Restrictiveness as a placement outcome indicator: A case-level example

Abstract

Accountability demands in the social services sector have focused attention on outcomes. As long as evaluation focuses on process, there may be little incentive, or indication of need, to alter and improve practice. Although there is no widely agreed-on definition of successful outcome in the placement of children, it is necessary to proceed with the development of a continuum of outcome measures. The challenge is to develop manageable, valid, and reliable multidimensional outcome measures. One quantifiable indicator of intermediate and final outcomes is the restrictiveness of a child's living environment. A recently developed instrument, the Children's Restrictiveness of Living Environments Instrument (CRLE), will assist practitioners in quantitatively synthesizing placement information and providing feedback on children's placement outcomes. This article describes, through a case example, the use of the CRLE.