11 - Voicing all Perspectives: Incorporating Family Voices in Evaluations

Abstract Information: Assessing the efficiency and effectiveness of a program is important, and program evaluation plays a significant role in this process. While surveys provide valuable data on outcomes and the impacts of a program, they often fail to include the voices and perspectives of family members, including youth, who are directly impacted by the program. To understand the effectiveness of a program, it is crucial to include direct insights from those who receive program services as well as those who are otherwise affected by the services. This is especially true when evaluating programs centered on child welfare because of the sensitivity involved. This session will explore different approaches for gathering feedback from participants of various age groups and the differences in how we approach adults, adolescents, and youth. This discussion will delve into the benefits and challenges of incorporating the voices of adults, youth, and families in our evaluations. Key objectives will include discussing the importance of family voices in program evaluation, methods for engaging family members in the evaluation process, and the potential. The discussion will also provide examples of successful integration of family voices in program evaluation. Potential questions to explore during this session: • Why should thoughts, opinions, and perspectives be gathered from multiple family members? • What approaches can we take to acquire voices from multiple family members? • Should these approaches differ based on participant age? • What are potential barriers to eliciting feedback from multiple family members? • Are there other considerations (e.g., consent/assent, individual/group setting, in-person/virtual, interview/focus group/survey)?