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Robin E. Perry's article, Do Social Workers Make Better Child Welfare Workers Than Non-Social Workers?, is an important step in studying the relationship between education of child welfare workers and their job performance. In this case, however, workers' performance was measured by poorly designed performance evaluation tools completed routinely by Florida supervisors and peers. The iterative and labor-intensive process of job analysis, competency development, and performance appraisal validation is not typically done in child welfare nor studied in social work research. Until we can validate and reliably measure the knowledge and skills necessary to perform child welfare work, we cannot answer many questions about the relationship between worker education and performance on the job.

Cooperative extension family life specialists in 10 states investigated the value of a series of parent education booklets for parents of infants. The program was assessed by an evaluation questionnaire mailed to the parents as they completed a series. A total of 2,263 questionnaires were returned; respondents indicated that the programs positively affected their parenting practices and attitudes.