New Survey Tool Measures Relationship Impact, Youth Lived Experience

Hoping to learn more from the lived experiences of the youth we serve - along with our staff and community partners who work closest with them - Franklin County Children Services is teaming up with Partnership 4 Success (P4S) to pilot a new Developmental Relationships Survey.

Simply put, this DR Survey is designed to measure the collective impact our system is having in supporting the “whole” needs of children and teens in our care.

“I’m excited for us to use the Developmental Relationship Survey because it shines a light on the heart of our work: the relationships we build everyday with children and families,” shared Emily Green, our Family Services Director for Screening, Intake, Ongoing, and Provider Services. 

Developmental Relationships are the close connections we create with others which help to shape our lives and teach us to engage with and contribute to the world around us. The national Search Institute has identified 5 elements that make relationships impactful, including how a person:

  • Expresses Care
  • Challenges Growth
  • Provides Support
  • Shares Power
  • Expands Possibilities

The FCCS x P4S DR Survey measures these 5 elements by asking questions of the young people and service providers in their lives. The survey results will allow us to better measure the collective impact of our ecosystem (by group, system, or community-wide) and better understand the youth experience… all of which will help us improve outcomes for our youth.

“This tool will help us see the impact of those connections, celebrate our strengths, and grow even stronger together in living out our mission,” added Ms. Green.

The FCCS x P4S DR Survey launched first with select teams in the Ongoing & Permanency Divisions and with the Volunteers Department. The survey is being completed by both the youth and their caseworker or FCCS-assigned mentor.

Right now, the survey is only for children in at least 4th grade (approximately 9 years old or older), who are able to read and comprehend the survey questionnaire.

At the same time as our youth and caseworkers are completing these surveys, the P4S team is coordinating with several FCCS community partners to implement the same survey of the youth they serve and their caseworkers and service-providing staff.  

Ms. Green pointed out that this new initiative aligns perfectly with our Calls to Action on Protecting the Whole Child and Engaging our Community Authentically, specifically our efforts to promote an Ecosystem of Community Partners across a diverse field of services to wrap-around our families and address their true needs.

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