© British Association of Social Workers
Evaluating a Group Home: Problems and Results
Jeremy Pritlove read Modern History at Oxford University and stayed there to complete the Diploma in Social and Administrative Studies.
Summary
The need for an evaluative framework for group homes for the mentally ill is discussed. Evaluation involves separating implicit from explicit objectives. The possible objectives for a group home are considered in terms of the questions of who decides what the objectives are to be, how they are defined, and their relationship to the idea of normality. A further issue in deciding objectives is whether the client's independence is to be found within the group home or beyond it.
The elements of a group home's regime are then considered: these include control and group support. Problems in measuring the elements involved are mentioned.
An evaluative scheme based upon this is then drawn up for a particular group home, and the results described. The residents are found to have experienced little change overall in their level of independence, and this is associated with a regime where residents act in a dependent way towards staff, and staff perceptions of control and support are different from those of residents.