Co-ordinating Service Provision & Improving Life Chances for Children in Servere Poverty: A Knowledge Exchange Programme.
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Strathclyde
Department Name: Counselling
Abstract
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| Description | There were two types of findings emerging from the programme; one on the immediate topic of investigation (ie effective service delivery in tackling child poverty) and the other related to the KE processes. Effective service delivery in tackling child poverty • In Scotland, there is clear commitment at national, local and regional level to tackling child poverty and improving service delivery for the poorest families. • The integration of services and multi-agency working are a central part of current policymaking, although their implementation is not always straight forward. • Successful integrated working requires clear vision and leadership from partner agencies, commitment to make things happen, good relationships and mutual respect between services collaborating and a supportive culture of working in multi-agency teams. • Parents and practitioners identified several characteristics of staff working collaboratively: they need to be experienced and have specialist skills, dedicated and committed and able to communicate and empathise well with families and colleagues from partner agencies. • Addressing family poverty through a multi-agency approach is not necessarily a specific target of any policy or individual service, although it is seen as an underlying problem of other issues that are identified and tackled. • When it comes to service improvement, the influence of service users is less clear than that of professionals, although there is acknowledgement that it is important to know what poverty is like form the perspective of those experiencing it. • Service users in poor areas (adults and children) want services to be easily accessible at point of entry, flexible (but with continuity of professionals involved), of good quality, responsive and involving families in decisions and non-judgemental. • Key issues in improving services include faster access to support, early intervention to avoid likelihood of crises, access to wider range of services and improved identification of vulnerable groups. • Frontline universal services, home visits and 'one-stop' shops in communities are seen as valuable for families and seem successful in engaging with those who might otherwise be 'invisible' to services. Findings related to the processes of knowledge exchange • All participants in the programme valued the benefits of engaging in KE and were enthusiastic about taking part, but almost all encountered difficulties in sustaining participation. • Collaborations are complex and often difficult to manage; barriers to participation included heavy workloads, restructuring and changes in individual roles, complex job demands, limited decision making power in some roles; sustained support from managers is key for practitioners to participate. • Practitioners wanted information presented in an easily accessible format and events that would have an immediate benefit for their job. Parents involved also had high expectations, directly related to improvements wanted in service. • Feedback on workshops was consistently high, with participants valuing opportunities to share practice and ideas. Many considered attendance as time well-spent and very valuable for their job. • Work-based, work-related, practitioner and parent-driven projects are more successful and manageable than externally driven initiatives; trust between partners and ongoing fostering of relationships are key to long-term sustainability. • Successful, sustainable KE processes need commitment from all partners and a shared KE agenda, with flexibility for unpredictable changes and willingness from all parties to learn about the different cultures of working, different 'languages' and priority agendas. |
| Exploitation Route | The findings from the programme can be used to inform future training of practitioners involved in multi-agency working and policy delivery at local authority level in relation to tackling child poverty. Findings can also inform service improvement in relation to expectations from families. This research can inform the setup of similar knowledge exchange partnerships between universities and local authorities/voluntary sector organisations; it provides useful information on the opportunities practitioners find useful for improving service delivery and the views of service users in terms of expectations of front line services. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Education |
| URL | http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/engage/projects/childpoverty/ |
| Description | This research has been used to inform multi-agency working in Scotland and provide further improvements in service delivery. It can inform the setup of similar knowledge exchange partnerships between universities and local authorities/voluntary sector organisations; it provides useful information on the opportunities practitioners find useful for improving service delivery and the views of service users in terms of expectations of front line services. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2010 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Education |
| Impact Types | Societal,Policy & public services |
| Description | Joint research with Glasgow City Council |
| Organisation | Glasgow City Council |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | University of Strathclyde researchers worked on this project with researchers from Glasgow City Council |
| Start Year | 2009 |
| Description | Joint research with Save the Children Fund |
| Organisation | Save the Children |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | University of Strathclyde researchers worked on this project with researchers from Save the Children Fund |
| Start Year | 2009 |
| Description | Joint research with West Dunbartonshire Council |
| Organisation | West Dunbartonshire Council |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | University of Strathclyde researchers worked on this project with researchers from West Dunbartonshire Council |
| Start Year | 2009 |