Evaluation: why it is important?
The audio clips, slides, and research listed contain information about the evaluations of a range of services working with parents who have experienced recurrent care proceedings. These provide examples of methods used in evaluations, descriptions of different services and different approaches, and findings of effectiveness and costs. There are also some tips on carrying out evaluations and reminders of why evaluation is so important and links to an evaluation tool devised by the University of Essex.
Findings from the evaluation of Pause
Evaluations: What works in reducing care proceedings
Professor Pam Cox of University of Essex prepared these additional 'Evaluations: What works in reducing care proceedings' slides on the purpose and importance of evaluation (2021).
Working with recurrent care-experienced birth mothers: Online resources
Research in Practice resource on working with parents who have experienced recurrent care proceedings.
Additional service information
A range of leaflets and guides from services listed in the directory:
- Action for Change - Information Leaflet
- Action for Change - Best Practice Toolkit
- Breaking the Cycle - Information leaflet for professionals - February 2021
- Different Futures Leaflet - January 2021
- Flourish Information Booklet for Women - March 2021
- Footprints Leaflet for Parents - August 2019
- Foundations Project - Guide for clients
- Foundations Project - Guide for professionals
- Enfield Council - New Beginnings
- Reflect Swansea - Service information for parents
- Reflect Swansea - Service information for professionals
- RISE Report - September 2018
- Salford - Strengthening families handbook
- STARS Guide for Parents
- STARS Guide for Professionals
- The Comma Project - Advice for professionals
- The Hope Project
- The Hope Project - A programme for birth mothers
- Warrington Borough Council - Restore project
References
- Boddy, J. et al. (2020). Evaluation of Pause. Department for Education.
- Cox, P. et al. (2020). Reducing Recurrent Care Proceedings: Building a Local Evidence Base in England. Societies, Vol 10, Issue 4. This article combines data gathered from the three different services using a common evaluation framework co-produced by the authors working with service leads, practitioners and users. All three services are working with parents who have experienced recurrent care proceedings. The article provides helpful information about the evaluation tool developed by the University of Essex and about the ways of working across the three services which are effective in supporting parents and reducing the likelihood of their future involvement in further care proceedings.
- Roberts, L. et al. (2018). Evaluation of Reflect in Gwent: Final Report. Cardiff: CASCADE.
- Cox, P. et al. (2017). Reducing recurrent care proceedings: initial evidence from new interventions. Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law 39: 332–349. This article describes the evaluation of Positive Choices and Mpower, services for parents who have experienced recurrent care proceedings. The services operate in parts of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.
- Harwin, J. et al. (2014). Changing Lifestyles, Keeping Children Safe -An Evaluation of the first Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC) in Care Proceedings. This was the first evaluation of FDAC, which contains a description of the model, information on costs and findings from interviews with parents and professionals.
- Harwin, J. et al. (2016). After FDAC: outcomes five years later. Final report. This is a follow up to the 2014 evaluation of FDAC. It updates those findings, with a slightly larger number of cases, and includes findings from following up FDAC and comparison cases for a period of 5 years from the final order in care proceedings, demonstrating that parents whose cases are heard in FDAC are more likely to sustain abstinence from drugs and alcohol than comparison parents and family reunifications in FDAC families are less likely to be disrupted.
- Harnett, P. et al. (2018). Assessing capacity to change in high risk pregnant women: a pilot study. Child Abuse Review Vol 27 72-84.
- Coster, D. et al. (2015). Evaluation of the Baby Steps programme: pre- and post-measures study. London: NSPCC.
- Warwickshire County Council. (2020). Different Future Interim Report May 2020.
- McPherson, S. et al. (2020) Reducing Recurrent Care Proceedings Service Evaluation: Stockport Comma. Final Service Report May 2020.
- University of Essex (2018) Reducing Recurrent Care Proceedings - Interim Service Evaluation: Rise Project.
