ABSTRACT

The objective of this thesis was to examine the perspective of children´s home personnel regarding self-evaluation as a quality assessment method. This research was conducted at Päiväkumpu childrens´s home. The pur-pose of the study was to gain understanding on the functionality and the development possibilities of the self-evaluation method.

The theoretical foundation of this study consist of previous research on self-evaluation in different contexts and the quality criteria and assessment methods of substitute care. This study is based on qualitative research. The research data were gathered in the form of short writings, where the staff could freely express their opinions on self-evaluation and all matters relat-ed to it. The research data were analyzed using data-driven analysis of the content and the chosen method was category analysis.

Based on the research findings the self-evaluation of quality was seen important and necessary both for the employees personally and the development of the entire workplace. The personnel regarded self-evaluation as an excellent tool in quality assessment. To some extent the research data showed some frustration and doubts on the real value of self-evaluation. Some respondents felt that some of the questions in the questionnaire were complicated or difficult to understand.

The results indicated that self-evaluation had already affected the work practices, as possible shortcomings had been dealt with and thus the working methods had developed. Most respondents found that after participating in the self-evaluation they had begun to reflect on their own skills and knowledge and resolve unclear things in their work. Some of the respondents had only worked in the children´s home for a short period of time, so they were not yet able to assess the results of the self-evaluation in the workplace.