Many people, including social workers, believe that a program works or is effective because they see clients terminate from their program with thanks, letters of support, and tales of "happily ever after."
However, if no formal research is done to evaluate a program, how can anyone say that it does or does not work-is effective or ineffective-in doing what it proposes to do.
Suppose you are a social worker at an agency that works with adolescents to keep them off drugs and in school.
What type of evaluation model, approach, stages, and steps would you envision taking to evaluate your program? What ethical factors are involved here?
Would you have any concerns if your program was receiving public (tax payer) funding, but was not being evaluated or was not being evaluated well or appropriately?
What does the NASW Code of Ethics have to do with program evaluation?