Practical Magic: Understanding Lived Experience Through Data

One of the most vexing questions in child abuse intervention is: How do we know that the work we do makes a difference? We can count the number of kids we serve and the services we provide, but how do we know this actually makes a meaningful difference in the quality of the multidisciplinary team response and to the children and families we serve every single day?We speak with Seth Boughton, director of data and innovative techniques at the Ohio Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers, about how we measure the impact of our work. Our Outcome Measurement System, started a decade ago by the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas includes caregiver feedback surveys, multidisciplinary team surveys, and youth feedback surveys. In the wake of our recent report, Healing, Justice, and Trust, we take stock of what we know about children’s and families’ outcomes, and further areas to explore.Topics in this episode:Origin story (2:02)Practical uses for data (3:45)Outcome Measurement System (6:39)Turning our assumptions on their heads (10:54)Benchmarks and their uses (15:29)ChildSafe (18:05)Using data with partner agencies (25:38)Future research needed (30:02)For more information (45:31)Links:Seth Boughton, MSW, is director of data and innovative techniques at the Ohio Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers. He previously served as a research intern at National Children’s Alliance and still consults with NCA from time to time, including on the 2022 edition of our Healing, Justice, and Trust report.Healing, Justice, and Trust 2022, a public version of the 2022 report. is available on our website; NCA members can access the member version with detailed data on NCA Engage; an Engage account is required.Outcome Measurement SystemChildren’s Advocacy Centers of TexasCAC Census; some materials are for members and partners only E3 program, Enhance Early EngagementTF-CBT, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral TherapyEMDR, eye movement desensitization and reprocessingCACs and MDTs, Children’s Advocacy Centers and multidisciplinary teamsChildSafe San Antonio story from NCA’s 2021 Annual ReportMSW programs, master of social workNIJ, National Institute of JusticeNCMEC, National Center for Missing & Exploited ChildrenEyes Up AppalachiaSACWIS, Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information SystemSupport the showDid you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.