Form 1 Web Based Survey

OMB No.: 0970-0377
Expiration Date: 06/30/2013

Web-Based Network Survey

Introduction
James Bell Associates and ICF International are conducting an independent evaluation of the
Children’s Bureau’s Child Welfare Training and Technical Assistance (T/TA) Network. One
component of the evaluation assesses the functioning and cohesion of the T/TA Network as a
whole. To this end, we would like to ask your cooperation in completing this questionnaire. The
questions concern perceptions of and experiences of the ICs and NRCs within the larger Network;
the relationships among providers; and the use of knowledge, information, and resources. This
survey was administered previously to all Network members in the fall of 2010; it is being
administered again at this time to explore your center’s experience with the ICs and NRCs over
the past two years.
The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. We ask that one respondent on
behalf of each Implementation Center (IC) and National Resource Center (NRC) (preferably the
project director) complete this survey. Your participation is a critical component of this
evaluation and is vital to providing important information to the Children’s Bureau on the T/TA
Network. Your privacy is very important to us. Except for responses related to interactions
among ICs and NRCs, which will be used for social network analyses and diagramming, your
answers will be combined with answers from other agencies and will not be associated with
individual organizations or respondents. If you should have any questions about the survey,
please contact Dr. James DeSantis at JBA via email at [email protected] or via phone at 800546-3230.

A. Demographic Background
We would first like some information about you:
A1.

What is your T/TA Network member organization?

A2.

Which title most closely describes your position?

A3.

How long have you been working with the T/TA Network organization? _______years
or ___ months

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B. Perceptions and Experiences with the Implementation Centers and
National Resource Centers
B1.

Based on your perceptions of the Implementation Centers and National Resource Centers,
please indicate for how many centers the following statements are true.
Don’t
know

None of
the
centers

A Few
centers

Some
centers

Most
centers

Our Center
a. ICs and NRCs effectively use the skills and
expertise of our center.
b. ICs and NRCs appropriately cite our project’s
publications, website, and other work products.
c. ICs and NRCs recognize and value our center’s
contributions to the Network.
d. Our center is well informed about upcoming
events of the ICs and NRCs.
e. Our center understands the work and services of
the ICs and NRCs.
Implementation Centers and National Resource
Centers
f. ICs and NRCs share a common vision and
purpose for their network-related work.
g. Responsibility for topical areas is a barrier to
collaboration and information sharing among ICs
and NRCs.
h. Proprietary interests are a barrier to collaboration
and information sharing among ICs and NRCs.
i. The skills, expertise, and knowledge developed
by ICs and NRCs are utilized effectively.
j. The roles and responsibilities of each IC and
NRC are clear to other centers.
k. ICs and NRCs share information with one
another in a timely manner
l. ICs and NRCs work together in a coordinated
manner to avoid duplication of efforts.
m. Competition is a barrier to collaboration and
information sharing among ICs and NRCs.
n. ICs and NRCs collaborate to identify, assess, and
disseminate evidence of best and promising
practice in Child Welfare.
o. ICs and NRCs perform integrated and
complementary activities that increase the
likelihood that each center’s services will be
effective.
B2. What suggestions do you have for improving the identity, cohesion, and functioning of the
Implementation Centers and National Resource Centers?

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All
centers

C. Relationships with Other Network Members
The following questions explore the relationship of your organization with individual ICs and
NRCs. Please rate your responses using the scales provided.
C1. In the past year, how often has your center interacted with each of the following ICs and NRCs
(outside of CB-initiated conference calls, participation at the T/TA Exploration Workgroup
Meetings or other CB-initiated subcommittee meetings, e.g, Standard Business Process
Workgroup, Well-being Workgroup, Integrated TA Workplan Pilots, Evaluation Workgroups)?

National Resource Centers (NRCs)

Never

Rarely
(a few
times
per
year)

Sometimes/
Occasionally
(about every
few months)

Frequently/
Often
(monthly)

Very
Often
(more
than once
a month)

[NOTE: As each scale rating is completed for the providers listed below, if the response is
“sometimes/occasionally,” “frequently/often,” or “very often,” the following sub-questions will appear]
a. In the past year, about how often did your center communicate with this National Resource Center?
(once a year or less/a few times per year/every other month/once a month/several times per month)
b. In the past year, how frequently were TA materials, products, and knowledge shared between your center
and this National Resource Center? (once a year or less/a few times per year/every other month/once a
month/several times per month)
Please rate your level of agreement or disagreement with the following statements:
c. Our center’s communication with this Network member is frequent enough so that we are able to
successfully accomplish tasks and generate high-quality work. (Strongly
Disagree/Disagree/Agree/Strongly Agree)
d. The quality of our center’s communication with this National Resource Center enables us to successfully
accomplish tasks and generate high quality work. (Strongly Disagree/Disagree/Agree/Strongly Agree)
e. As a result of our center’s working relationship with this National Resource Center, we produce/provide
better products and services. (Strongly Disagree/Disagree/Agree/Strongly Agree)
1. NRC on Adoption
2. NRC on Child Protective Services
3. NRC on Child Welfare Data and
Technology
4. NRC on In-Home Services
5. NRC on Legal and Judicial Issues
6. NRC on Organizational Improvement
7. NRC on Permanency and Family
Connections
8. NRC for Recruitment and Retention of
Foster and Adoptive Parents
9. NRC for Tribes

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10. NRC for Youth Development

C1. continued
Implementation Centers (ICs)
Never

Rarely
(a few
times
per
year)

Sometimes/
Occasionally
(about every
few months)

Frequently/
Often
(monthly)

Very
Often
(more
than once
a month)

1. Atlantic Coast IC
2. Midwest IC
3. Mountains and Plains IC
4. Northeast and Caribbean IC
5. Western and Pacific IC

C2. What suggestions do you have for strengthening communication among ICs and NRCs?
C3. What suggestions do you have for fostering information sharing among ICs and NRCs?
C4. What are some of the barriers to developing one overall, integrated network of ICs and
NRCs?
C5. What are some of the facilitators to developing one overall, integrated network of ICs and
NRCs?
C6. To what extent do you feel membership in the T/TA Network is central to the identity of
your center?

D. Knowledge and Resources
D1.

Please rate how often your center consults the following sources of information annually
and then rate the usefulness of the information.
How often does your center consult the
following sources of information?

Information Sources

Never Rarely Sometimes Often

How useful is the information?

Never Rarely Often Always
Useful Useful Useful Useful

Peer reviewed articles, papers,
briefs, and other publications
written by ICs or NRCs for the

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public
Conferences sponsored by ICs
or NRCs
Websites of ICs or NRCs
Presentations given by ICs or
NRCs
Direct Consultation with
experts from ICs or NRCs
Informal discussion with peers
from ICs or NRCs
Center-specfic evaluation
reports about ICs or NRCs’
projects and technical
assistance delivery (not OneNet
or Cross-site reports)
Other:
Specify:___________________
Specify:___________________

Thank you.
This is the end of the survey.
We greatly appreciate your participation in this important evaluation of the
Children’s Bureau’s T/TA Network.

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