Brown Ralph, Professor
Biography
Research & Supervisory Interests
Ralph Brown joined the School in 1983. He is interested in social policy and practice pertaining to families and children, with emphasis on “hard-to-serve” children and family violence. Other interests include program evaluation, group functioning and social work ethics. Recently, he conducted two evaluations of the “wraparound process” with eight Ontario communities. He currently is conducting studies of grandparent involvement in the child welfare system with Dr. Jim Gladstone. Previously, he focused on studies of: children witnessing violence against their mothers; school-based violence prevention; evaluation of assaultive husbands treatment groups; children's services outcomes; and tracking children across multiple service sectors.
Recent Graduate Supervisions
Supervision (Masters):
- Never surrender: Overcoming obstacles in policy implementation.
- Social Workers' experiences on the use of computers to monitor work productivity.
- Maintaining and preserving sibling relationships for crown wards.
- Client evaluation of intake services.
- The service needs of children with learning disabilities.
Education
- D.S.W., School of Social Welfare, University of California, Los Angeles (U.C.L.A.), 1985
- M.S.W., Waterloo Lutheran University, 1971
- B.A., Waterloo Lutheran University, 1968
Teaching
- SW726 - Institutional Structuring of Practices in Social Work
- SW735 - Research for Social Work Practice
Research
Brown, R.A. , Coates, A., & Debicki, A. (2003). Children’s services tracking: Understanding multiple service use of at risk children through technology. Children and Youth Services Review, 25(3), 225-249.
Palmer, S.E., Brown, R.A. , Rae-Grant, N.I., & Loughlin, J. (2001). Survivors of childhood abuse: Their reported experiences with professional help. Social Work, 46(2), 136-145.
Brown, R.A. (2000). The wraparound process. In P. Lehman & N.F. Coady, (Eds.), Theoretical perspectives in direct social work practice: An eclectic-generalist approach. Springer.
Brown, R.A. & Debicki, A. (2000). The wraparound process: Strength-based practice. In M. Callahan, S. Hessle, & S. Strega (Eds.), Valuing the field: Child welfare in an international context. Hampshire, England: Ashgate Press, Ch. 5, 81-97.
Palmer, S.E., Brown, R.A., Rae-Grant, N.I. & Loughlin, J. (1999). Responding to children’s disclosure of familial abuse: What survivors tell us. CHILD WELFARE, LXXVIII(2), 259-282.
Brown, R.A. & Hill, B.A. (1996). Opportunity for change: Exploring an alternative to residential treatment. CHILD WELFARE, LXXV(1) January/February, 35-57.
Palmer, S.E. & Brown, R.A. (1995). Moral development in men who abuse their wives: Does short-term group treatment help? In R. Ross, D., Antanowicz, & G. Dhaliwall (Eds.), Going straight: Effective delinquency prevention and offender rehabilitation. Ottawa: AIR Training and Publications.
Presentations at Meetings
| Invited | |
| 2003 | Brown, R.A. Findings from Wraparound Study II: Where do we go from here? Kitchener-Waterloo Alliance for Children, February 27, 2003.
Brown, R.A. Wraparound evaluation: Findings to from Study II. Region of Peel. Brown, R.A. Catholic Children’s Aid Society Foster Care Recruitment program, "Care Beyond Belief", panel member |
| 2002 |
Brown, R.A. Wraparound evaluation: Findings to assist wraparoundcommunity development. Sarnia-LambtonWraparound Community Team, Sarnia, Ontario. October 2002. |
| 2001 |
Brown, R.A. Celebrating Successful Outcomes. London Area Wraparound Community Team, London, Ontario. |
| Contributed (Peer Reviewed) | |
| 2003 | Brown, R.A. A Wraparound cost reduction study. The 16th Annual Research Conference, A System of Care for Children's Mental Health: Expanding the Research Base. Tampa, Florida, March 2003. |
| 2001 |
Brown, R.A., & Loughlin, J. (2001). An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Ontario’s Wraparound Process. The 14th Annual Research Conference--System of Care for Children’s Mental Health: Expanding the Research Base. Tampa, Florida. |