Abstract
This report presents findings from a rigorous multi-year evaluation of the Voices and Choices program. Voices and Choices is a model developed by the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) to improve child and family outcomes and reduce children’s risk of harm. The program is designed to enhance the voice and choice of families into case plans that guide the service delivery they receive, build parents’ self-regulation capabilities, focus on environmental stress factors and address traumatic experiences.
The aim of this evaluation was to test the feasibility of the Voices and Choices model and gather data on effectiveness to determine the extent to which the model improves outcomes for children and families.
In this report, the Evaluation Team — the Centre for Evidence and Implementation, Monash University and the Cultural and Indigenous Research Centre Australia — describe the evidence suggesting Voices and Choices is feasible and a promising model for vulnerable families who have not yet had significant interaction with the child protection system. Further, our evidence suggests this model is of particular benefit for Aboriginal families who participate in the program via a community referral.
This evaluation used a hybrid type I-design that examined both program implementation and program effectiveness. The evaluation utilised the experience of service users to examine acceptability of, type, delivery and availability of services. Insights from Voices and Choices providers guided an analysis of the implementation barriers and enablers. A quasi-experimental analysis of linked program and child protection data was used to assess the comparative effectiveness of the Voices and Choices model compared to standard
Brighter Futures.
The aim of this evaluation was to test the feasibility of the Voices and Choices model and gather data on effectiveness to determine the extent to which the model improves outcomes for children and families.
In this report, the Evaluation Team — the Centre for Evidence and Implementation, Monash University and the Cultural and Indigenous Research Centre Australia — describe the evidence suggesting Voices and Choices is feasible and a promising model for vulnerable families who have not yet had significant interaction with the child protection system. Further, our evidence suggests this model is of particular benefit for Aboriginal families who participate in the program via a community referral.
This evaluation used a hybrid type I-design that examined both program implementation and program effectiveness. The evaluation utilised the experience of service users to examine acceptability of, type, delivery and availability of services. Insights from Voices and Choices providers guided an analysis of the implementation barriers and enablers. A quasi-experimental analysis of linked program and child protection data was used to assess the comparative effectiveness of the Voices and Choices model compared to standard
Brighter Futures.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Place of Publication | Australia |
| Publisher | Centre for Evidence and Implementation |
| Commissioning body | Department of Communities and Justice (New South Wales) |
| Number of pages | 96 |
| Publication status | Published - Aug 2021 |