Page 14: Evaluation of the Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern Communities Program at the Public Health Agency of Canada

Appendix G. An overview of evaluation and performance measurement activities that have been conducted since the fiscal year 2006-07

Figure 30: Performance measurement products and activities 2006-11

Fiscal year National and pan‐regional Regional
2006‐07
  • National Administrative and Process Evaluation Survey
  • 16 regional evaluation or performance measurement reports
  • longitudinal pilot study
  • regional implementation and coordination of national performance measurement activities
  • ongoing site-monitoring activities
2007‐08
  • National Administrative and Process Evaluation Survey
  • Formative Evaluation of the AHSUNC Strategic Enhancement Fund
2008‐09
  • National Administrative and Process Evaluation Survey
  • Pan‐Regional Evaluation of the AHSUNC Strategic Enhancement Fund
2009‐10
  • National Administrative and Process Evaluation Survey
  • Brigance Screen data collection: Initial planning phase and training for sites
2010‐11
  • National Administrative and Process Evaluation Survey
  • Brigance Screen data collection: Implementation (Phase 1 data collection)
2011‐12
  • National Administrative and Process Evaluation Survey
  • Brigance Screen data collection: Phase 2 data collection, data analysis and reporting
  • Analysis of health and social outcomes linked to AHSUNC participation (using Statistics Canada data)
  • Use of Geographic Information Systems to assess the reach of the AHSUNC program, the Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program and the Community Action Program for Children
  • Under development: An analysis of regional monitoring tools to streamline reporting processes
  • Under development: An approach to collect performance measurement data on the AHSUNC Strategic Fund

The following figures demonstrate how performance measurement is entrenched in the delivery of this program.

Figure 31: Current roles of the Public Health Agency’s staff in AHSUNC program performance measurement

Group Role
AHSUNC Evaluators’ Network (national and regional analysts with representation of AHSUNC program consultants, program managers and regional public health capacity and knowledge management division managers)
  • plan, design and implement pan‐regional and national performance measurement initiatives to inform senior management, support program monitoring and improvement, support evaluation and contribute to the dissemination of results emerging from these initiatives
Division of Childhood and Adolescence
Planning, Performance Measurement and Reporting Unit
  • provide data and information to report on indicators and expected outcomes across Government of Canada reporting activities, such as Canada’s Early Childhood Development Activities and Expenditures Report, Canada’s Early Childhood Development Well-being Report, Report on Plans and Priorities and departmental performance reports
  • lead or co‐lead ongoing program performance measurement initiatives in collaboration with a national network of policy and performance analysts located in regional offices who are responsible for informing the development and implementation of performance measurement strategies for child and youth investments
  • support the division’s program areas in preparing and reporting on Management Response Action Plans that respond to evaluation studies
Regional analysts
(Regional Operations, Public Health Capacity and Knowledge Management divisions)
  • coordinate the regional implementation of national performance measurement activities (e.g. Brigance Screen study), including building capacity, providing training, organizing conference calls with sites to communicate information or to gain support for performance measurement activities, verifying data submitted and sharing results
  • support program staff with site monitoring (e.g. tool development) and interpretation of findings, as needed
Regional AHSUNC
program consultants
  • provide input into performance measurement initiatives developed by AHSUNC Evaluators’ Network
  • support the regional implementation of national performance measurement activities
  • conduct ongoing site-monitoring activities
National Working Group
(national program manager, national program consultants and one or two program consultants per region)
  • provide input into performance measurement activities
AHSUNC management
(children’s managers, Public Health Capacity and Knowledge Management managers, Division of Childhood and Adolescence manager, Division of Childhood and Adolescence team lead)
  • provide input and guidance on priorities for performance measurement
  • approve AHSUNC Evaluators’ Network workplan, terms of reference
  • approve key deliverables created by AHSUNC Evaluators’ Network
Figure 32: Current roles of external stakeholders in AHSUNC program performance measurement

External to the Public Health Agency
National Aboriginal Head Start Council
  • plays an advisory role in program performance measurement
  • shares concerns and questions about performance measurement from sites with the Public Health Agency
  • disseminates information about program performance measurement to sites (e.g. to Parental Advisory Committees, Regional AHSUNC committees, site staff) in their respective regions
  • through National Aboriginal Head Start Council meetings, obtains feedback from sites about performance measurement initiatives and presents updates, findings and recommendations
Provincial and territorial or regional AHSUNC committees
  • introduce, discuss and gain support for performance measurement and evaluation activities, as well as share results with AHSUNC staff and families (some committees have parent representatives)
  • in the past, played a role in regional evaluations
AHSUNC sites
  • participate in and provide input into performance measurement activities
  • take part in training or orientation sessions associated with performance measurement initiatives
  • for the Brigance data collection: participate in training and information sessions, administer screens and complete cover sheet questionnaires, obtain parental consent and submit data to the Public Health Agency
External contractors
  • conduct various tasks, such as data entry, data analysis and interpretation

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