Workforce ICR - Appendix A_NSCAW III Phase II Research Questions

NSCAW III Research Questions

NSCAW III Phase II research questions and the corresponding instruments and data sources are listed in Table 1.

Table 1. Research Questions and Corresponding Instruments/Data Sources

NSCAW III Research Questions	Population estimates	Group comparisons/ bivariate correlations	Multivariate models	Change analyses	Constructs	Potential Respondents of Data Sources	Potential Data Collection instrument, measure or items
Who are the children and families who come into contact with the CWS in 2017–2018?	✔				Safety, permanency, well-being	Caseworker Child Caregiver NCANDS	Child/Caregiver household roster; caseworker risk assessment; NCANDS maltreatment variables
To what extent are children entering the CWS via pathways other than a maltreatment investigation or assessment? What are their characteristics?	✔	✔			Child welfare practice	Caseworker NCANDS	Caseworker case investigation module; caseworker risk assessment module; NCANDS maltreatment variables
What are the socioemotional, behavioral, cognitive, and developmental well-being outcomes of children involved with the CWS?	✔	✔			Well-being	Child Caregiver Caseworker	Child assessments (Battelle Developmental Inventory; Woodcock-Johnson; Kaufmann Brief Intelligence Test; Preschool Language Scales); Child Behavior Checklist/Youth Self-Report; Child self-report of self-esteem, peer relations, school engagement
To what extent are children receiving mental health, psychotropic medications (including polypharmacy), and other services covered by Medicaid?	✔	✔	✔		Mental health treatment: Psychotropic medication	Caregiver Medicaid data	Health insurance coverage items; Child Health & Services module; Medicaid behavioral health and medication service receipt variables
What are the predictors of permanency and well-being outcomes for older youth who enter the CWS?			✔		Permanency and well-being; out-of-home placement	Caseworker Child Caregiver AFCARS	Caseworker risk assessment and services to child/family modules; AFCARS placement history variables; Child Behavior Checklist/Youth Self-Report; Trauma Symptoms Checklist; Questionnaire for Identifying Children with Chronic Conditions-Revised (QUICC-R); Child Health and Services module; delinquency
What are the predictors of a successful transition to adulthood and other outcomes for youth aging out of foster care?			✔	✔	Young adult well-being; permanency	Young adult Caseworker AFCARS	Caseworker risk assessment and services to child/family modules; AFCARS placement history variables; Young Adult Self-Report; Trauma Symptoms Checklist; Child Health and Services module; Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN) substance abuse subscales; Independent Living Skills module
To what extent are developmental risks among infants being identified and addressed?	✔		✔		Young child well-being; child welfare practice	Child Caregiver Caseworker	Bayley Infant Neurodevelopmental Screener (BINS); Preschool Language Scales; Brief Toddler Social Emotional Assessment; Caseworker risk assessment; Caseworker services to child/family

NSCAW III Research Questions	Population estimates	Group comparisons/ bivariate correlations	Multivariate models	Change analyses	Constructs	Potential Respondents of Data Sources	Potential Data Collection instrument, measure or items
To what extent do economic resources and family context play a role in CWS processes and determinations and in child and family outcomes?			✔	✔	Family and neighborhood environment; child welfare practice; child and family well-being	Caregiver Caseworker Child	Household income and resources items; Philadelphia Family Management Study neighborhood factors scale; Conflict Tactics Scale; Caseworker risk assessment; Child health and services (caseworker and caregiver report)
How do aspects of out-of-home placement (e.g., placement type, subsidies, and licensure) influence child outcomes?			✔	✔	Permanency, child well-being	Caseworker AFCARS Child Caregiver	Caseworker and caregiver permanency planning modules; caseworker living environment; AFCARS placement history variables; child health and services module; adoption module for foster parents; Child Behavior Checklist/Youth Self-Report; school engagement; Academic Achievement (Woodcock-Johnson)