Summer 2019 Advanced Analytics for Illinois Child Welfare Administrators
Chapin Hall and the Center for State Child Welfare Data are pleased to offer Advanced Analytics for Child Welfare Administration from June 17-19, 2019 in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Due to popular demand, we have designed this particular iteration of the course specifically for members of the Illinois child welfare community. The class is designed expressly to help public and private agency managers build skills in using administrative data to make informed policy and practice decisions and improve outcomes for the children and families in their care.
Who should take Advanced Analytics?
This course is designed for public and private agency child welfare managers who work directly with information resources and who are in a position to influence the use of information in their organization. The course is targeted specifically to those in leadership positions who are empowered to facilitate best practices in measurement and evidence-based decision making within their child welfare agencies.
Advanced Analytics is not an introductory course. Registrants should have at least a basic understanding of data analysis in order to benefit from the material. For example, registrants should have experience interpreting quantitative performance reports and should have a grasp of how quantitative performance indicators are crafted (i.e., the selection of numerators and denominators). Registrants should also have a basic understanding of how administrative child welfare databases are constructed (e.g., child records containing variables that describe characteristics of those children and their experiences in care).
Participants accepted for the Advanced Analytics course will be asked to participate in a one hour pre-course webinar where they will be exposed to the FCDA web tool. This tool will frequently be used during the course.
What will I learn in Advanced Analytics?
The course covers best practices in performance measurement in child welfare. Participants will learn not only how to identify and conduct analyses required to fuel the Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) process, but also how to recognize typical pitfalls that lead to the incorrect use of administrative data. During the course, each lesson draws explicit links between analytic concepts and techniques and their real world implications for performance monitoring and CQI decision making. To promote skill-building, participants work through in-class group exercises, complete independent homework assignments, and meet one-on-one with course instructors.
What policy and practice applications are explored in Advanced Analytics?
The course applies techniques for transforming data into evidence to a variety of policy and practice topics, including:
- The role of evidence in the Continuous Quality Improvement process
- Thinking systematically about child welfare performance: from investigations to permanency
- Effective reporting and communication of child welfare outcomes
- Developing baseline and target expectations to test the effect of innovation
- Understanding racial disparities
What other details do I need to know?
Dates: June 17-19, 2019
Location: Glen Ellyn DCFS Office, 800 Roosevelt Rd., Bldg D, Ste 10, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
Food/Meals: Daily snacks, beverages, breakfast, and lunch provided
Other: Participants will also be asked to participate in a pre-course introductory webinar, to be held on June 12, 2019 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. CST.
How do I register for Advanced Analytics?
Interested participants must pre-register HERE. This course is particularly appropriate for registrants who are in a position to shape the process and use of data analysis at their agencies. Space is limited — the course can accommodate 20 participants. Pre-registrants will be notified by email on or before June 6th to indicate if they have been successfully registered. If you have pre-registered, that serves as our indication that you plan to attend the full three-day course.
Pre-registration forms for the class are due June 5th by 5:00 p.m. CST.
Please fill out the online pre-registration form HERE.
Download additional materials:
– Course information flyer
Course attendees will have their full tuition paid, and meals during class time will be provided. Expenses for travel, lodging, ground transportation, and all other meals are the responsibility of the student.
For more information about the course, contact the Advanced Analytics team at analytics@chapinhall.org.