Memo - FSW Cognitive Interviews 24oct13

Memo

To:	OMB
From:	OPRE
Subject:	FPRQ Quality Family Service Worker Survey
Date:	October 25, 2013

As part of the development of a measurement tool to assess relationships between families and providers of early care and education for children aged birth to five years we propose testing and developing a survey specifically for Head Start Family Service Workers (FSW). This memo describes how the items on the FSW survey were developed.

The items on the FSW survey were developed based in large part on the Family Provider Relationship Quality (FPRQ) Provider Survey. In some cases, survey items were revised slightly to increase applicability to FSWs given their roles and responsibilities as described in Head Start legislative mandates and other public policy documents as well as academic research. For example, the provider survey item “I am open to using information on new and better ways to teach and care for children,” was revised to read: “I am open to using information on new and better ways to assist parents and children.”Another example the provider survey item “I teach and care for children because I like being around children,” was revised to read: “I work as a Family Service Worker because I like helping children and families reach their goals.” The FSW survey also includes a small number of questions from the FPRQ Director Survey to collect information on the services FSW may be providing directly to families. For example, the director item “Since September, have you given any family information about…food pantries,” was included in the FSW survey.

Additionally, we added 14 questions in order to: capture the unique role of FSWs (4 items), measure cultural sensitivity (6 items), and understand background information about FSW that may impact the relationships they have with families (4 items). Please see table below for new questions.

Family Service Worker Survey New Items

Survey Number	Item Wording	Reason for adding
3F	How often are you able to do the following?... Take parents’ values and culture into account when serving them	Cultural Sensitivity
4A	I am open to using information on new and better ways to assist parents and children	Specific Role of FSW
4C	My goal is to help parents reach their full potential	Specific Role of FSW
5C	Sometimes it is hard for me to accept the different cultural beliefs of parents	Cultural Sensitivity
5F	Sometimes it is hard for me to not look down on parents because of the choices they make	Cultural Sensitivity
8D	Part of my job is to…Learn the values and beliefs of the families I serve.	Cultural Sensitivity
8G	Part of my job is to… Be aware of barriers families may face because of their ethnic or cultural background	Cultural Sensitivity
8J	Part of my job is to… Help parents reach their goals	Specific Role of FSW
8K	Part of my job is to… Help parents learn skills needed to succeed	Specific Role of FSW
8L	Part of my job is to… Consider how culture shapes the way I should approach my work with families	Cultural Sensitivity
14	How many families do you on average or typically serve?	Background information
15	On average, how many centers do you serve?	Background information
16	How many years have you worked as a Family Service Worker?	Background information
17	Have you ever had a child enrolled in a Head Start program?	Background information

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