Suchergebnisse

Robin E. Perry's study compared the job performance of public child welfare agency caseworkers who had received bachelors degrees in social work and caseworkers whose bachelors degrees were in other practice fields. The study found no significant effects on subsequent job performance from having received a social work degree. Several methodological concerns are identified that challenge this conclusion, including whether the agency performance evaluations, used as the primary means of measuring job performance, provided accurate or complete information regarding the job performance of the study subjects. It is suggested that conclusions not be drawn about the impact of social work education on the job performance of child welfare on the basis of this study.

Ronald Hughes, Judith Rycus, and their colleagues have produced a seminal review of differential response (DR) programs implemented across the nation. Their review questions nearly every aspect of the DR movement, beginning with the concept on which all DR programs are based and ending with serious concerns about the quality of evaluations conducted to date. Given current support for DR initiatives and wide variation of existing DR models, not all in the social sciences will agree with their conclusions. Nevertheless, this review represents the type of analysis critical to advancing practice in the field. Although many issues are raised in the Hughes et al. review, our response focuses on four critical points, which we believe represent the core problems identified. These include the concept that serves as the foundation for the DR movement, the role of assessments, and the primary problems with evaluations conducted to date.