those outcomes.

1. Foster Placement Disruptions:
   • Measurement Tool: Review of administrative records documenting the number of placement disruptions per foster family over a 12-month period.
   • Rationale: Administrative data provides objective, reliable information on placement stability (Dudley, 2020b).
2. Quality of Services Delivered:
   • Measurement Tool: Standardized Foster Parent Skills Assessment questionnaires.
   • Likert-type Scales: Developed surveys measuring foster parents’ self-reported confidence and competencies in key skill areas.
   • Rationale: Using standardized instruments ensures validity and reliability, while Likert scales allow for nuanced responses (Dudley, 2020b; Gregory & Gellis, 2020).
3. Child Well-being:
   • Measurement Tool: Standardized Child Well-Being Scales assess emotional adjustment, school performance, and social relationships.
   • Third-Party Evaluations: Reports from case workers or teachers familiar with the child’s progress.
   • Rationale: Multiple data sources enhance the assessment’s comprehensiveness (Dudley, 2020b).

Explain which data collection method you will use and why.

I will use a combination of surveys/questionnaires and administrative data review:

• Surveys/Questionnaires:
  • Why: They capture foster parents’ perceptions and self-assessed competencies, which are essential for measuring the quality of services delivered (Dudley, 2020b).
  • Method: Administered pre- and post-training to both intervention and comparison groups.
  • Example: Similar to the method used by Gregory and Gellis (2020) in evaluating caregiver interventions.
• Administrative Data Review:
  • Why: Provides objective data on placement disruptions and child well-being indicators.
  • Method: Collecting de-identified data from the organization’s records.
  • Rationale: Administrative data are cost-effective and minimize respondent burden (Dudley, 2020b).

Specify who will collect the data and how the data will be collected. 

• Data Collectors:
  • Researcher (Joan): Oversees data collection, ensuring consistency and ethical compliance.
  • Trained Research Assistants: Assist in administering surveys and data entry.
  • Agency Staff: Provide access to administrative records and facilitate communication with foster parents.
• Data Collection Procedures:
  • Surveys:
    • Distribution: Conducted during training sessions or via secure online platforms.
    • Timing: At three intervals??before training (baseline), immediately after training (post-test), and 12 months later (follow-up).
    • Instructions: Clear guidelines are provided, emphasizing confidentiality and voluntary participation (Dudley, 2020a).
  • Administrative Data:
    • Access: Coordinated with the agency’s data management team.
    • Data Security: Ensuring all data are stored securely and accessed only by authorized personnel (Dudley, 2020a).

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