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The interviews explored how people understood the mandate, mission, philosophy, scope and structure of their program; each participant’s role within the program; participants’ experiences relating to the program having paid and volunteer visitors; the strengths and challenges of the mixed-delivery approach; and how participants dealt with the challenges (see Appendix H: Interview Guide). The interviews with long-serving staff and volunteers also covered the internal and external factors that had influenced the program over time. The interviews were semi-structured, allowing me to make sure a range of topics were covered, but at the same time, ensuring participants had the time and space to reflect upon various aspects of their work, share freely, and go into detail as required. I tried to provide sufficient time and space to allow for the transition from the everyday work of ‘doing’ to the deeper work of being and reflecting; to begin to develop a rapport that would allow participants to speak openly and authentically; and ultimately, to facilitate the exploration and sharing of the richness of participants’ experience and insight (Kirby & McKenna, 1989). Once I began conducting the interviews, it became clear that participants had a great deal of relevant information to share that was directly related to the research questions. I quickly determined that those interview questions not absolutely central to the research questions had to be eliminated, as the amount of time required of participants would have become unreasonable, and ultimately, the amount of data collected would have been unmanageable. Indeed, the three managers’ interviews were very long precisely because I asked both the ‘core’ research questions and a number of contextual and historical questions. One of the interview questions that I removed was originally part of Case Description Question A (Section 5.2, page 63). Question A pertained to each program’s mandate, mission, philosophy, role, scope, and structure, and the services provided. Although I had also planned to ask participants, “What are the roles, if any, of empowerment and/or social change efforts in your program?” I had to abandon this 87
question. While participants from one program spoke of the importance of their program-wide empowerment approach, no participants specifically named social change efforts as an example of their program’s work. The data collection process, and the interviews in particular, did make room for what Stake calls “late-emerging issues” (Stake, 2005, p. 453). Limiting the analysis and discussion to a predetermined outline of themes runs counter to the desire to hear what participants have to say; rather, one interview should inform the next. Thus, the structure, process, and tone of the interviews encouraged the naming and exploration of relevant new issues, right up until the end of the data collection. 5.10 DATA ANALYSIS Through this study, I aimed to develop a rich description of these programs, which would give voice to their existence, and provide insight into their dynamics, strengths, and challenges. Drawing from my own professional experience and theoretical perspective, and my review of the literature, I began the study with some ideas and questions about home visiting programs. I collected data based in part on these ideas and questions, and also on the issues raised by participants during the interviews. Data analysis commenced with the collection of the first pieces of data; that is, ideas and issues were identified throughout the data collection process, allowing for additional relevant issues to be included in subsequent interviews. This was followed by thematic analysis of the data, outlined below. Once the interviews and review of agency documents began, I compiled reflective memos, paying attention to my own role as researcher and my influence on the project and on participants, as well as my feelings, reactions, and new ideas that were brought out through the data collection process. As noted on page 84, I sent each transcript and any related interpretive notes to each participant for feedback on the accuracy of the transcription and interpretation. I then made follow-up contacts, via 88
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Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts:
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DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY DATE: 25 Novem
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TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ..
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4.4 SUMMARY .......................
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7.2.1 Identity (as perceived by par
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8.4.1 Allows for Successful Impleme
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LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Stages in th
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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS USED CMP ECD
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II. Other terms used in this thesis
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V. Gender and language in this thes
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The many colleagues, friends, neigh
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However, while my search of the lit
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daunting challenges linked to mothe
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number of volunteer home visiting p
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self-control” (Richmond, 1930, p.
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fundamental to social work” (Inte
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Parents Volunteer Service [ESP], 20
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positive role models or people who
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and the intersection of various for
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A new measure of clarity and a deep
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Finally, a growing body of literatu
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However, with the exception of this
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Despite gains in women’s equality
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2.5 THE SERVICE DELIVERY CONTEXT: V
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2.6 GETTING IT RIGHT: COUNTRIES INV
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CHAPTER 3: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
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esults, most notably from Hawai’i
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3.2 PROGRAMS WITH PAID VISITORS 3.2
Page 57 and 58: particularly those that discuss and
Page 59 and 60: with quality early childhood educat
Page 61 and 62: …the researchers limited the para
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Page 65 and 66: with a volunteer to a paid visitor
Page 67 and 68: the Board “was aware of models th
Page 69 and 70: Indeed, even in conducting the 2005
Page 71 and 72: visiting programs views a person in
Page 73 and 74: CHAPTER 4: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK He
Page 75 and 76: wages, instability, and unpredictab
Page 77 and 78: home visiting programs vary tremend
Page 79 and 80: they are experiencing (and internal
Page 81 and 82: & Dubus, 2005). Women’s partners
Page 83 and 84: children, hampering their ability t
Page 85 and 86: C. What external and internal facto
Page 87 and 88: often include observation, observat
Page 89 and 90: 1. In two of the study programs, th
Page 91 and 92: useful to those who want to learn m
Page 93 and 94: study. While I went into the study
Page 95 and 96: it would be necessary to omit detai
Page 97 and 98: Between February 2007 to April 2010
Page 99 and 100: 5.7.2 Contacting Eligible Programs
Page 101 and 102: 5.7.4 Confirming Agency Participati
Page 103 and 104: eadily confirmed that this was the
Page 105 and 106: A report’s ability to allow reade
Page 107: I also asked each Agency Contact Pe
Page 111 and 112: CHAPTER 6: DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAMS
Page 113 and 114: In the 12 local areas where it oper
Page 115 and 116: and take onboard this Programme, to
Page 117 and 118: volunteer explained: “You know, e
Page 119 and 120: thought that the work could be cont
Page 121 and 122: equires an unusually high level of
Page 123 and 124: partnership is larger-scale, and mo
Page 125 and 126: The Utah County Health Department n
Page 127 and 128: oader goal of developing a multifac
Page 129 and 130: order to help families get the supp
Page 131 and 132: needs and concerns range from the s
Page 133 and 134: Our range of socially inclusive ear
Page 135 and 136: egarding one’s concerns, and addr
Page 137 and 138: ‘Gateway,’ to serve families an
Page 139 and 140: provided parents with extensive inf
Page 141 and 142: Eight staff were interviewed. Four
Page 143 and 144: 7.1 OVERVIEW OF FINDINGS Participan
Page 145 and 146: Table 3: Responsibilities of paid s
Page 147 and 148: of the other, allowing each to acco
Page 149 and 150: the following sections, it was the
Page 151 and 152: employed by a health or social agen
Page 153 and 154: that front-line staff members be pu
Page 155 and 156: wasn't breastfeeding, [staff member
Page 157 and 158: One volunteer explained that “If
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manager could “be very flexible a
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all families, regardless of socio-e
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In all three programs, if a family
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Researcher’s reflection These pro
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7.5 INCREASED COST-EFFECTIVENESS Se
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the volunteers consistently express
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There have been huge spin-offs for
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7.6.2 Orientated New Staff to the R
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exactly what I am doing.” This kn
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them to hone, maintain and pass on
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have to ‘refer out,’ some famil
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In comparison, Good Beginnings Aust
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The manager stressed that the progr
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Staff Members’ Work with Vulnerab
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and passionate, I have included the
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program as a whole, vis-a-vis havin
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esidual system, eligibility criteri
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post-partum home visit or telephone
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Ironically, as documented in the Go
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A Lack of Attention to Prevention A
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Further, had health authorities inv
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prioritize which families to serve
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program], would it be possible? I d
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that ... the resources would come t
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[good] ... I could see that.” The
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7.14.2 Managing Mixed-Delivery Prog
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One manager reflected that ‘meldi
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I. Programs could put to use, in co
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A staff member may have taken over
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expanding the number of families se
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countries in question, as a widespr
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Further, given that volunteer recru
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acts as a vehicle for starting disc
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services. However, participants fro
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for some families, particularly tho
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experienced paid staff member; volu
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these families, a disproportionate
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whereby those most at risk, and tho
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Indeed, through my correspondence a
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programs. The findings were filtere
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However, given the funding challeng
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8.7.4 Directions for Future Researc
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7. How is volunteer home visiting v
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CHAPTER 9: CONCLUSION In this chapt
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9.2 OVERVIEW: CHALLENGES OF MIXED-D
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Those considering such an approach
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likely to engage and maintain invol
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their parenting priorities; and by
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and for the future (Acton, 2005). F
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Bryce, H. (2000, August). Northern
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DePoy, E., & Gitlin, L. N. (1998).
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Heckman, J., & Carneiro, P. (2003,
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Matusicky, C., & Russell, C. C. (20
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Parents as Teachers (n.d.). Support
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The Benevolent Society (2009, Octob
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Appendix A: Introductory Letter to
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Information on Extra Support for Pa
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Continued - To be eligible to take
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Please note: The focus of this stud
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What is the purpose of this researc
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What, if anything, will we gain fro
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6. To designate an Agency Contact P
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Outline of Duties - Agency Contact
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In order to take part in this study
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Letter to eligible home visitors: I
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Appendix G: Information and Consent
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You can take part in this study if
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Confidentiality, continued: All re
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SIGNATURE PAGE (Agreement to take p
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Section I: Program History Particip
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(5F). Some questions about funding:
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5F. Some questions about funding: O
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8E. If you could change anything ab
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[Dalhousie University letterhead] A
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Program Feature Programs that parti
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