News and Publications

• New assignments and staff
• Completed Projects and Published reports
• Corporate and policy area brochures

• Process Evaluation of Inspiring Communities – this evaluation, commissioned by DCLG, will evaluate the processes and structures that have been established by 15 neighbourhood partnerships across England to develop community-based approaches to raising educational attainment.  This evaluation is using action learning approaches, working closely with the partnerships over the course of the programme.  Please contact Louise O’Neill for further information.
• Adult Social Care Expenditure -The Local Government Association (LGA), in partnership with the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS), commissioned us to carry out a survey of local authorities with responsibility for adult social services in England for the sixth financial year in a row (2004/05 – 2009/10).  For some time, the ADASS and the LGA have conducted an annual survey of local authorities with the aim of identifying expenditure trends and forecasts, and any areas of financial pressure for social care at an early stage.  The results are used primarily in discussions with the Department of Health, as evidence to support the claims of the commissioning organisations; they are also used by local authorities, to allow them to benchmark themselves against the national picture. Please contact Lisa Hall for further information.
• REA Research on Transition from Primary to Secondary School - Welsh Assembly Government. York Consulting is conducting a Rapid Evidence Assessment, 'Investigating the Drop in Attainment During the Transition Phase with a Particular Focus on Child Poverty'. The methodology includes; developing a search strategy, searching databases/literature sources, determining inclusion criteria and synthesising the evidence in report format.
• Evaluation of Family Pathfinders: In 2008, the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) commissioned York Consulting to undertake this three-year evaluation. The Family Pathfinder Programme ,announced in the Children’s Plan (2007), aims to test and develop the ‘Think Family’ model which was set out in the Cabinet Office’s Report ‘Think Family: Improving the Life Chances of Families at Risk’. This outlined a vision for local system change to improve support to those with multiple and complex problems, and help break the cycle of disadvantage by ‘thinking family’ at every level. A total of 15 local authorities received Pathfinder funding, with six areas receiving additional funding to extend their work to include systems and support services to address the needs of families with young carers. In November 2009, 12 new, two-year, Young Carer Pathfinders began and these Pathfinders are now also included in our evaluation. The evaluation has three key components:

1. a process evaluation describing and assessing the effectiveness of the structural and service delivery changes in improving    services for families at risk.
2. an outcomes evaluation measuring improvements in outcomes for families at risk and explaining the key system and service changes which have led to improvements.
3. an economic evaluation to assess the costs and benefits to the public sector of implementing each Pathfinder.

We have also been commissioned to produce a series of thematic reports to enable the dissemination of good practice and learning from the Pathfinders. The link to our first report is here:http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/resources-and-practice/IG00681/Sally Kendall for further information.

Completed Projects and Published Reports