Integrating Research into Practice Through the LAC Assessment and Action Record

1
Integrating Research into Practice Through the
LAC Assessment and Action Record

• Bob Flynn (rflynn_at_uottawa.ca)
• Centre for Research on Community Services
• University of Ottawa (Canada)
• Looking After Children Symposium
• ACWA Conference, Sydney, August 16, 2006

2
For more detailed information on the topic of
this presentation, please see the following
references

• Flynn, R. J., Dudding, P. M., Barber, J. G.
  (Eds.) (2006). Promoting resilience in child
  welfare. Ottawa, ON University of Ottawa Press.
  (http//www.utppublishing.com/pubstore/merchant.ih
  tml?pid8652step4)
• Flynn, R. J., Byrne, B. (2005). Overview and
  findings to date of research in the Ontario
  Looking after Children project. OACAS Journal,
  vol. 49, no. 1 (April), pp. 12-21.
  (http//www.oacas.org/resources/OACASJournals/2005
  April/overview.pdf)
• Flynn, R. J., Ghazal, H., Legault, L.,
  Vandermeulen, G., Petrick, S. (2004). Using
  general-population measures and norms to identify
  resilient outcomes among young people in care.
  Child and Family Social Work, 9, 65-79.
  (http//www.blackwell-synergy.com/toc/cfs/9/1)

3
Two broad definitions

• Research systematic inquiry, including
• Basic research
• Applied research
• Evaluation, including outcome monitoring
• Practice service-related action, including
• Individual or clinical level action  
• Organization or program level action
• System or policy level action

4
Outline 4 questions

• Q1 In general, how can we integrate research
  into practice?
• Q2 What was original intent of LAC in this
  regard?
• Q3 To what extent has this intent been realized?
• Q4 How can we improve integration of research
  into practice?
• 16 lessons from Ontario LAC (OnLAC)project

5
Q1 In general, how can research be integrated
into practice?

• Implement evidence-based practices (e.g.,
  SAMSHAs National Registry of Evidence-Based
  Programs and Practices google NREPP) 
• Draw upon relevant theory (e.g., competent- child
  theory resilience theory)
• Base practice approach on research findings from
  many fields (e.g., education health parenting)
• Incorporate research/evaluation findings on own
  outcomes into own practice/policy

6
Q2 What was original intent of LAC re.
integration of research into practice?

• Strong integration intended, as shown by
• LAC reader
• Titles content of basic LAC books
• Parker, R., et al. (1991) Looking After
  Children Assessing outcomes in child care (HMSO)
• Ward, H. (1995) Looking After Children Research
  into practice (HMSO)

7
Q3 To what extent has integration intended by
LAC been realized?

• My own impression is the following
• Internationally, LAC seems to have had, to date
• Much impact on practice, but
• With some exceptions, relatively little impact on
  outcome research within LAC users own
  organizations or jurisdictions
• Thus little integration of users own LAC
  research into practice
• If this is roughly accurate, why?
• Partly because few jurisdictions using LAC have
• Implemented AAR fully and also
• Constructed AAR data bases, to enable systematic
  monitoring, analysis, improvement of outcomes

8
Q4 How can we improve integration of research
into practice? 16 lessons from Ontario LAC
(OnLAC) project

• Background Purposes of OnLAC project
  (2000-present)
• Evaluation of implementation of LAC in 53 local
  CASs
• Evaluation/monitoring of outcomes associated with
  LAC
• Evaluation of costs of foster care
• (For overview of OnLAC research on
  implementation, outcomes, and costs please see
  my PowerPoint presentation of August 14 at the
  ACWA2006 conference)

9
Milestones in implementing LAC in Ontario
(2000-2006 beyond)

• 2000 OnLAC project begins creation of AAR-C2
• 2001 LAC training use of AAR-C2 begin
• 2002 First outcome reports AAR-C2 revisions
• 2003 First review of provincial AAR-C2 data
• 2004 OACAS adopts LAC as official priority
  establishes OnLAC Council
• 2005 LAC made one of six priorities of Ontario
  CW Transformation
• 2006 Definitive AAR-C2 version disseminated for
  use by all 53 CASs
• 2007 Plans of care (12,000 children) to be based
  on AAR-C2
• 2008 AAR-C2 to be part of new Single Information
  System
• 2009 Next revision of AAR-C2 planned

10
Lessons from Ontario LAC project for integrating
research into practice

• Phase 1 Preparing favourable integration
  context
• Lesson 1 Form durable partnership between
  community university (and, if possible, include
  government)
• Lesson 2 Rally broad support, based on LACs
  attractive emphasis on child development
  resilience
• Lesson 3 Secure ongoing LAC research funds (if
  possible, with contribution from government)
• Lesson 4 Seize policy reform initiatives as
  windows of opportunity

11
Lessons from OnLAC project (continued)

• Phase 2 Refining AARs relevance for practice
• Lesson 5 Focus on AAR as key to shifting focus
  of practice research from process to outcome
• Lesson 6 Adapt AAR as needed implement fully
  as key instrument for outcome monitoring
• Lesson 7 Construct AAR data base, for analyses
  of outcomes, processes, trajectories
• Lesson 8 Use data base to examine enhance AAR
  psychometrics (reliability validity)

12
Lessons from OnLAC project (continued)

• Phase 3 Using AAR data to improve practice
• Lesson 9 Produce annual confidential reports for
  local child welfare practitioners managers
• Lesson 10 Train local analysts to analyze the
  AAR data from their own organizations
• Lesson 11 Produce annual public reports for
  voluntary government organizations
• Lesson 12 Review jurisdiction-wide data to
  establish key priorities for action in coming year

13
Lessons from OnLAC project (continued)

• Phase 4 Diffusing impact of AAR data on
  practice
• Lesson 13 Compare outcomes in AAR and general
  population, to examine resilience
• Lesson 14 Seize opportunities to present outcome
  data to voluntary-sector government-sector
  organizations
• Lesson 15 Have AAR embedded, if possible, within
  government data-collection systems
• Lesson 16 Disseminate AAR-based papers at
  conferences in journal articles books
• data