3-115 - Navigating the Challenges and Complexities of Using Child Welfare Agency Data For Measuring Child Abuse and Neglect

Session Type: Conversation Roundtable

Integrative Statement

With increasing calls by policy makers and funders for researchers to use existing data sources, such as state agency records, to provide key outcome data for program evaluation and research, more researchers have been engaging in efforts to access and use this information. With these efforts has come an increasing awareness of the difficulties and limitations of this seemingly “low cost” approach to data collection. This roundtable will offer opportunities to interact with 4 researchers who have been involved in using data from state child welfare agency records for evaluating early childhood and parenting interventions. Panelists will share their experiences in accessing electronic and case file records with varying levels of informed consent and security requirements; operationalizing key concepts such as maltreatment type, severity, and chronicity; defining appropriate program performance measures; and understanding and resolving data quality issues across multiple child welfare and social service data systems. The panelists will discuss with the audience the challenges and benefits of using agency record information, and the relative merits of using administrative data relative to other measures of child abuse and neglect. Audience members will be encouraged to share their experiences and questions with the panel.

Sub Unit

• Methods, History, Theory

Moderator

• Beth L Green, Portland State University

Panelists

• Sacha M. Klein, Michigan State University

• Jessica Dym Bartlett, Child Trends

• Lori Burrell, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health

• Sharon Vandivere, Child Trends