Sustaining

SRDC’s two-part mission is to help policy-makers and practitioners identify social policies and programs that improve the well-being of all Canadians, with a special concern for the effects on the disadvantaged, and to raise the standards of evidence that are used in assessing social policies and programs. [...] While resources limited the number of mothers that could be included in this special study, an attempt would be made to ensure that the mothers reflect the characteristics of the larger sample, and the intensity and duration of the study would increase the credibility of the findings. [...] All mothers contacted for the study agreed to participate, and all stayed with the study to the end, a period that lasted from the fall of 1995 to the end of 1997. [...] The choice of venue depended upon the woman’s circumstances at the time and upon study needs, as did the length of the visit. [...] After unsuccessfully attempting to locate the woman directly, the author finally located the woman’s mother who relayed the message to the participant who immediately phoned with confirmation of her intention to remain in the study.