• Overview

• Internal Kids Plus Family Survey

• Deakin University

• External Evaluation

• Download Evaluation Outcomes

Overview

July 2006 - Kids Plus Foundation commenced a three stage evaluation of the Kids Plus Therapy Program. The outcomes of which are  used to measure, monitor, maintain, sustain, grow & improve the Kids Plus Therapy Program, and the Kids Plus Foundation.

Internal Kids Plus Family Survey    Downloads

An internal survey was conducted in 2006 and 2007 developed by Kids Plus, asking families about the therapy program, & family centered practice that families received from Kids Plus. 

Additional to this survey was the MPOC survey (Measure Of Process of Care for Family Centered Practice, an international benchmark tool developed by CanChild ( http://www.canchild.ca ) at McMaster University in Canada.

The MPOC results from both survey years indicated very high degrees of family centered practice for all areas of service that the program provides.

Thank you to all family participants.

Deakin University    Downloads

Deakin University undertook an Honours Project looking at "Family Perspective of a Neurodevelopment Program for Children with Cerebral Palsy & Developmental Disabilities ". Families were invited to join in focus groups or to be involved with a telephone interview in Term 3 2006. This project also included a literature review. The project was completed at the end of 2006. A summary of the Project was written for Newsletter 6 by the author Kasey Henriksen, B.OccThy (Hons).     Downloads

External Evaluation    Downloads

The Helen Macpherson Smith Trust have generously donated funding for an external evaluation of the Therapy Program. as part of the long term sustainability planning for the Kid Plus Therapy Program.

The objective of this project was an independent evaluation of the Kids Plus therapy service, process & outcomes as a means of describing, understanding & validating the therapy model, in order to:

. Facilitate ongoing sustainable funding & expansion of the Kids Plus Therapy Program

. Provide a discussion paper for the Kids Plus Therapy Program

. To assist families to make informed choices

. For discussion with other agencies, health providers & government to find opportunities to enhance or improve service & choice to children & their families

. For parent groups in other regions interested in adopting the Kids Plus model

Debra Barrow & Juliet Frizzell of Effective Change ( www.effectivechange.com.au )  conducted the project, which was completed in November 2007.

“ One hundred percent of families consulted were able to provide examples of their involvement with the Kids Plus Therapy Program having made a significant impact on both their child’s capability and their own skill level and confidence. The data demonstrates that overall, children achieved or partially achieved their stated therapy goals more than 90% of the time.

Factors contributing to the achievement of therapy goals were identified as the intensive model of treatment, the skills of the therapists and the subsequent improved skill level and confidence of parents to reinforce therapy goals at home.

Subsequent to their involvement with the Program, families also reported an enhanced knowledge and understanding of their child’s abilities, greater understanding of how to best facilitate their progress and developmental needs, greater confidence in negotiating and advocating for services within the disability sector and of being clear in their interactions with other health professionals, particularly medical specialists.”

 Downloads