Filling the gap between theory and practice: challenges from the evaluation of the Child and Family Social Work interventions and programmes

The article proposes a theoretical reflection about the evaluation field of Child and Family Social Work (CFSW) programmes and interventions. It focuses on the relationship between ways for producing knowledge through evaluation and whether and how such knowledge influence practice. In the past years, several reports have highlighted the gap between knowledge of effective treatments and practices delivered. The article aims to discuss the features of an evaluation process seeking to build a bridge between research and practice displaying the logical process by which evaluation knowledge should be rearranged in order to change practice. The value of the effort of evaluation in making generalisations and rules for helping people operate efficiently and effectively is considered. But from this view, misunderstandings about the use of the meaning of ‘science’ are identified. The author introduces a broader understanding of the ‘knowledge’ to be investigated by evaluation, no longer intended only as ‘what works’ (external evidence), but also as processes able to produce a change in people's decision-making (internal evidence) that happen within reflective and dialogical contexts (communicative evidence). These reflections are looking for a knowledge more appropriate to the CFSW field, able to improve and change practice and to ensure access to quality services.