Premises of Self-Evaluation
Self-evaluation seeks to address a number of shortcomings of traditional approaches to evaluation, including the adversarial relationship between evaluators and those involved in programs being evaluated. It grows out of the need for accountability in a governmental system that increasingly emphasizes local control and autonomy, a context not well-suited to an experimental paradigm that would have to rely on research funding from the Children's Bureau or NIH. It also acknowledges the limited evidence base that exists for most child welfare practices and emphasizes the need for rigorous evaluation by local agencies. The following articles expand on these issues:
Usher, C.L. (1995). Improving evaluability through self-evaluation. Evaluation Practice (now the American Journal of Evaluation), 16 (1), 59-68.
Usher, C.L. & Wildfire, J.B. (2003). Evidenced-based practice in community-based child welfare systems. Child Welfare, 82, 597-614.
