Transforming Ministry of Children and Family Development’s Approach to Service Evaluation: A Jurisdictional Scan

Abstract

This jurisdictional scan was done on the province of Alberta and their usage of their OBSD framework. The methodology employed for this jurisdictional scan was to assess the information presented within various forms of literature that highlighted OBSD’s mobilization within Alberta. The literature gathered for this jurisdictional scan includes grey research, government publications, external documents developed by Children’s Services and not-for-profit based reports. No particular types of literature, documents and/or findings were intentionally excluded. Additionally, no documents that solely discussed positive or constructive aspects of OBSD were examined. Rather, any and all literature that provided clear and encompassing information as to how OBSD has fared in Alberta was included.

All information gathered within this jurisdictional scan has been done in order to better determine the following enquiries: 1) What theoretical constructs underpin OBSD’s formulation and implementation 2) Why OBSD was implemented and how does it operate in addressing critical gaps within Children’ Services strategic goals 3) How OBSD meets the needs of diverse sub-populations within child welfare, as well as dismantle the ongoing impacts of colonization amongst Indigenous Peoples if at all 4) What discrepancies, concerns or challenges exist with either the OBSD model itself and/or its process of integration within Children’s Services and 5) How has OBSD evolved into Collaborative Service Delivery (CSD) since its initial conception.

With these smaller directives outlined, the overarching goals of this jurisdictional scan are two-fold. The first goal was to deepen the themes and findings first discovered within the literature review, and the second goal was to present newfound information that is relative to OBSD’s performance and current status within Alberta. Together, these outputs would help provide the Ministry of Child and Family Development (MCFD) a clearer understanding on OBSD within the province of Alberta.