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Current Research and Evaluation
Computer Technology Education Project
Which Side of the Digital Divide?
Information Technology Needs of Families Involved with Child Welfare
In this burgeoning Information Age, successful transitions to self-sufficient and satisfying adulthood are increasingly dependent upon developing technological literacy that will facilitate advanced education and integration into the evolving workforce. Since the web explosion of the 1990's, there has been considerable concern that many children and families are lagging behind the leading edge of technology access and use. In fact, many of the characteristics associated with falling behind are found in greater concentrations among the children and families involved with the Child Welfare system.
Casey Family Services has been providing long-term foster care and family-based child welfare services to youth in New England since 1976. Promoting successful transitions into adulthood constitutes a central goal for Casey programs. On behalf of a steering committee that includes agency practice staff, administrators and consumers, the Research and Evaluation Department conducted a Needs Assessment and a Community Resource Scan to help plan a pilot program aiming to alleviate the negative impact of today's Digital Divide.
Needs Assessment- Foster Care: In order to better understand the needs of foster children and families currently working with the division's Treatment and Long Term Foster Care programs, a Needs Assessment involving parent and teen interviews was conducted in the summer of 2000. Click on the PDF file above, Foster Care Program Needs Assessment, to read the report.
Community Resource Scan: A snowball sampling method was used to identify other efforts directed at enhancing computer literacy in the community. Telephone interviews were conducted with key informants from local schools, Institutes of Higher Learning, Public Libraries, State agencies and community centers both to learn about perceived needs and potential opportunities for collaboration. Click on the PDF file above, Computer and Technical Resources in Greater Bridgeport, to read the report.
Pilot Program Evaluation: The July 2001 launch of the pilot program also marks the beginning of the implementation and outcome evaluation. Please return to this site in the near future for updates including on the results and lessons learned from the pilot study.
For further information, please contact Ben Kerman, Ph.D., Research Associate (bkerman@caseyfamilyservices.org).
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Needs Assessment of Family-based Program
March 13, 2001
This brief describes a series of needs assessment interviews with parents and youth from the Family Connections (FCON) program. Data was available for approximately 80% of the families served.
Computer technology education is important to the Family Connections families, particularly to the children growing up within.
- On a 5-point scale (1 = "not at all" to 5 = "extremely"), parents (N=22) rated the importance of computer education for themselves at 4.0 (mean). They rated the importance for their children slightly higher at 4.6.
- Youth (N=7) also rated importance for themselves at 4.6
FCON families do not have enough access to computer technology.
- Of the 19 families surveyed, 6 (32%) had computers in the home.
- Eleven of the 19 families surveyed (59%) reported not enough computer access and of these 11, only 1 family reported that something was being done to address the problem.
Parents indicate that most children (98%) have been exposed to computers, but use is limited.
- Most typical computer uses include: games (64%), art projects (39%), educational programs (34%), word processing (27%), and school projects (27%)
- Very few youth use the Internet: web navigation (16%), and e-mail (11%).
FCON families are eager for additional support programs.
- Few parents and children feel that they can do everything they want with (14% and 29%, respectively).
- Few parents (39%) and children (29%) report knowing a potential computer mentor
- Only one family reports that something is being done to address their access needs.
- Parents and youth considered themselves "Somewhat" to "Very" likely to participate in all listed opportunities for increased access and training. Top ratings were given by parents to youth classes and parent classes; youth gave top ratings to computer grants and borrowing programs.
Implications
- Many of the needs identified by the FCON parents parallel those noted by foster parents, but appear even more widespread (e.g., 85% of the foster homes have computers; 80% of both foster parents and foster children know of possible mentors).
- FCON parents may have significant foundation skill needs in order to support their children's use of home computers.
- In addition to foster parents, it would be helpful to include FCON parents when designing supportive activities.
- This summary does not include families who were not available during the data collections period. Although 80% reflects a high response rate, it is possible that the other families would demonstrate different needs.
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