Models of Parent Representation Study

Funded by Casey Family Programs and in partnership with the New York University School of Law, I led Action Research’s 4-year study to understand different models of parent representation.  Lawyers for parents are essential to ensure justice in child welfare court cases, yet few studies examine the effects of parent representation on child welfare outcomes. The first of its kind in New York City, the study compares the outcomes associated with different models of parent legal representation in the New York City Family Court and seeks to understand the processes that contribute to these outcomes, to expand best practice nationally.  The evaluation takes a mixed-methods approach, using propensity score matching and other statistical techniques to compare quantitative outcomes as well as 60+ interviews with parents, court staff, attorneys, and other key stakeholders to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the different models.

As part of this work ongoing since 2016, I designed our interview questionnaires, consent forms, and recruiting protocols; crafted the quantitative study design; and completed 7 rounds of research review committees. The team I led—including myself, an analyst, an administrative assistant, and 3 law school students—successfully conducted 40+ interviews with attorneys and judges and 20+ interviews with parents. On the quantitative part of the study, I built the dataset using SQL and conducted the propensity score matching using Stata. Throughout, I have partnered with key stakeholders and funders to gather input at all stages of the project.

We presented the findings at the Association of Public Policy Analysis & Management (APPAM) 2018 Fall Research Conference. The quantitative findings were published as “Effects of an interdisciplinary approach to parental representation in child welfare” in Children and Youth Services Review. Read media coverage in the Chronicle of Social Change, the American Bar Association’s Child Law Practice Today, and the New York Law Journal.