Center for Tribes (CBCT) Tribal Child Welfare Jurisdiction Staff Focus Groups

Tribal Child Welfare Staff Interview/Focus Group Guide (Center for Tribes instrument)

OMB #: 0970-0576

Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT OF 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13) STATEMENT OF PUBLIC BURDEN: This collection of information will be used to assess factors associated with outcomes of tailored services received by tribal child welfare staff from the Center for Tribes. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 60 minutes if this instrument is administered as an individual interview, or 90 minutes if administered as a focus group with multiple respondents, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and reviewing the collection of information. This is a voluntary collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number and expiration date for this collection are OMB #: 0970-0576, Exp: XX/XX/XXXX. If you have any comments on this collection of information, please contact Roshanda Shoulders, ACF, Administration on Children, Youth and Families by e-mail at Roshanda.Shoulders@ACF.hhs.gov.

Questions for Tribal Child Welfare Program Staff Involved in Tailored Services

Purpose: The Tailored Services evaluation focuses on how the Center’s services are provided and seeks to better understand:

1. Which strategies and contextual factors are associated with achievement of Tribal child welfare work plan goals,

2. How to effectively build capacity of Tribal child welfare programs to use data to inform decision-making and conduct their own CQI and evaluation efforts, and

3. Whether Tribal child welfare programs experience increases in program capacity or changes in policies, practices, or programming as a result of Tailored Services.

Upon the completion of the work included in a Work Plan, the Center for Tribes’ evaluator will conduct interviews or focus groups with the Tribal child welfare Director and other key staff involved in the Tailored Services Project or Consultation.

The Capacity Building Center for Tribes will use the feedback gathered through these interviews/focus groups to continue improving the quality of the services provided for tribal child welfare programs.

Evaluator Instructions:

• These questions should be asked of TCWP staff after the completion of a Work Plan for Tailored Services (both Consultations and Projects).

• The questions are listed in order of importance (most important questions first) and with attention to interview flow. Therefore, evaluator should ask them in that order as much as possible while remaining flexible and responsive to interviewee(s).

• Evaluator should confirm interviewee(s) received the Information Sheet and ask whether they have any questions or concerns before beginning the interview/focus group.

• Evaluator should list below the goals, outcomes, and steps from Work Plan and review them with the interviewee(s) prior to conducting this interview or focus group.

• The list of goals, outcomes, and steps from the Work Plan should also be included along with the interview questions and Information Sheet that are sent to interviewees prior to the interview so they have a chance to prepare.

Overview of [specific Tribe] Project

• Goal:

• Short-Term Outcome

• Long-Term Outcome:

• Steps to achieve goal:

Evaluator Instructions: When conducting virtual interviews/focus groups, remember to give participants the option to provide feedback via the chat. Evaluator should monitor and read chat comments aloud to the group when they are sent.

Interview/Focus Group Questions

1. What challenges or opportunities made you want to start or be involved in the [specific project]?

2. What was your experience like working with the Center for Tribes on [specific project]?

Follow-up questions if not addressed during initial response:

1. Was working with the Center for Tribes on [specific project] what you expected? How so?

2. Are there any stand-out moments when you reflect on working with the Center for Tribes on [specific project]?

3. What are you proud of in regards to the [specific project]?

Evaluator Instructions: Mention to interviewee(s) that they can respond to the following question at any point during the interview as they may think of additional responses later on as we cover other topics.

3. What can the Center for Tribes do better?

Potential topics to expand upon:

1. Build relationships

2. Agency (feeling like the process was in your control or out of your hands)

3. Slow down, speed up, or clarify process

4. Scheduling

5. Accessibility of services

6. Trauma-informed approach

7. Strengths-based approach

8. Evaluation support

Evaluator Instructions: Pause here and inform interviewee(s) that the responses to the following question will be shared with the Cross-center Evaluator as stated in the Information Sheet.

4. What outcomes do you think were a result of [specific project]?

Follow-up questions

1. How has your TCWP’s capacity around [specific project] changed? How do you know?

2. To what extend would you say working with the Center for Tribes helped improve your TCWP’s capacity/practices)?

3. What was it about working with the Center for Tribes that helped you improve organizational capacity (OR....that helped you change practices)?

4. Aside from the Center for Tribes, what else do you think contributed to achieving these outcomes or practice changes?

5. How have the process and the outcomes of [specific project] impacted you, your program, or community?

Evaluator Instructions: Pause here and inform interviewee(s) that the responses to the remaining questions will NOT be shared with the Cross-center Evaluator.

5. In what ways did the Center for Tribes promote the following when working with [specific Tribe]?

1. Respect for Tribal sovereignty

2. Building relationships

3. Collaboration and communication

4. Understanding your community’s context

5. Using a trauma-informed approach?

6. Using a strengths-based approach?

6. What was easier to accomplish in the [specific project]? Why?

Potential topics to expand upon:

7. Relationships: internal, external

8. Levels: Intra-agency, interagency, CBCT, Tribal Leadership, Community, etc.

9. Factors: Communication, timeliness, workforce, funding, COVID, etc.

7. What challenges should the Center for Tribes be ready to assist TCWPs with to accomplish a project like the [specific project]?

Potential topics to expand upon:

10. Relationships: internal, external

11. Levels: Intra-agency, interagency, CBCT, Tribal Leadership, Community, etc.

12. Factors: Communication, timeliness, workforce, funding, COVID, etc.

8. Has [specific nation] been involved in other Center services? If so, how has your involvement in [specific service] impacted your work in [specific project]?

Evaluator Instructions: If running short on time, the following questions can be skipped.

9. Are there other Center for Tribes services you would be interested in?

Examples:

13. Tribal Child Welfare Leadership Academy

14. Tribal Child Welfare Practice Paths

15. Peer Groups

16. Universal Services webinars, products, and tools

10. Is there anything else you would like to share or clarify?

11. Do you have any ideas or suggestions as to how we can share our results from these discussions with [specific Tribe] in a useful way? For example, briefs/reports, presentations, discussion of findings, sharing with others, etc.