Social work agencies may have a formalized evaluation process that is revisited on a regular schedule. Or their practices may be informal and on an as-needed basis, conducted mostly by independent social workers. To what extent have you observed or experienced evaluation practices at your agency? If you have not yet done so, talk with your Field Instructor (supervisor) about evaluation and how it is conceptualized and implemented there.
you report on the frequency of evaluation at your agency, the support and tools offered, and how the agency uses the data gleaned through evaluation.
• Review the Learning Resources on social work evaluation.
• Gather information on how evaluations are carried out and used in your agency. This information could be based on your observations, experiences, and/or discussion with your Field Instructor and colleagues at the agency. Specifically, research how often evaluation occurs, the support and tools offered to social workers, and how the evaluations lead to change.
Submit a 1- to 2-page paper answering the following questions related to evaluation practices at your agency:
• How often does the agency evaluate programs and service delivery?
• What support and tools does the agency provide for social workers to evaluate individual work with clients?
• How does the agency use evaluations to inform change?
Defining Social Work Evaluation PracticesI have successfully gathered foundational information by researching the different levels of social work evaluation. Program evaluations are categorized into four main types: needs assessments, process evaluations, outcome evaluations, and cost-efficiency evaluations, with logic models serving as a key planning tool. I also distinguished between program evaluation (macro level) and practice evaluation (micro level), which focuses on individual client work.Initial Findings on Frequency and UtilizationRegarding the frequency of evaluation, formal program reviews in human services are often mandated to occur annually. For organizational change, agencies typically employ a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) system, which is a proactive and cyclical process that uses evaluation data to refine services and outcomes. This provides a strong conceptual answer for how evaluation data leads to change.
Sample Answer
Establishing Research FoundationsI am commencing the research by establishing a robust baseline for social work evaluation practices, which will provide context for the report the user needs to write about their agency. Since the user must gather agency-specific information themselves, my initial focus is on defining best and common practices across the field.Addressing Core Evaluation QuestionsMy research structure directly addresses the three mandatory questions for the user's paper: the typical *frequency* of program and service delivery evaluation; the essential *tools and support* provided for individual client work evaluation; and the established organizational procedures for using evaluation data to drive organizational *change* and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI).