Knowledge translation in Child Welfare Services: Improving educational outcomes for children at risk

This project aimed to develop, implement and evaluate knowledge-based measures and routines in municipal child welfare service (CWS) to enhance academic achievement for children. Academic support was provided to children and families by child welfare workers, as a supplement to ordinary classroom instruction, and took place outside school hours and in the home. As a group, children in child welfare have an increased risk of being marginalized as adults. On average, their academic performance is worse compared with that of their peers. Staying in school is likely to protect against unfortunate outcomes in adulthood, such as unemployment or crime. Managing school often works as a protective factor against later marginalization. A goal of this project was to prevent children in CWS from dropping out of school, and to mend gaps in academic skills. A systematic review of studies evaluating the effects of interventions aiming to increase school performance in children at risk was conducted. Next, we identified which elements that the effective interventions had in common. These 'core elements' then formed the basis for a locally tailor-made training program that was developed and implemented in collaboration between social workers from municipal child welfare services, user representatives from the 'Forandringsfabrikken' and former clients of services, school staff, researchers and instructors. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of this new intervention. The study was conducted as an individually randomized, controlled trial with an active control group. Children and families in the intervention group received 6 guided sessions of school support during 4-6 months. Children and families in the control group received the child welfare services' regular procedure, but was offered the same school support after the end of the project, provided the family still received measures from the child welfare service and the Method was deemed effective. The effect of school support was investigated by measuring children's reading and math skills and parental involvement. The study also evaluated a knowledge transfer process and included a combination of knowledge-based implementation strategies. The knowledge transfer process was investigated by measuring implementation quality and usefulness. The project has immediate value for the collaborating child welfare services, and the knowledge gained from the project will also be relevant to other child welfare services in particular, but also to other health, care and welfare services.

Prosjektet har utviklet fleksibel skolestøtte som er gjennomførbar i barnevernet (BV) og oppleves nyttig av barn, foreldre og ansatte. Studien fant at barn med hjelpetiltak i BV har stort behov for skolestøtte og i liten grad får hjelp fra PPT. Det var en positiv sammenheng mellom mengde skolestøtte og opplevd faglig og sosial nytte. Ansatte rapporterte økt kompetanse og bevissthet på skolestøtte og at de nå har forskningsstøttede verktøy å bruke videre. Det var stor variasjon i implementering og de som i størst grad benyttet tiltakselementene var mest fornøyde. Studien har identifisert hva som kan forbedres, og BV har startet et forbedringsarbeid med RBUP. Prosjektet har gitt ny kunnskap om implementering i BV som andre kan dra nytte av. En modell for samutvikling med brukere og tjenestene og en metode som identifiserer forskningsbaserte kjerneelementer i tiltak og implementering er også utviklet i prosjektet. Disse metodene brukes nå i flere norske og internasjonale prosjekter

Two important societal issues are the focus of this project. One is to support the child welfare services (CWS) in delivering school-support interventions that are safe, empirically-supported and that ensure user involvement. The other is to help improve academic outcomes for children who are at risk for failing in school and their families. The present project is a knowledge translation (KT) process that includes the synthesis, dissemination, implementation, and evaluation of knowledge from research to practice. First, we conduct a systematic review of out-of-school interventions aimed at improving academic achievement in children at risk for failing in school. We then use a common elements methodology to identify the most effective evidence-based elements (EBP elements) of the interventions. In each participating CWS, we will establish a core group, with leaders and staff of the CWSs, users of CWS, school personnel, professional educators and researchers. In a collaborative effort, each core group will create a locally adapted training program based on the EBP elements (the intervention). The project is carried out as a randomized controlled trial. We measure implementation quality in order to assess the extent to which the EBP elements are implemented as intended, including readiness, fidelity and adaptations, reach and uptake. We also measure organizational climate, practitioners' satisfaction and perceived competence. We measure changes in children's academic achievement (reading, spelling and math) in order to test intervention effects. Children's mental health, social skills and cognitive functioning are examined as possible moderators. We also assess families' satisfaction with the services received and their involvement. Results from the project will be disseminated through both popular and scientific channels in a joint effort with members of the core groups, and with national and international collaborators.