Marrying casework and research: the development of an evaluation model in a family support service

This article is a reflective account of a three-year evaluation project completed in 1989 at Alys Key Family Care, a Melbourne-based family support and development agency. While there has been a pause in formal research activity within the agency, new studies are about to commence. Staff are currently looking back on the evaluation framework set in place during the service's Demonstration project and considering many issues and questions which will shape the next phase of research. It seems an appropriate time to review the initial evaluation structure and to share our thoughts with others embarking on the task of formal accountability programs. Detailed research findings are not outlined in this paper, with the emphasis instead being on the development of an evaluation structure within a casework setting, designed to address complex questions of service effectiveness with high-risk families.