Written to describe the various data tools and approaches Family to Family states and communities used for their self-evaluation, the document provides an overview of four data tools child welfare agencies can use to guide planning, policy and services. These include longitudinal analysis, population profiles, caseload projections and desktop mapping. States were just starting to develop their Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information Systems when the document was written; thus, some states may have incorporated some or all of these tools into their systems since this document’s original publication. The document also includes recommendations, suggestions of how to start and examples of lessons learned.
Family to Family grantees were skeptical about conducting self-evaluations. The usefulness of data for the self-evaluation was only realized after grantees: formed self-evaluation teams with both program and data staff on the teams; collected baseline data pertaining to the expected outcomes; and gained experience working with and analyzing the data as it related to Family to Family goals.
