Research This assignment can be 3-5 pages sample is attached

Part 1- Summary

The article Voices of Children in Foster Care is a research article that seeks to answer very important questions regarding child welfare workforce turnover as well as evaluate and improve the research that’s been done on this topic. The authors mention that there has been research done on the specific topic of child welfare workforce turnover and retention, but what hasn’t been done before is getting perspective from the actual people affected by this issue- the ones in the foster care system. The research aims to find out their opinions and see if there is correlation between the number of caseworkers and the number of placements a youth has. This research article takes 25 youth who were in the foster care system and asks them about their experiences. Data was collected through focus groups, where open -ended questions were asked in guided discussion, and a small demographic survey. After the study, the research concluded that youth experience lack of stability, loss of trust, and second chances when there is turnover with caseworkers. The youth also gave their suggestions for worker retention. Finally, the research article concludes with practical suggestions for caseworkers, social workers, and those involved with the youth in the foster care system to improve collaborating with youth and facilitating system change.

Part 2- Critique

What is the social concern under study? What is the research problem?

There are two research problems that this article addressed. First, what are the experiences and opinions that youth in the child welfare system have regarding the issue of child welfare workforce turnover and retention? Second, is there a statistical correlation between the number of caseworkers a youth has while they are in the child welfare system and the number of foster care placements that they have?

Does the author explain the relevance of the research to social work practice/human service professionals?

The author does explain the relevance of the research to social work and human service professionals. The importance of involving the youth in finding solutions to problems that directly affect them. The author lists very practical suggestions that social workers, caseworkers, and those working with youth can do to improve collaboration with youth and facilitate system change.

Is the purpose of the study explanatory, evaluative, or descriptive?

The purpose of the study is explanatory. It wanted to explain the cause and effects of the issue of child welfare workforce turnover.

Was a theoretical framework presented?

A theoretical framework was presented because the study set out to find something specific. The theoretical framework guided the study and the measurements that were taken.

Was a hypothesis or research question stated?

A research question was stated, rather than a hypothesis. There are several research questions that this study set out to answer. It didn’t make any assumptions, but really wanted to take a new approach to a question that’s been asked before and ask youth themselves.

Research design?

The research design used in this research article is Case Study as well as Survey Methods. The study was a Case Study because it specifically studied a group of individuals, seeking to understand them in their entirety, asking their opinions. A survey method was used when they collected the data in the demographic survey.

Was the study cross-sectional or longitudinal? Did the study use group design or single subject design?

This study was longitudinal because some participants met at least 2 times. At least 10 participants helped with designing the questionnaire. Then the participants completed a demographic survey. Then, when the participants did their focus groups, they answered the questions in the questionnaire. The study used single-subject design because there was only one group of participants who all were asked the same questions and weren’t necessarily being compared to another group.

Did the study use primary or secondary data collection?

The study used primary data collection, collecting the data from the youth participants for the first time, not using information that was already existing. The article refers to information and studies that have been done before, but the study they conduct is original.

How was the data collected?

The study collected data through focus groups, where open-ended questions were asked in guided discussion, and through a small demographic survey.

What were the major concepts in the research?

The major concepts in the research were the effects of caseworker turnover including lack of stability, loss of trust, and second chance with a new worker. The youth also made suggestions for worker retention.

What were the independent and dependent variables?

The number of placements the youth has had is the dependent variable and the number of caseworkers they’ve had in the past 2 years is the independent variable. The correlation of the variables showed the effect of caseworker turnover.

Sample (participants)?

The participants were 25 youth who were involved in the foster care system. They were gathered for the study through convenience sampling, therefore not representative of the youth in the child welfare system. The 25 youth that were selected for this study were older, many were in independent living situations, and they were all leaders within New York’s Youth in Progress (YIP) where they prioritized enhancing the lives of youth in foster care.

What tool(s) (instruments, tests, surveys) was used?

Focus groups and a demographic survey. Within the focus groups, they delivered a questionnaire. The demographic survey was also given to participants prior to the focus groups.

Is the analytical method (data analysis) described?

Yes, the analytical method is described. In this study, the analytical method used is content analysis, which focuses on group data. Preliminary coding structures were created, then narrowed down to coding structures. Then, the researchers assigned the specific codes to the data. Lastly, another researcher did a validity check.

What are the main findings? How do they relate to the hypothesis/research question(s)?

This study supported other studies on workforce turnover in its findings on the link in foster care placements and the number of caseworkers a child/youth has had. However, this study did what other studies hadn’t, asking the youth involved in the system what their opinions and experiences were. It found that the youth who had experienced caseworker turnover identified 3 effects: lack of stability, loss of trust, and second chance with a new caseworker. The study also gave the youths’ opinions on caseworker retention, finding that they suggest solutions from their agencies (compensation, appreciation, lower caseloads, etc.), and making the transition smooth for new workers. The study also found that there is a correlation between the number of caseworks a youth has and the number of foster care placements they have.

The study answered the two research question that is set out to answer which were: “what are the experiences and opinions that youth in the child welfare system have regarding the issue of child welfare workforce turnover and retention?” And “is there a statistical correlation between the number of caseworkers a youth has while they are in the child welfare system and the number of foster care placements that they have?”

Conclusion- Following your review, what is your overall assessment of the article’s quality?

I think that the quality of the article is good. I think they are very thorough in explaining why they chose to use certain methods, they value of the data they collected, and the methods used, and they purpose of their study. I think they also gave a lot of insight to the importance of including participants in research on a specific topic. There had been a lot of research done before on caseworker turnover, however none of it had asked actual people who had gone through the experience themselves through foster care. I think that is a very important aspect to consider in conducting research on a specific topic or population.