What does the evaluation stage of the change process typically include?

The evaluation stage of the change process is a critical phase where assessors determine the effectiveness of the implemented strategies and interventions. During this stage, the professional reviews the progress made towards the established goals and decides whether adjustments to the intervention plan are necessary to better meet the client’s needs and enhance outcomes. This iterative process ensures that the intervention remains relevant and effective, facilitating the best possible support for the client.

While identifying new goals, ending the client relationship, or gathering feedback may be important tasks, they are typically not the main components of the evaluation stage. Identifying new goals often occurs after reviewing the outcomes and may take place in subsequent planning phases, while gathering feedback from family members, while valuable, serves more to inform evaluation rather than being part of the direct evaluation. Ending the client relationship would come at a later stage after appropriate goals have been met or modified. Therefore, the central aspect of the evaluation stage is to determine the effectiveness of the current plan and modify it as needed, which aligns with changing the intervention plan if necessary.