Data-Driven Decision Making – Part 1

Summary

This video, funded by the Children's Bureau, explores the power of data-driven decision-making in child welfare organizations. It follows Greene County Department of Human Services as they use data to improve permanency for children by increasing foster and adoptive homes. Key steps include developing a theory of change, setting measurable indicators, and collaborating with IT to enhance data systems. Greene County’s efforts—such as community events and online campaigns—aim to recruit more foster parents and streamline the licensing process. The video highlights the importance of using data to guide decisions and improve program outcomes.

Takeaways

• 😀 Data-driven decision making helps organizations determine actions based on quality data to improve performance.
• 😀 The right data must be delivered to the right people at the right times for effective problem-solving.
• 😀 Using data systematically allows for assessment, testing, and ongoing improvement of programs or activities.
• 😀 Child welfare organizations can leverage data to identify and respond to emerging trends and needs among children and families.
• 😀 A theory of change is essential, providing a roadmap to achieve long-term goals and track progress through indicators.
• 😀 High-quality data is necessary for indicators and measures of fidelity to track the proper implementation of strategies.
• 😀 Collaboration with IT staff helps identify and enhance existing data sources and systems for tracking information.
• 😀 Data dashboards are valuable tools for displaying important indicator data in real time and enabling quick interpretation.
• 😀 Spreadsheets and simple graphs can also be used to track data over time, providing a consistent method for updates.
• 😀 Greene County’s goal was to increase foster and adoptive homes by implementing targeted recruitment activities like media ads and community events.
• 😀 The implementation team at Greene County focused on both new recruitment strategies and modifying data systems to track progress.

Q & A

What is data-driven decision making?

Data-driven decision making involves determining a course of action based on quality data. It uses data systematically and intelligently to assess, test, and improve a program, activity, or process.

How does data-driven decision making help child welfare organizations?

Data-driven decision making helps child welfare organizations identify and respond to emerging trends and needs among children and families.

What is a theory of change?

A theory of change is a roadmap that articulates how and why a proposed service strategy will achieve its long-term goals, along with the indicators to measure and track progress.

Why is high-quality data important for data-driven decision making?

High-quality data is essential for tracking progress, measuring outcomes, and ensuring that the strategies are being implemented as planned. It provides accurate insights needed to make informed decisions.

What role do information technology (IT) staff play in data-driven decision making?

IT staff help identify existing data sources and any necessary enhancements to the data system, ensuring the availability of the right data for decision making.

What is a data dashboard, and how does it support data-driven decision making?

A data dashboard is a visual tool that displays key indicator data in real-time. It allows for fast and easy interpretation of data, which helps decision-makers monitor progress and take action when necessary.

What are alternative ways to track data over time besides using a dashboard?

Data can also be tracked over time using spreadsheets and simple graphs, which should be consistently updated to reflect changes in the data.

What was the goal of Greene County Department of Human Services?

The goal of Greene County Department of Human Services was to increase the number of available foster and adoptive homes, with the ultimate long-term goal of achieving more permanent placements for children and youth.

How did Greene County's theory of change link to the recruitment activities?

Greene County’s theory of change outlined an outcomes chain, where new and expanded recruitment activities were linked to greater inquiries from potential foster parents, leading to more families entering and completing the licensing process.

What recruitment activities were developed by Greene County's Implementation Team?

Greene County’s Implementation Team developed recruitment activities such as a website, media advertisements, and community-based events to attract potential foster parents.