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Kidspace Evaluation Rebecca Gray & Pamela Lewis ACWA 2010

Kidspace Evaluation Rebecca Gray & Pamela Lewis ACWA 2010. Kidspace Evaluation. Overview Kidspace Evaluation Kidspace program outline Gaps in research Methodological dilemmas Challenges to evaluating programs for kids Tentative suggestions for practice and more research.

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Kidspace Evaluation Rebecca Gray & Pamela Lewis ACWA 2010

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  1. Kidspace Evaluation Rebecca Gray & Pamela Lewis ACWA 2010

  2. Kidspace Evaluation • Overview • Kidspace Evaluation • Kidspace program outline • Gaps in research • Methodological dilemmas • Challenges to evaluating programs for kids • Tentative suggestions for practice and more research

  3. Kidspace Evaluation • Kidspace program: • 8 weeks, offered four times per year • Ages 5 – 12 years • Witnessed and experienced family violence • Family Safety Program • Group facilitation (child focus) • Soft engagement through play and activities • Self expression and communication

  4. Kidspace Evaluation • Evaluation One (initiated 2008) • Mixed Methods design • Inductive approach • Rating sheets across sessions • Parent narratives • Worker observations • Reflexive Research Design • Informed by grounded theory

  5. Kidspace Evaluation • Preliminary findings: • Data inconsistent and incomplete • Lack of rigour • Recruitment challenging (aim = 100) …back to the drawing board…

  6. Kidspace Evaluation • Participant profile • Client attendance is sporadic • Client lateness is common • Ongoing changes in clients’ lives • Attrition is high • Parents fear stigmatisation of child / ren • Client centred focus put research second • Clinicians could be resistant to research

  7. Kidspace Evaluation • Literature Re-reviewed: • Child’s voice still lost • Few studies on programs with kids • Ethical dilemmas facing research • Lack of local data / studies • Current studies lack rigour and representation • Lack baseline screening at intake • Survey driven studies dominate

  8. Kidspace Evaluation • Pilot design: • Ethical approval retained through variance • Researcher engaged workers • Researcher engaged recruits • Researcher collected data • Retained worker-observation to verify findings • Client centred focus maintained • Pressure off the clinicians

  9. Kidspace Evaluation • Methodological findings: • Accuracy and rigour increased • Rich collaboration between parties • Researcher isolation decreased • Ongoing analysis improved • Still issues of attrition and low attendance • Need for longer timeframes and greater staffing • Or deeper analysis with small samples

  10. Kidspace Evaluation • Pilot findings – participant profile: • Three mothers • Six children, 6-11yrs, 4 siblings • Three boys and three girls • Two families in women’s refuge • 2 families agreed to take part • ADVOs and DoCS involvement from outset • Group in Northern Sydney, Term One 2010

  11. Kidspace Evaluation • Group Workers’ data: • Group worker co-facilitation was challenging • Vicarious trauma and complexity of group • Flexibility is essential • Group - closing is VERY important • Bear cards across sessions • Child’s group journals

  12. Kidspace Evaluation • Case Study: • Melanie is the mother of four children • Suzie (11) • Jonathan (9) • Leila (7) • Alexa (6)

  13. Kidspace Evaluation • Parents’ data: • Passivity in children reported as high • Communication as problematic • Confidence in parenting decreased • Valued the group program: • Offer the child a chance to talk: “Get it out” • Children looked forward to group • Children seemed reasonably happier at the end

  14. Kidspace Evaluation • Quotes: • “She finds it difficult to confide and open up” • “I am less concerned about Suzie now” • “She finds it hard to express her feelings and is very quick to lose her temper…” • “Leila really enjoyed coming…”

  15. Kidspace Evaluation Alexa 6

  16. Kidspace Evaluation Alexa 6

  17. Kidspace Evaluation Leila 7

  18. Kidspace Evaluation Jonathan 9

  19. Kidspace Evaluation • Some tentative conclusions: • Test group’s effect on parents confidence • Continue to test communication skills • Direct parents to parenting programs • Consider children’s identity in relation to gender • Do more research on programs for kids

  20. Acknowledgements Supervisor and Group Workers Gisela Adams, Susan Elvery, Sue Fraser and Robyn Stowe. They shared their time and experience with us and energetically took on the extra tasks of the evaluation with transparency and compassion.

  21. Acknowledgements We gratefully acknowledge the families who openly and courageously shared their narratives with us, during a time of extreme upheaval and stress in their lives

  22. Contacts • paml@ransw.org.au • rebeccag@ransw.org.au

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