What is it.
Collecting consistent data across CYACs helps to reveal child abuse trends, highlight areas for ongoing improvement, guide service innovation, and inform practice directions for CYACs. This study highlights the need to collect consistent data to improve service delivery and strengthen programming that supports children, youth, and families who have experienced abuse. The authors describe a collaborative approach used by the Alberta Network of CYACs to co-develop a theory of change, minimum dataset, and core outcomes to guide consistent data collection and evaluation at CYACs across Alberta. This article shows how utilizing consistent, high-quality data can support CYACs in demonstrating immediate and long-term outcomes related to safety, justice, and healing for children, youth, and families. This study describes the minimum dataset and associated data collection points as well as offers practical guidance to strengthen data collection practice.
How can it help me?
Collecting high-quality data on outcomes for children, youth, and families, provide CYACs with concrete information to advocate for environmental change and to influence policy and programs to improve outcomes for children, youth, and families impacted by abuse. Case tracking is one of the 10 National Guidelines outlining ways of working for Canadian CYACs. The information presented in this study, and associated minimum dataset, align with the case tracking guideline, a necessary foundation to good CYAC practice. The theory of change and minimum dataset can help multidisciplinary team partners in understanding the purpose behind high-quality data collection, while providing clear guidance on what data to collect and how to do so. This study can support both established CYACs as well as CYACs in development, as they establish policies and procedures. Ultimately, enhanced data collection practices across CYACs can lead to a better understanding of abuse, needs of victims, and of the safety, justice, and healing outcomes experienced by children, youth, and their families.