VT Research (now Babcock Research) was commissioned as Independent Evaluator of the Hartlepool Children’s Fund Programme. This longitudinal outcome evaluation encompassed a wide range of secondary and primary research methodologies measuring impact of projects’ and the programme interventions on communities, families and children. Research subjects included stakeholders; policymakers; project lead workers; children; and parents/carers. Formative and summative results from primary, secondary research and management information (MI), were regularly provided to the HCF Partnership Board. Emphasis was placed on net impact; value for money; mainstreaming; and outcome and output data. Our reporting included briefings and formative and summative results and recommendations.

What did this client say?

The evaluation requirements included: a retrospective analysis to review how the Programme identified and responded to local need; review of the extent of participation of local families; measurement of the success of local partnership working; measurement of the extent to which the programme met its objectives; measurement of the net impacts on beneficiaries/community (outcomes); impact by Programme Objectives and Every Child Matters outcomes; measurement of cost/benefit and added value; identification of mechanisms, including management, enabling success/failure of the programme; identification of successful capacity building.

We undertook pre- and post-intervention quantitative evaluation of impact on a sample of beneficiaries, using a control group to measure outcomes and Added Value of the programme. Qualitative pre- and post-intervention research explored ‘distance-travelled’. Telephone data collection was chosen to enhance ease of response/response rates and inclusion of respondents with low literacy. A quota sample of wider service users (beneficiaries/non-beneficiaries), stratified by service use; gender; age; and other variables. A consolidated baseline was established from secondary sources at district/ward level (e.g. DCSF; school; crime; health; and social care data) to measure longitudinal changes across the Partnership delivery area. Policy updates and stakeholder interviewing to identify other interventions. Innovative training and peer evaluation by children in the project for more objective results from children and capacity building.

Semi-structured interviews with key policymakers/stakeholders; a review of Programme Management Information and data underpinned the retrospective review of Programme Development to identify gaps in service; partnership building; participation; identification of need etc. against programme objectives.

We supported the Partnership Board and projects through capacity building; professional research consultancy; business planning and other guidance; ensuring that the evaluation was embedded into the project, whilst retaining independence as a ‘critical friend’.

VT Research provided client (board-level) reports and presentations of the evaluation findings to strategy/policy audiences at conferences/events (national and local). We also led workshops to wider audiences (Local authority) to disseminate the findings and promote discussion about impact; preventative agenda; mainstreaming (sustainability); on-going participation of service users etc. Finally we convened a special Peer-Group Poster Event at which the peer researchers showcased their research findings to stakeholders.