The governance of multi-sector public service delivery networks.

Lead Research Organisation: University of Oxford
Department Name: Blavatnik School of Government

Abstract

The use of market-inspired instruments for steering public service delivery has become ubiquitous across developed economies and yet the experience with contracting for complex services suggests that we are still in the steep portion of the learning curve on how to do this well. Under such approaches there are pervasive risks of wholesale market failure (as seen in the case of Carillion) as well as market malfunctioning, experienced in the repeatedly poor performance of more complex, cross-cutting public service delivery. The primary government response to this outsourcing dilemma acknowledges that large amounts of tax-payers' money will continue to be channelled through private sector and voluntary sector providers and offers recommendations for tightening up market stewardship and contract terms. This return - to what has elsewhere been described as a "byzantine tower of rules and regulations" (Brown et al., 2018, p. 740) - fails to connect with the latest empirical contracting practice from the private sector (as illustrated through emergent 'formal relational contracting' practice) or from smaller local experiments with networked governance arrangements (for example, City Region-level coordination via integration boards with prime 'outcome' contracts (Whitworth & Carter, 2018) and local authorities' use of social impact bonds). This Fellowship seeks to deploy a novel selection of research methods to identify and inform alternative governance and contracting practices that may be deployed to more effectively and efficiently coordinate service provision.

The proposed project aims to investigate alternative commissioning approaches available when there is an ambition to foster collaboration and collective accountability across an interwoven network of provider organisations. The animating research question asks: How can government better steward complex networks of service provision to more holistically and better support citizens with complex lives and who currently interact with a range of public service actors? Crucially, the way the quasi-market and contracts are structured will have important implications for attuning the attentiveness of service providers to the priorities of either the state, service users, or providers themselves. This in turn is expected to have important implications for the quantity, cost, quality, distribution and cohesiveness of services and consequently on the lived experience and 'outcomes' of citizens engaged in social programmes.

This ambitious, discipline-spanning Fellowship proposal seeks to entwine theoretical developments at the interface of public administration, applied economics and social policy, with empirical work facilitated through collaboration with two British central Government departments. Partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions and the Government Inclusive Economy Unit within the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport will elevate research impact and substantively enhance our understanding of the key mechanisms for successful public service contracting and stewardship.

The planned Fellowship brings the opportunity to extend the applicant's already vibrant publication record and emergent scholarly leadership. The host institution - the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford - offers strong and substantive endorsement of the Fellowship. Here Dr Carter and her current team at the Government Outcomes Lab are expected to be vital to the School's future hub of expertise in public service excellence.
Crucially, the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship brings the opportunity for Dr Carter to carve time to further develop an independent academic identity. The duration and explicit emphasis on the development of leadership potential make this Fellowship the ideal scheme for Dr Carter to bolster the intellectual underpinning of this emergent field at the intersection of social policy and public management.

Planned Impact

This Fellowship will produce an improved understanding of how government can steward complex networks of public service provision in order to more holistically and better support citizens. The impact of this understanding is improved commissioning; improved frontline services; and better use of limited public resources. The implications are expected to be particularly great for the wellbeing of people who experience multiple and complex social disadvantage and who are persistently under- and inappropriately supported by current service arrangements. The Fellowship's impacts can be divided into four parts, these are 1) at the macro level, to influence senior government decision-makers in order to create governance structures and supportive environments that will enable effective collaborative delivery of public services to tackle complex social needs; 2) at the contracting and organisational/network level, to use evidence of alternative contracting and network management models to minimise duplication and create seamless networks of support wrapped around the needs and aspirations of service users; 3) at the individual level, to enable frontline staff and public managers to connect across organisational boundaries to deliver multi-faceted provision in collaboration with citizen service users in order to achieve better social outcomes; 4) as a springboard for new research: publicly available data, empirical analysis and new theory will provide stimulus to further study on how governments can design and deliver more effective services.

The research will be co-produced with the intended users. This Fellowship offers engaged partnership with the UK's Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Government Inclusive Economy Unit within the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). These Whitehall partners are integral to shaping the contracting environment and to structuring the resource for frontline services. They have co-designed this proposal and are committed to the project. Involvement of these Departments will play a key role in embedding the work in the political context and in reflecting on the applicability of research insights across policy domains.
There are four groups of beneficiaries beyond the academy:
1. Civil Servants in Central Government Spending Departments
This group have responsibility for current outsourcing guidance and the system of support for those developing contracts and networks of service provision. They seek to improve the practice of public service commissioning and the research will support officials to adopt governance structures and supportive environments that enable effective collaborative delivery of public services.
2. Commissioners and officials in local public agencies
These bodies have statutory responsibility to deliver many public services. They are responsible for bringing together and allocating a range of national and local funding streams and act as principal in a range of local delivery contracts. The engaged programme of work will support these officials to explore alternative contracting and network management models to minimise duplication and steward seamless networks of support wrapped around the needs of the user.
3. Organisations in the voluntary, private and public sectors
These organisations are the providers of public services, are party to a range of contractual models and tend to be most familiar with the issues 'on the ground'. The research will support them to be cognisant of contracting options and able to influence complex commissioning practice.
4. Wider influencers of public policy and service delivery including think thanks, the media, front-line staff, users of services and citizens (and their advocacy groups).
Government's approach to tackling complex social problems is a sensitive issue with the public. Engagement activities will aim to shed light on new contractual approaches that respond to these longstanding issues.
 
Description There are considerable challenges in public service outsourcing and we are still learning how best to structure partnerships between government, the private sector, and charitable organisations for the delivery of social services that respond to complex social issues. This research Fellowship explores the ability of novel contracting arrangements to facilitate purposeful partnerships and effective services that avoid perfunctory or cynical behaviour by contract holders.

We have already started primary research with two study sites for the longitudinal research. These sites are bound together by shared policy ambition - to support adults who in government's terms have 'multiple and complex needs' - that is they experience poor and fragmented provision from lots of different parts of the state and voluntary sector - benefits, housing, mental health, sometimes criminal justice system. But in terms of market stewardship, network management and contracting, the sites takes a distinct approach.
Exploitation Route The importance of a well-resourced coordination function for the delivery of cohesive, person-centred public services has already been picked up by central government policy teams. The role of 'ecosystem orchestrators' will be crucial in improving social outcomes, particularly if government is to succeed in the pursuit of 'levelling up'.
Sectors Communities and Social Services/Policy

Financial Services

and Management Consultancy

Government

Democracy and Justice

 
Description Findings from this research project have been used to inform a Work and Pensions Select Committee inquiry (plan for jobs). Here, findings on the importance of contracting and partnership arrangements for the delivery of quality, person-centred employment support was underscored. A secondment for a member of the research team to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has connected research around relational contracting to decision-makers who are working on issues of central government-local government relationships.
First Year Of Impact 2022
Sector Financial Services, and Management Consultancy,Government, Democracy and Justice
Impact Types Policy & public services

 
Description National Audit Office - recommendations for Kickstart
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Citation in other policy documents
Impact The National Audit Office team interviewed the FLF and drew on material from prior publications to inform the NAO review of the DWP Kickstart scheme. The NAO report has applied pressure to the DWP. Recommendations focus on the key elements that drive the overall value for money of the scheme to help the Department assure itself that it remains on track and so that it can learn from this experience the next time such a scheme is needed.
URL https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Employment-support-the-Kickstart-Scheme.pdf
 
Description Oral and written evidence to Work and Pensions Select Committee - plan for jobs
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Contribution to a national consultation/review
URL https://committees.parliament.uk/event/14715/formal-meeting-oral-evidence-session/
 
Description John Fell Fund
Amount £32,514 (GBP)
Funding ID 0012257 
Organisation University of Oxford 
Department John Fell Fund
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 08/2022 
End 03/2023
 
Title Outcomes Fund Directory 
Description Outcomes funds are becoming an increasingly prominent approach within the ecosystem of social outcomes contracting and impact bond development. Whilst outcomes funds gain popularity as a policy tool, a gap persists in documenting and describing their adoption worldwide. That's why the the FLF via Government Outcomes Lab has worked to develop and publish a Fund Directory with standardised variables about the characteristics of the fund and links to the associated projects. 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2021 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact This enables policy teams in Government departments and multilateral donor agencies to explore and analyse the use of Outcomes Fund as a tool for purchasing social outcomes at scale. 
URL https://golab.bsg.ox.ac.uk/knowledge-bank/indigo/fund-directory/
 
Title SyROCCo - Systematic Review of Outcomes Contracts - Collaboration 
Description This tool is the product of a collaboration between the FLF team at the Government Outcomes Lab and machine learning experts from the University of Warwick. Building on the broadest and deepest evidence review undertaken in the field of outcomes contracting to date, the tool allows you to navigate and explore data extracted from nearly 2000 academic and grey literature publications related to outcomes-based contracting. The tool is currently a beta version and we are generating feedback. 
Type Of Material Data analysis technique 
Year Produced 2022 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact International collaborators, including the South African Medical Research Council, UNESCO and the Education Outcomes Fund at UNICEF have approached the team to explore further research and collaboration opportunities. 
URL https://golab.bsg.ox.ac.uk/knowledge-bank/indigo/syrocco-ml-tool/?plot_type=map&country=all&mode=upd...
 
Description Outcomes-based commissioning and Civil Society Impact Funding 
Organisation Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution The UKRI FLF research team are contributing to the evaluation design, analysis and academic publications linked to the Life Chances Fund Impact Bonds. This is supported by for the Civil Society Impact Funding Team and other teams within DCMS. This is an extension to the collaboration between DCMS and the Government Outcomes Lab at the Blavatnik School of Government.
Collaborator Contribution The Civil Society Impact Funding Team provide access to data and connects members of the research team to policy officials working on issues of local coordination in public service delivery and outcomes-based commissioning. In particular, information relating to the Life Chances Fund is used to provide a longitudinal case study for the FLF research. The DCMS policy team also facilitate cross-Whitehall strategic conversations around the use of outcomes-based approaches to structuring public service provision in a range of policy areas. Recent areas of engagement include criminal justice, children's social care and support for disabled people to find and stay in work.
Impact Outputs from this collaboration include FLF facilitated peer-learning sessions within Whitehall departments and publicly available webinars. A key webinar "Service fragmentation in social services - how can ecosystem orchestrators and outcomes contracts help?" took place in November 2021: https://golab.bsg.ox.ac.uk/community/blogs/service-fragmentation-in-social-services-how-can-ecosystem-orchestrators-and-outcomes-contracts-help/ There are also joint publications, such as 'Kirklees Integrated Support Service and Better Outcomes Partnership: The first report from a longitudinal evaluation of a Life Chances Fund impact bond'
Start Year 2021
 
Title Systematic Review of Outcomes Contracts - Collaboration (SyROCCo) 
Description This tool allows users to navigate and explore data extracted from nearly 2000 academic and grey literature publications related to outcomes-based contracting. It is based on the broadest and deepest evidence review undertaken in the field of outcomes contracting to date. 
Type Of Technology Webtool/Application 
Year Produced 2022 
Open Source License? Yes  
Impact Policymakers in government are able to identify the most relevant evidence and examples of outcomes-based contracting to support the development of new policy options. 
URL https://golab.bsg.ox.ac.uk/knowledge-bank/indigo/syrocco-ml-tool/
 
Description Big Society Capital - Valuing the contribution of Social Outcome Contracts 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Big Society Capital are proactively communicating the espoused benefits of outcomes-based contracts but the methodology underpinning the economic analysis requires further development. We discussed options for furthering cost-benefit analysis for outcomes-based approaches.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Big picture - the global evidence on outcomes-based contracting - presentation at Social Outcomes Conference, Oxford 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact The session centred on a collaborative project, led by the FLF: GO Lab and Ecorys' Global Systematic Review on Social Outcomes Contracting. This ambitious review of 11,233 papers (narrowed down to 2082) aims to capture any study of outcomes-based contracting in any language since 1990.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL https://golab.bsg.ox.ac.uk/community/news/day-2-soc21/
 
Description Book Launch and discussion - Social Economy Science and Sustainability 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact The core messages of the book and what they mean for fostering sustainable development are discussed by a panel.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://golab.bsg.ox.ac.uk/community/events/Book-Launch-social-Economy-Science/
 
Description Cross-Whitehall outcomes contract peer learning group 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact This is a Chatham house conversation for civil servants to learn and reflect on the use of outcomes-based contracting arrangements for public service delivery. The FLF acts as a co-facilitator and discussant.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021,2022
 
Description DCMS - Areas of Research Interest consultation 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact DCMS hosted an event to discuss the departmental 'Areas of Research Interest' and the FLF contributed to this conversation.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Danish local government - sharing experiences on the application of outcomes-based contracts 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact A group of advisors and local government policymakers from Denmark came to visit the GO Lab research group in Oxford. We compared notes on the evaluation methods that can be applied to outcomes-based partnerships.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Data and Learning strategy for Outcomes Funds - learning workshop 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact The FLF presented at an online Data & Learning Strategy workshop to share insights from prior analysis of Outcomes Funds (e.g. Life Chances Fund data strategy & data platform,) and discuss with colleagues at the Education Outcomes Fund key considerations in refining their data & learning strategy for the fund.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description Decision-making powered by Data 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact A workshop with Whitehall policymakers to explore the use of datastewardship for improved public spending and accountability.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Department for Work and Pensions - Areas of Research Interest 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact The FLF presented at DWP Areas of Research Interest (ARI) Workshop on Disadvantaged Groups (November 2021). As part of DWP's external engagement activity, this workshop brings together DWP analytical, policy and operational staff with academics working on our Areas of Research Interest (ARIs). It focuses on people who experience the following disadvantages: ex-offenders, those with alcohol and/or drug abuse problems and those who are homeless and/or rough sleeping. It will explore how these groups can be better supported to access DWP benefits and services and to participate in the labour market.
Workshop Aims:
• To share evidence on what works (and why) in terms of supporting these disadvantaged groups to access DWP benefits and services, and to participate in the labour market;
• To enhance DWP's evidence base to inform policy development and highlight evidence gaps;
• To build lasting networks between DWP staff and academic researchers in this field;
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description European Young Leaders - impactful partnerships 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact E Carter facilitated a breakfast roundtable on the theme of impactful partnerships for improved public services in Brussels.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://www.friendsofeurope.org/events/is-europe-alice-in-wonderland/
 
Description Evidence Safari in Huddersfield 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact A lively workshop with voluntary sector managers and teams in Kirklees who are involved in the Kirklees Better Outcomes Partnership to discuss and debate interim research findings.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sarah-cooke-65037b120_collaboration-research-learning-activity-702917...
 
Description Expert advisor for review on government commissioning 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Contributed in an expert panel to inform a commissioned piece of research exploring trends in public service commissioning practice for the National Lottery Community Fund.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Expert contribution to study on Effective contracting of employment services and health assessments for the Department for Work and Pensions 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Dr Eleanor Carter was interviewed and participated in focus groups to inform a study on contracting out of employment and health services. RAND Europe was commissioned by DWP to conduct a study on the contracting out of employment and health services.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/944528/response/2248944/attach/3/Effective%20contracting%20of...
 
Description Interview with 'Impact Insider' Denmark on Outcomes Funds 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Eleanor Carter was interviewed by Carsten Terp for Danish media outlet 'Impact Insider' to inform the debate about the broader adoption of outcomes-based contracting. The resulting article is titled [translation from Danish] Performance payment funds are coming (maybe) - what do we know about them? If it is for the Social Investment Fund, the state must set up result payment funds to pay for successful efforts in the social field. We look at the UK, where the funds have existed since 2011.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://impactinsider.dk/resultatbetalingsfondene-kommer-maaske-hvad-ved-vi-om-dem/
 
Description Keynote talk - Impact Investing Days 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Impact investors and scholars of impact investing convene for a conference - we discussed policy interventions that can support the development of impact investing for social change.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.cbs.dk/en/research/departments-and-centres/department-of-management-society-and-communic...
 
Description Leman Foundation Brazilian Leaders PPPs 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Public-private Partnerships: Social Impact Bonds - a facilitated case session as part of an executive education experience for Brazilian public leaders.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Life Chances Fund Expert Advisory Group (September 2021) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact The Life Chances Fund (LCF) is a £70m fund which aims to help those people in society who face the most significant barriers to leading happy and productive lives. It was committed by central government to contribute to outcome payments for payments by results contracts which involve socially minded investors - i.e. Social Impact Bonds (SIBs). The FLF presented research and evaluation findings related to the LCF and participated in the formal advisory group for the fund.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description Life Chances Fund learning day 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact This learning event draws on the FLF research around the Life Chances Fund and involves local sites as well as national policy leads.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description MCC Got Results? Making making sense of the global evidence on outcomes-based contracting approaches 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Supporters
Results and Impact Millennium Challenge Corporation ran a conference to explore results-based financing. Dr Carter presented early findings from a systematic review: Making making sense of the global evidence on outcomes-based contracting approaches.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Nigeria Public Leaders Programme - complex contracting 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Contributed to an executive education programme on themes of complex contracting and outcomes-based partnerships with civil servants at a week-long training in Lagos.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://dailytrust.com/tag/oxford-leadership-program/
 
Description Outcomes Funds around the world - webinar presentation 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact This webinar brought together academic and practitioner perspectives to take stock of the global landscape of outcomes funds and explore the various approaches to these funds in different contexts and geographies. The discussion was anchored in recent empirical research conducted by the FLF that investigates the rationales for developing outcomes funds in the UK and internationally, and offers an analytical framework for characterising outcomes funds.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL https://golab.bsg.ox.ac.uk/community/blogs/how-are-outcomes-funds-evolving-over-time/
 
Description Outcomes-based partnerships for learning and evaluation 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Support for policymakers and government analysts to explore the use of local outcomes-based partnerships as a route to developing data assets and evidence development.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Partnerships for People and Place - joining up government 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact A facilitated discussion on the themes of central-local government coordination with policy leads from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and local areas supported via 'partnerships for people and place'.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Regional Spotlight - Evidence and insights from the experience with Social Outcomes Contracts in Europe 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Contributed to the framing and facilitation of a workshop on the adoption of social outcomes contracting across Europe.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Rising Public Leaders - executive education on formal relational contracting 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact The Rising Public Leaders Programme is a six-day intensive programme bringing together a group of upcoming public leaders from a diverse array of countries. One session was facilitated by Dr Carter and explored the FLF themes of formal-relational contracting in public services.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/course/rising-public-leaders-programme
 
Description Service fragmentation in social services - how can ecosystem orchestrators and outcomes contracts help? - Webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact The FLF presented and acted as a discussant at a webinar session that investigated the use of outcomes contracting as a potential approach to foster cohesive cross-sector collaborations to improve social outcomes.
This presented recently published research on the Kirklees Integrated Support Service and Better Outcomes Partnership, which outlines four hypothesised features of social impact bonds that are expected to improve service delivery.

The Kirklees project aims to support adults who face barriers to living independently and who have historically experienced poor and fragmented provision from lots of different parts of the state and voluntary sector - benefits, housing, mental health, sometimes criminal justice system. This case illustrates the wider potential of outcomes contracts as a structure to support an important coordination or 'orchestration' role across a complex set of local provider organisations.

The session combined these emerging research insights with views from practitioners and engaged researchers, focussing on addressing fragmentation in public services and building holistic ecosystems of support.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL https://golab.bsg.ox.ac.uk/community/blogs/service-fragmentation-in-social-services-how-can-ecosyste...
 
Description Symposium - formal relational contracting in the public sector 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact A symposium of leading lawyers, practitioners and academics to explore the application of formal-relational contracting for complex public contracts.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description The Global Landscape of Government Outcome Funds 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact A webinar hosted by UNSW to support policymakers and academics to assess the application of Outcomes Funds as a policy tool.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.csi.edu.au/events/the-global-landscape-of-government-outcomes-funds/
 
Description The future of local delivery 
Form Of Engagement Activity Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact A discussion piece as part of Ipsos' 'Understanding Society' annual publication.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/understanding-society/future-local-delivery
 
Description Training for DCMS civil servants - the intersection of outcomes-based commissioning and evidence-based policy 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact The FLF led an interactive workshop with civil servants in the Government Inclusive Economy Unit and other voluntary sector focused policy teams within the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

Overview of the programme themes: Despite over a decade of experience with evidence-based policymaking within the UK Government, in practice making sense of the plethora of data, types of evaluation and evidence at different points throughout the policy development cycle can be challenging, in particular when designing solutions for multi-faceted or entrenched issues in complex social systems.

What are the tools and mechanisms available to policymakers to understand the impact and effectiveness of policies? What constitutes robust, high-quality evidence, and how can policymakers deal with gaps in data? What types of data and evidence ought to be prioritised, and how can these be used alongside insights from practitioner communities and citizens in complex systems? To what extent are impact evaluation findings generalisable and how should local circumstances be factored into implementation strategies? How can the voices of citizens be captured and used effectively when making policy decisions?
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description UNESCO Expert Roundtable on Impact Investment in Sport 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact This is a formal roundtable to support UNESCO and partners to develop a strategy to support the development of outcomes-based sport for development initiatives.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Unleashing Civil Society - a dinner to discuss Family Law Commission report 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact The Blavatnik School of Government hosted a dinner at the RSA for senior government officials and third sector leaders to explore how these two sectors can work together more effectively. I provided examples from UKRI FLF research on how to join up support for people experiencing multiple, compound disadvantage.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Visit to Number 10 Policy group - Can government be more long-term and joined up? Some practical lessons 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact This was an event with the Number 10 policy group where we discussed: "Can government be more long-term and joined up? Some practical lessons" and I shared case examples from the UKRI FLF.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023