Fathers and Continuous Learning in Child Welfare Project

Instrument 6: Data Collection Planning Worksheet

A Breakthrough Series Collaborative for

Engaging Fathers and Paternal Relatives in Child Welfare

The purpose of this document is to describe the information your improvement team will collect and share to help track and assess your progress toward engaging fathers and paternal relatives in child welfare. It is intended to be a companion to the collaborative change framework, with improvement in each measure moving you closer to the global aim of this Breakthrough Series Collaborative (BSC).

Whenever possible, we encourage you to consider using data you already collect instead of creating entirely new data collection systems for this project. The ideal is to find a balance between data that are minimally burdensome to collect and assess, and data that will be most helpful and important to your team as a way of understanding your progress toward the global aim of this BSC.

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average two hours per response. Your improvement team members are encouraged to complete this document together. Providing this information is voluntary, and all responses that are collected will be kept private to the extent permitted by law.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is 0970-0356 and the expiration date is 06/30/2021.

Measure Guidance

This document includes Breakthrough Series Collaborative (BSC) measures that support the Collaborative Change Framework and a data collection plan template designed to help teams plan for collecting data. We encourage teams to consider data they may already collect; data that is minimally burdensome to collect and access; the data that will be most helpful and important to their individual sites; and tools that may be used to collect data for multiple metrics.

Data collection

Teams will create a data collection plan in the first month of the BSC. A data collection plan is a detailed document that outlines the steps, sequence, and resources required to collect data for measuring BCS measure outcomes. This document is important to ensure everyone understands the individual and team expectations for collecting the data. Consider the following when developing the data collection plan:

Collecting Data: Determine what data is needed, who will collect it, where to get the data (or where to begin collecting it), the frequency of data collection, and method of collecting it.

• What: The BSC team has defined measures that support the Collaborative Change Framework (CCF). These measures are described in this document.

• Who: Your team will determine who is responsible for collecting each data element within the measures. In some cases more than one person will collect data for the same measure. Consider how hand-offs will occur and what collaboration is required in order to obtain complete data.

• Where: Consider what data sources your team will need to access in order to collect the data.

• Frequency: Each measure has a defined measure period. Consider the frequency in which your team will collect data in order to meet these measurement periods.

  • Monthly: Calendar month of the reporting period. For example, teams will report data in December the data collected in November.

  • Quarterly: Three calendar months. This may be defined by the teams as the previous three months or by collecting data at four defined points throughout the year. For example, sites may decide to conduct surveys in March, July, October and December.

• How: What methods will your team use to collect the data? Evaluate what data your site is already collecting in relation the BSC measures. In some cases, the data collection process will need to be created.

Race and Ethnicity: Cultivating racial equity and actively valuing the role of fathers and paternal relatives in all children’s lives is necessary to father and paternal relative engagement. We recommend that you collect all metrics by race and ethnicity, and request that you select at least two (2) measures to collect by race and ethnicity. This will allow your team to observe whether practice changes appear to impact families of different races differently. We ask that you use the categories aligned with standard child welfare data collection practices as you report your metrics so there is consistency in reporting across sites. These categories are African American, White, American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, Asian. Separately, please report whether the child is Hispanic or Latino (yes or no).

Reporting the Data

The BSC team will provide sites a data submission tool that includes graphs and run charts to demonstrate performance over time. Data submission is due the 20th day of each month. If the 20th falls on a weekend, the data is due the next business day. Some data is collected monthly and other data is collected quarterly. Refer to each measure for the correct reporting period. In addition to the data reporting tool the BSC planning team is also available to help your team develop and revise your data collection plan. This includes helping identify available tracking systems as well as support in developing additional/supplemental tracking systems. If you do not already use surveys or tools to collect specific metrics, we can help you select or create a survey or tool that would best meet your site’s needs.

Breakthrough Series Collaborative Measures

1. Initial identification of the father

Change Framework Domain: 3

1a. Initial request to identify the father

Measure Description: Percent of investigations where there was a request to identify the father at the first point of contact

Numerator Statement: Number of investigations initiated during the month where the investigator asked about father's identity at the first point of contact

Denominator Statement: Number of investigations initiated during the month

Exclusions:

Measure Period: Monthly

Measure Notes: Sites define “new investigations” and “first point of contact”

1b. Initial identification of the father

Measure Description: Percent of fathers identified at the first point of contact

Numerator Statement: Number of investigations initiated during the month where the investigator asked about father's identity at the first point of contact

Denominator Statement: Number investigations initiated during the month

Exclusions:

Measure Period: Monthly

Measure Notes: Sites define “new investigations” and “first point of contact”

2. Identification by additional agencies or sources

Change Framework Domain: 3

2. At least one attempt to outreach to additional agencies or sources

Measure Description: Percent of completed investigations where investigators accessed additional agencies or sources to locate the father when the father was not previously identified

Numerator Statement: Number of completed investigations where at least one attempt was made in the month to access information from additional agencies or sources to locate a father where a father is not identified at the first point of contact

Denominator Statement: Number of investigations completed in the month where a father was not identified at the first point of contact

Exclusions:

Measure Period: Monthly

Measure Notes: Sites may consider setting their own internal goals for number of attempts per case

3. Placement options

Change Framework Domains: 1, 2, 4, 5

3a. Notifying the father of placement

Measure Description: Percent of new placements where the father was notified the child/sibling group was being placed into foster care

Numerator Statement: Number of new placements completed in the month where the father was notified the child/sibling group was being placed into foster care

Denominator Statement: Number of new placements completed in the month

Exclusions:

Measure Period: Monthly

Measure Notes:

3b. Documented reason for father not being a viable placement option

Measure Description: Percent of new placement with documented reason why fathers are not a viable placement or permanency option for children placed in foster care

Numerator Statement: Number of new placements completed during the month with a documented reason why fathers are or are not a viable placement or permanency option

Denominator Statement: Number of new placements made during the month where a child was not placed in the care of a father

Exclusions:

Measure Period: Monthly

Measure Notes: Foster care is defined as kinship care or another non-relative foster care placement

4. Family meetings with fathers and paternal relatives

Change Framework Domains: 1, 2, 4, 5

4a. Invitation to the family team meeting

Measure Description: Percent of family team meetings where an invitation was extended to fathers and/or paternal relatives

Numerator Statement: Number of family meetings conducted in the month where an invitation was extended to fathers and/or paternal relatives

Denominator Statement: Number of family team meetings conducted during the month

Exclusions:

Measure Period: Monthly

Measure Notes:

Family meetings with fathers and paternal relatives

Change Framework Domain: 1, 2, 4, 5

4b. Participation in the family team meeting

Measure Description: Percent of family team meetings conducted that included a father or paternal relative

Numerator Statement: Number of family meetings conducted during the month where the fathers and/or paternal relative attended.

Denominator Statement: Number of family team meetings conducted during the month where the father was invited to attend

Exclusions:

Measure Period: Monthly

Measure Notes:

5. Inclusion of fathers and paternal relatives in case plans

Change Framework Domains: 1, 2, 4, 5

5a. Input in case planning

Measure Description: Percent of fathers or paternal relatives who perceived that their input was included in the case plan

Numerator Statement: Number of father or paternal relatives surveyed in the quarter about their perceptions of inclusion of the case plan where the father or paternal relative perceives their input was included

Denominator Statement: Number of father or paternal relatives surveyed in the quarter about their perceptions of inclusion of the case plan

Exclusions: Fathers or paternal relatives that do not complete the survey

Measure Period: Quarterly

Measure Notes:

• Consider a brief survey to fathers and/or paternal relatives to ascertain their perception of inclusion.

• Consider other ways to get input from fathers about whether they felt they contributed to the case plan

• Teams to define “quarter.” See measure guidance for additional information.

5b. Needs documented in case plans

Measure Description: Percent of case plans created that include documentation of a father or paternal relative’s unique needs

Numerator Statement: Number of case plans created during the month where the father or paternal relative's unique needs were documented

Denominator Statement: Number of case plans created during the month

Exclusions:

Measure Period: Monthly

Measure Notes: Documentation of a father or paternal relative’s unique needs include any services or supports that specifically name the father or a paternal relative as the intended client, including (but not limited to) parenting support, behavioral health support, housing, meeting basic needs, navigating the court system, etc.

5c. Receipt of needed services

Measure Description: Percent of fathers or paternal relatives who received services to meet their unique needs as documented in case plans.

Numerator Statement: Number of active / open case plans where the father or paternal relative received at least one of the services to meet their unique needs as documented in the case plans

 

Denominator Statement: Number of active/open case plans where the father or paternal relative’s unique needs were documented

Exclusions: None

Measure Period: Monthly

Measure Notes: Note separately the number of services needed, and the number of services received

5d. Perception of needs met (optional)

Measure Description: Percent of fathers or paternal relatives who perceived they received services that met their unique needs as documented in case plans

Numerator Statement: Number of fathers or paternal relatives who perceived they received the services to meet their unique needs as documented in their case plans

 

Denominator Statement: Number of fathers who were surveyed.

Exclusions: Case plans where the father or paternal relative did not complete a survey

Measure Period: Quarterly

Measure Notes:

• Consider a brief survey to fathers and/or paternal relatives to ascertain perception of inclusion.

• Consider other ways to get father input about whether they felt that services met their unique needs.

• The survey for this metric would be given only to fathers or paternal relatives who had their unique needs documented in their case plans (denominator in 5c).

• Teams to define “quarter.” See measure guidance for additional information.

6. Visitation with fathers and paternal relatives

Change Framework Domains: 1, 2, 4, 5

6. Visitation and contact

Measure Description: Percent child/sibling groups that have at least one visit with the father or paternal relative during the month

Numerator Statement: Number of child/sibling groups that had at least one visit with the father or paternal relative in the month

Denominator Statement: Number of open cases where a child/sibling group is in a placement other than with the father

Exclusions: Do not count cases where child is already living with paternal relative, but note separately if you have children living with a paternal relative, and therefore not included.

Measure Period: Monthly

Measure Notes: note separately if you have children living with a paternal relative, and therefore not included.

7. Reunification

Change Framework Domain:

7. Reunification

Measure Description: Percent of children/sibling groups who exited care during the month and reunified with a father or paternal relative

Numerator Statement: Number of child/sibling groups that exit care during the month where the child/sibling group returned home to a father or paternal relative

Denominator Statement: Number of child/sibling groups children that exit care during the month

Exclusions: None

Measure Period: Monthly

Measure Notes: Please also note number of children (sibling groups) that reunified generally (as opposed to reunified with a father or paternal relative).

Data Collection Plan *As noted above, please remember to report by the following racial categories: African American, White, American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, Asian. Separately, whether the child is of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity (yes or no). We strongly encourage all metrics to be reported by race and ethnicity, and request that at least 2 are reported by race and ethnicity.

Measure	Data Type (Discrete, survey)	How we will collect the data	Who will collect the data	New or existing	Where will the data come from	What resources do we need
Initial request to identify the father
Initial identification of the father
At least one attempt to outreach to additional agencies or sources
Documented reason for father not being a viable placement option
Visits to the home
Invitation to the family team meeting
Participation in the family team meeting
Input in service planning
Needs documented in service plans
Receipt of needed services
Perception of needs met
Visitation and contact
Reunification