research and evaluation

Exploring disability, family formation and break-up: reviewing the evidence

The research was carried out by Stephen McKay and Harriet Clarke at the University of Birmingham on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Office for Disability Issues (ODI). The report provides evidence on the effect that being a disabled adult, or having a disabled child, has on rates of family break-up, on repartnering or having children.

Review of section 5 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001

The research examined the use of Section 5 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 and other routes through which local authorities assist statutorily homeless households in securing permanent accommodation from a Registered Social landlord (RSL).

Section 5 gives local authorities the power to require RSLs operating in their area to provide accommodation for homeless households.

The research has been undertaken by Craigforth for the Scottish Government and is to be used by the Government to inform their review of policy and guidance in this area.

Recent migration into Scotland: the evidence base

This report reviews evidence on the impact of migration into Scotland since 2004, when the accession of the A8 countries - Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia - to the European Union resulted in increased migration into the UK. The review includes available evidence in relation to other groups, including asylum seekers and refugees. The review uses evidence from a range of published and unpublished sources, including datasets, surveys and qualitative studies, across the two main areas of economic and employment impacts and social impacts.

Advocacy for Children and Young People in Scotland

This draft report summarises the key findings of a National Research Study conducted by the Advocacy Safeguards Agency. The study looked at why children and young people need advocacy, the laws relating to children and advocacy and the views young people hold about advocacy including what they would look for in an advocate. The report also identifies types of advocacy, barriers and enablers to advocacy, and examines the issues raised by adults interviewed about advocacy.

Children and domestic violence : a research overview of the impact on children

This resource looks at the question of the impact of domestic violence on children and examines some of the research on intervention and what can be done to promote better outcomes. The review aims examines the definition of domestic violence and the gendered pattern of abuse; the experiences of children living with domestic violence and the overlap with other forms of abuse; the impact on children of living with domestic violence; the problems associated with post-separation violence; and policy implications and practice interventions.

Evaluation of Reading Rich

Scottish Government evaluation of the Reading Rich programme, a partnership between National Children's Homes Scotland and the Scottish Book Trust which aimed to introduce a 'reading rich' environment for children and young people who are looked after in residential and foster care settings in Scotland so they could benefit from reading, books and literature. It ran from 2004 to 2007.

Extension of the New Deal Plus for Lone Parents Pilot to Scotland and Wales: qualitative evaluation

This report presents the findings from the qualitative evaluation of the New Deal Plus for Lone Parents pilot in Jobcentre Plus districts in Scotland and Wales. The evaluation observed the set up and running of the pilot in the two districts through its first year of delivery.

The aim of the evaluation was to observe the live running of the pilot over time, in order to identify and feed back promptly on the development of the pilot, focusing on the effectiveness of the pilot as a whole - to what extent is it a comprehensive and coherent portfolio offer to lone parents?

Understanding older people's experiences of poverty and material deprivation

The overall aims of the project were to provide an understanding of older people's experiences of poverty and their understanding of a range of indicators used to measure material deprivation.

As well as providing a rich description of older people's saving and spending habits, it also sought to understand how they interpreted material deprivation indicators. The project was based on indepth interviews and focus groups and was undertaken by the Personal Finance Research Centre at the University of Bristol.