Strengthening the Action in Community Based Participatory Research Methods

Participatory action research (PAR) strategies can help create more of a collaborative approach to developing solutions to systemic problems directly impacting child welfare. PAR is an iterative cycle of research that has been used for over 80 years to understand the needs of a group by gathering context-specific information from members of a targeted community. We believe it has value in the increasingly turbulent national and local settings we all work within. PAR uses the emic process of obtaining local knowledge and gaining an insider perspective. This valuable perspective can lend insight into the issues around access, equity, and community well-being. In addition to the children and youth themselves, key stakeholders that provide this information are parents, teachers, and other community-based staff working directly with children. Using a social justice-based technique of identifying the etiology of the problem by centering lived experience, is central to understanding cultural complexities and illustrates the necessity of human capital and compassion. These strategies align with our Code of Ethics (i.e., commitment to service, acknowledging the dignity and worth of the person, and the importance of human relationships). Existing research suggests strategies to engage adolescents in PAR, including their perceptions of parental engagement, however there is a dearth of information on how to engage parents, teachers, and other professionals working directly with children. Understanding how to increase support and participation from those providing care and services to children, and from community members with lived experience will expand the coalition of research partners in PAR. This diverse group can better articulate community barriers to closing research gaps regarding child welfare with context and history. Topics addressed at the roundtable discussion will include how to identify and engage community members for PAR, empowerment methods for working with parents and teachers, supporting stakeholders with lived experience in efforts to engage other community members with lived experience in PAR, and creating a sense of belonging for all involved in the research process. The different groups that are critical to engage in PAR, along with barriers to their engagement will also be examined. In addition, the discussion will focus on ways to navigate unspoken expectations, resource constraints, and cultural differences within PAR groups. Coinciding with the theme of recentering and democratizing knowledge, PAR provides the opportunity for community stakeholders with lived experience and community members to learn together on issues that matter most to them in their communities related to child welfare system exposure. Further, participants will be invited to become engaged in PAR and share their own experiences on best practices for building community engagement for both short term problem-solving and sustainable change within communities. Ultimately, these discussions will inform comprehensive strategies of PAR, best practices, and burgeoning transformations of PAR methods, strengthening the field of social work science. These practices allow communities to ensure that policy, program, and services are informed by individuals with direct knowledge about the needs, culture, and consequences of existing policy.