Realizing an Evidence-Based Framework for the Management and Delivery of Family Support Services

ABSTRACT

Purpose

This paper reports on how service providers and academic researchers partnered to support the journey of a primary prevention organization in western Canada as they reviewed their programming against an evidence-based practice (EBP) framework. The process allows the organization to increase their EBP culture by encouraging staff understanding and uptake of their nine family support programs. It also informs service users and other stakeholders of the evidentiary status of different kinds of support services. In this way, the families become more informed and engaged partners who might easily evaluate the respective risks and benefits of the various applications.

Method

As part of the process, an evidence-based framework used a common language to assess the efficacy of the respective nine programs.

Results

All nine programs are now mapped into the EBP framework.

Conclusions

This review allows staff to become more intentional and informed about the EBPs they employ to support vulnerable families and to use this knowledge to better inform the families with whom they work. This paper and the process the agency followed can be a model for other organizations who serve families experiencing short-term housing crisis, provide infant nursery care, and other support services for families with young children.

KEYWORDS:

• Evidence-based practice
• children’s nursery
• university–community partnership

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Children’s Cottage Society for having the courage to engage in this difficult and important work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada under Grant [892-2021-1001].