Using research and outcome data to improve educational services and supports for young people in care: A case study of a local children's aid society in Ontario

Poor educational outcomes for children in out-of-home care have become an increasing concern for researchers and child welfare practitioners. Data available through the Ontario Looking after Children (OnLAC) project has helped raise awareness of this issue for practitioners in the province of Ontario. This paper discusses how OnLAC data is helping to shape interventions designed to improve educational outcomes for youth-in-care in one Ontario child welfare organization. Blending ideas from Outcomes Based Accountability and a continuous feedback loop, Family and Children's Services of the Waterloo Region (FCS Waterloo) is using the research literature on key educational outcome factors and OnLAC data to focus efforts to improve educational outcomes.