Placement Stability and Permanency

Framework for Managing with Data

 

Developed by the National Resource Center for Child Welfare Data and Technology, the Framework for Managing with Data is a tool to assist agencies in using data to improve outcomes for children and youth. The framework will help you:

  • Engage staff at all levels and community partners throughout the process;
  • Clarify and focus on an area or issue of interest;
  • Consider key questions within your focus that you want to answer with data;
  • Identify and select the appropriate and most useful data to examine the issue and answer your questions;
  • Analyze data to explain what might be driving practice;
  • Select appropriate strategies/tools;
  • Develop an implementation plan that includes data monitoring;
  • Monitor and assess implementation of the plan in relation to the expected results.

The Framework's Five Key Steps:

  1. Define an Area of Focus and Key Questions
  2. Use Data to Explain
  3. Use Data to Select Strategies and Tools
  4. Design and Implement Plan
  5. Use Data to Monitor/CQI

Download Framework for Managing Data: Overview (PDF - 233 KB)

Example of How the Framework Could Apply to Recruitment and Retention

Steps in the Framework

Recruitment and Retention Example

Define Area of Focus and Key Questions

Trying to reduce placement moves for teenagers

Use Data to Explain

Review data on reasons for placement moves — explore possible patterns in data (e.g., more moves for teens with specific needs, fewer moves for teens whose initial foster care placement is with a highly trained family, etc.)

Use Data to Select Strategies and Tools
  • Provide increased follow-up and support to families after they have teens placed with them to help address any new support needs
  • Engage teens in training for prospective and current foster parents to help increase parents’ understanding of teens’ needs and perspectives
  • Add an element to data dashboard on placement moves and reasons for moves

Design and Implement Plan

Provide additional training to foster parents, create peer-to-peer mentoring pairs for foster parents, reframe messaging about available respite care and encourage foster parents to make use of respite care

Use Data to Monitor/CQI

Review new data on placements moves to determine whether there have been changes in the number of moves and the reasons for the moves

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