Data triangulation requires researchers to search for as many data sources as possible which bear on the subject of inquiry. In the case of this research, there was a wide range of potential sources of data. Information could be obtained directly from participants as key informants in the care process (being children and young people, caregivers, and social workers) from administrators within Child, Youth and Family, and from individual case history records held within the information system. As described above, access constraints did not permit individual clients or their identifying case records to be included. Non identifying case information however, was accessible. Data from caregivers, social workers, supervisors, policy makers and managers within Child, Youth and Family were all available to be integrated into the research design.
Reviews of the literature within family strengths and resilience research described in chapters two and three suggest that the perspective of caregivers receiving support will be critical to understanding the nature of effective support. Negotiated response theory reviewed in chapter three indicates that the perspectives of those with whom caregivers
negotiate support, the agency representatives, will also be significant (Twigg & Atkin,
1 995). For these reasons both social worker and caregivers' perspectives were seen as key data sources, in order to understand how effective support is constructed.
Incorporating multiple methods - method triangulation
As described above this research proj ect also triangulated methods utilising both qualitative and quantitative methodologies in its design. Combining qualitative and quantitative
methods or methodological triangulation is described both as, 'within method' , and 'across
method' triangulation (Denzin, 1 978) . In this study both forms of method triangulation were employed. 'Within method' triangulation employs multiple techniques within a single research method to examine data. For example, in the first study of this research design, a survey of social workers and supervisors utilised both rating scales and open comments fields, thus generating both quantitative and qualitative data. Additionally, study three employed a Delphi technique in which qualitative comments and quantitative data were combined to express group consensus and divergence.
The research also employed 'across method' triangulation whereby four separate studies using different methodologies were combined in an overall design to explore the research questions. As a result the combination of qualitative and quantitative methods supplemented one another and offset traditional areas of weakness within single method approaches.
Overview of the research des i g n
The research aimed to explore support to care givers and the role of this support in
strengthening care outcomes for children and young people with mental health problems in the care of Child, Youth and Family. This research design integrated four studies. The diagram below shows the methodological relationship between these studies.
Each study addressed one of the four central research questions described earlier in this chapter. In study one, a survey was used to derive social worker perspectives on the nature of effective support to care givers in achieving positive care outcomes for children and young people with mental health problems. These findings were then contrasted and combined with
the views of caregivers looking after this group on behalf of Child, Youth and Family, which were obtained in a second study using a focus group methodology.
Table 4 Overview of the research design
Study 1 Survey of Social Workers (n=237) I ndependent Variables Study 2 Caregiver Focus Group Study 3 Delphi Process (n= 1 8) Dependent Variables Study 4 Quantitative Analysis (n= 1 07 1 )
Where data access allowed and data quality was sufficient, findings from studies one and two were constituted as independent variables to be used in the quantitative analysis. In the third study a group of operational experts constructed a measure for positive care outcomes for children and young people with mental health problems in the care of Child, Youth and Family. The results of the third study were imported into study four as the dependent variable for the quantitative analysis. In the fourth study a multivariate analysis was
conducted of case history data, pertaining to this group of children and young people, using the variables generated in studies one, two and three. The qualitative material from the three studies was also used to assist in interpretation of the findings in study four.
In this way each study while conducted separately was integrated into an overall design. A detailed account of the methodology of each study i s provided in the following chapters. The results of each study taken in isolation are incomplete and it is only when all fllldings are brought together that final conclusions are discussed within the final chapter of the thesis.
Conclusion
This chapter has discussed the gaps in the existing l iterature, the key research questions and outlined the mixed methods framework for this research. The intention to combine four studies in an iterative design, which weaves qualitative and quantitative results into a fmal set of conclusions, has been described. Each of these studies is outlined in the next four chapters with the final conclusions presented in chapter twelve.