Evaluation

All projects we support are thoroughly evaluated

Our core mission is to provide high quality evidence on whether programmes and interventions can improve outcomes, so the sector can ensure that children, young people and families receive the best, most appropriate services possible.

Evaluation has the power to provide us with a wealth of information – not only on what works, but also for whom, and in what circumstances. This is why evaluation is central to what we do, and all projects we support are thoroughly evaluated.

Our in-house research team will run a small number of evaluations – for example, the Department for Education’s Strengthening Families, Protecting Children programme – but, for the most part, we will engaging independent evaluators.

We have already established two groups to ensure these high standards are continually being met.

Evaluation Advisory Group

Individuals were appointed to our Evaluation Advisory Group (EAG) in May 2019, to provide the Centre with independent expert advice and reflections on current and future projects. The EAG will also provide recommendations on specific methodological and procedural issues, and help develop the Centre’s evaluation guidance.

• Danielle Mason,Head of Policy, What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth
• Kelsey Beninger,Associate Director, IFF Research
• Nick Axford,PenCLAHRC Associate Professor, University of Plymouth; Senior Associate, Dartington Service Design Lab
• Paul Montgomery,Professor Social Intervention, University of Birmingham; Affiliate Professor, University of Malta
• Riikka Hofmann,Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor, University of Cambridge
• Stephen Morris,Professor of Evaluation & Deputy Director Centre for Research in the Applied Social Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University
• Triin Edovald,Head of International Programmes, Education Endowment Foundation; Principal Researcher, Innovation Growth Lab, Nesta

Education Advisory Group

Individuals from a wide range of educational and child services backgrounds were appointed to our Education Advisory Group (EdAG) in May 2020, to provide What Works for Children’s Social Care (WWCSC) with independent expert advice on our portfolio of education projects. 

Members have the necessary experience to understand the complexities and nuances of Children’s Social Care (CSC), particularly with regard to educational outcomes. The EdAG will focus on the intervention and evaluation design before trials begin and the communication of results once they have come to an end.  

• Bernie Brown,
• Marie Sharples,
• Michael Bettencourt,
• Nikki Luke,
• Professor Becky Francis,
• Rachael Pryor,
• Sherry Malik,
• Stephen Betts,
• Steven Hawksworth,
• Tina Russell,
• Yvette Stanley,

Evaluation partners

Through an open call, organisations were recruited to become evaluation partners in May 2019. These organisations collectively bring a wealth of experience and diverse evaluation expertise.

These organisations will design and run independent evaluations of promising projects supported or funded by the Centre, and will work closely with us and our project partners to provide high quality evidence on the impact of interventions.

• Bryson Purdon Social Research LLP,
• Cardiff and Vale UHB – Cedar,
• CASCADE,
• Centre For Evidence and Implementation (CEI),
• Community and Primary Care Research Group, University of Plymouth,
• Coram,
• Cordis Bright,
• Health and Social Care Workforce Research Unit (HSCWRU), King’s College London,
• IFF Research,
• Institute for Employment Studies,
• Institute of Applied Social Research (IASR), University of Bedfordshire,
• Ipsos MORI,
• NatCen,
• National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR),
• Nottingham Centre for Children, Young People and Families,
• Oxford Brookes University incorporating the Institute of Public Care,
• Policy Evaluation and Research Unit, Manchester Metropolitan University,
• RAND Europe,
• The Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families,
• The Rees Centre, University of Oxford,
• The Right to Know (RTK),
• University of Sussex,

Evaluator Resources

• WWCSC Research Data Protection Statement
• WWCSC Evaluation Pipeline
• WWCSC Statistical Analysis Guidance
• WWCSC Cost Analysis Guidance
• WWCSC Accessibility Guidance
• WWCSC Systematic Review Protocol Template
• WWCSC Systematic Review Report Template
• Research Ethics Committee Framework
• REC Checklist and Application