Diversitydatakids.Org: Using Data for an Equity Approach in Social Work Research and Practice

Workshop Content Overview. This workshop will focus on applications of diversitydatakids.org for social work research, practice, and policy. Primarily, we will focus on the Child Opportunity Index to explore questions focused on children's access to opportunity by race/ethnicity.

How Workshop Content will be Addressed. In this workshop, researchers and policy analysts will share insights, examples, and practical tips for using diversitydatakids.org to accomplish two main goals: 1) Conceptualize and test hypotheses about child opportunity by race/ethnicity, and 2) Effectively use end results. Children's opportunity is shaped by many factors, including race/ethnicity, immigration status, poverty and where they live. The diversitydatakids.org Child Opportunity Index maps the geographic distribution of neighborhood-based opportunity for children in the U.S.'s 100 largest metro areas. The site also houses a variety of indicators for diverse populations by various geographic levels (e.g. state, county, school district) and demographic characteristics (e.g. race/ethnicity, immigrant, gender, family structure). Indicators are also available for essential policies, including early child care education and the Family Medical Leave Act. The breadth and depth of the information available at diversitydatakids.org and elsewhere on the internet is unprecedented – and more is becoming available every day. The possibilities widely available can be harnessed so that social work research and practice is best equipped to influence program and policy design that serves and engages vulnerable populations. However, the potential of the enormous expansion of data points/indicators to contribute to better programs, policies, and policymaking depends on: 1) researchers', practitioners', and policymakers' awareness of the types of indicators available, 2) how easy the indicators are to use (the user friendliness of the websites), the quality of the methods to generate them, and openness of that process, and 3) researchers', practitioners', and policymakers' understanding of how to use, present, display, and share indicators to enhance/contribute to research, practice, and policy debates and decisions.

The goal of this workshop is to increase the use and usefulness/impact of such data projects for social work. We aim to present, model, and practice how to conceptualize and test hypotheses and explain results that enhance social work research, program, and policy design. We will primarily highlight the Child Opportunity Index as well as the importance of focusing on subgroups to use and understand the Index. We will also showcase other indicator websites available and discuss smart consumption of indicators (i.e. measurement issues, suppression rules and other technical documentation). Finally, we will provide examples of how others have used the Index and related indicators to advocate for children's opportunity.

Proposed Workshop Session Agenda, Pedagogical Techniques, and Objectives. 1) Welcome & Introduction (objective: present purpose) 2) diversitydatakids.org General Orientation (objective: present site capabilities) 3) Site Demonstration: Child Opportunity Index (objective: model using specific aspect of site to conceptualize and test hypotheses) 4) Apply Learnings: Child Opportunity Index and related features (objective: participants practice conceptualizing and testing a hypothesis; explaining end results) 5) Questions & Discussion