Introductory PointsIntroductory Points

• Introductions.Introductions.

• Assessment V EvaluationAssessment V Evaluation

• ‘‘Blunt’ Tools Blunt’ Tools – What is a positive outcome? What is a positive outcome? – Outcomes for individuals V outcomes for groups.Outcomes for individuals V outcomes for groups.– Tool ‘efficacy’ (moods, cultural variables, questioning Tool ‘efficacy’ (moods, cultural variables, questioning

techniques)techniques)– Frequently ‘deficit’ mindset.Frequently ‘deficit’ mindset.

Experiences from education e.g. Neale Literacy ( Accuracy / Experiences from education e.g. Neale Literacy ( Accuracy / Comprehension / Rate), ‘best’ schools.Comprehension / Rate), ‘best’ schools.

The Boys’ Town ModelThe Boys’ Town Model

8 Planks (The Roots)8 Planks (The Roots)

1.1. PresencePresence2.2. PreventivePreventive3.3. PlanPlan4.4. ProfessionalProfessional5.5. PositivePositive6.6. PersonalPersonal7.7. Parental involvementParental involvement8.8. PlayPlay

Wraparound elementsWraparound elementsThe Tree TrunkThe Tree Trunk

• Education and schooling supportEducation and schooling support

• Behaviour management programs that Behaviour management programs that ensure safety and sustainability of ensure safety and sustainability of placements and school positionsplacements and school positions

• Life and Social Skill development programsLife and Social Skill development programs

• Individual and family counseling and Individual and family counseling and psychological servicespsychological services

• Family restorationFamily restoration

• RespiteRespite

Theoretical FrameworkTheoretical Framework

• The Ecology of the Child (The branches)The Ecology of the Child (The branches)– HomeHome– SchoolSchool– PeersPeers– CommunityCommunity

• Circles of Courage (Larry Brendtro Circles of Courage (Larry Brendtro www.reclaiming.comwww.reclaiming.com))

• (The Fruit)(The Fruit)– Mastery Mastery (Competence)(Competence)– BelongingBelonging (Significance)(Significance)– Independence Independence (Power)(Power)– Generosity Generosity (Virtue)(Virtue)

Some general pointsSome general points

– Children disengaged Children disengaged (75% non school (75% non school attendees)attendees)

– Most with Mental Most with Mental Health diagnosesHealth diagnoses

– Voluntary nature of Voluntary nature of program. program.

– Inappropriate Inappropriate behaviourbehaviour

– Family PreservationFamily Preservation

EVALUATION FRAMEWORK; EVALUATION FRAMEWORK; EVIDENCE OF SUCCESSEVIDENCE OF SUCCESS

QUANTITYQUANTITY QUALITYQUALITY

INP

UT

IN

PU

T

EF

FO

RT

EF

FO

RT

How Much did we do?How Much did we do? How well do we do it?How well do we do it?

OU

TP

UT

O

UT

PU

T

EF

FE

CT

EF

FE

CT

Is Anyone better off?Is Anyone better off?Quantity QualityQuantity Quality

Mark Friedman; Trying Hard Is Not Good Enough

Assessment Assessment

• Family Assessment PurposesFamily Assessment Purposes– Client meets entry / exclusion criteriaClient meets entry / exclusion criteria– Information gathering. (history of interventions, Information gathering. (history of interventions,

diagnosis, family dynamics)diagnosis, family dynamics)

• Other Assessment toolsOther Assessment tools -- Achenbach Achenbach -- Literacy numeracy Literacy numeracy -- Resiliency Resiliency

• Assessment Tools in EvaluationAssessment Tools in Evaluation

Tools Tools

• Family Assessment to establish goalsFamily Assessment to establish goals

• AchenbachAchenbach

• Modified Family Coping ScalesModified Family Coping Scales

• Resiliency ScalesResiliency Scales

• Literacy and numeracy testsLiteracy and numeracy tests

EVALUATIONEVALUATIONHow Much Service? How Much Service?

• 104 Enquiries104 Enquiries

• 79 families at family talk79 families at family talk

• 52 families in program52 families in program

• Average stay 7 monthsAverage stay 7 months

• 39 back in school39 back in school

• 34 Risk of Harm Notifications34 Risk of Harm Notifications

• 69 Re-entry meetings 69 Re-entry meetings

• 14 camps14 camps

EVALUATIONEVALUATIONHow well do we do it?How well do we do it?

• Family Evaluations Top pointsFamily Evaluations Top points– Goals established on entry (9.8 av)Goals established on entry (9.8 av)– Regular Counselling (9.7)Regular Counselling (9.7)– Family’s own participation in program (9.7)Family’s own participation in program (9.7)– (least) Re-entry processes (7.7)(least) Re-entry processes (7.7)

• Participants Evaluation Top PointsParticipants Evaluation Top Points– Clear behaviour consequences (8.7)Clear behaviour consequences (8.7)– Assistance with transition (8.7)Assistance with transition (8.7)– Family’s own involvement in program (8.6)Family’s own involvement in program (8.6)– (Least) Small groups (6.3)(Least) Small groups (6.3)

EVALUATIONEVALUATIONIs Anyone Better Off?Is Anyone Better Off?

• Average attendance exceeding 90% at Boys’ TownAverage attendance exceeding 90% at Boys’ Town

• 80% in full time school, work or TAFE after 2 years80% in full time school, work or TAFE after 2 years

• In 6 months improvement average of more than 2 In 6 months improvement average of more than 2 years in comprehension, and more 4 years in reading years in comprehension, and more 4 years in reading accuracy.accuracy.

• Average gain in spelling = 2 years in 6 monthsAverage gain in spelling = 2 years in 6 months

• Family Comments overwhelmingly positiveFamily Comments overwhelmingly positive

Is Anyone Better Off?Improvements on Achenbach for Students in Clinical/Borderline range

Anxious 50%

Withdrawn/Anxious 78%

Somatic Complaints 56%

Social problems 63%

Thought problems 38%

Attention Problems 67%

Rule Breaking 74%

Aggressive behaviour 52%

NON Clinical Average 10% Externalised

8% Internalised improvements

New Resiliency Tool New Resiliency Tool

• MASTERYMASTERYOptimism Median lowest 10%Optimism Median lowest 10%Self Belief in problem solving bottom 15%Self Belief in problem solving bottom 15%Adaptability and flexibility bottom 15%Adaptability and flexibility bottom 15%

• SENSE OF RELATEDNESSSENSE OF RELATEDNESSTrust well below averageTrust well below averageBelief in support system well below averageBelief in support system well below averageBelief in ability to make friends well below Belief in ability to make friends well below averageaverage

New Resiliency ToolNew Resiliency Tool

• EMOTIONAL REACTIVITYEMOTIONAL REACTIVITY

Belief that their emotional arousal Belief that their emotional arousal hinders their daily functioning (top hinders their daily functioning (top 15% of population)15% of population)

• BUTBUT

Participants normalise their own Participants normalise their own reactions and their ability to recover.reactions and their ability to recover.

Challenges Challenges

• Tools that measure what you want.Tools that measure what you want.

• Easy to administer.Easy to administer.

• ‘‘less blunt’ tools.less blunt’ tools.

• Making sure information gained is used to Making sure information gained is used to inform case plan and improve program inform case plan and improve program outcomes.outcomes.