research report

The Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC) Evaluation project: final report

Report that presents the findings from the evaluation of the first pilot Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC) in Britain.

FDAC is a new approach to care proceedings, in cases where parental substance misuse is a key element in the local authority decision to bring proceedings. It is being piloted at the Inner London Family Proceedings Court in Wells Street.

Social networks, poverty and ethnicity

Paper that briefly reviews evidence and current thinking about the links between social networks and poverty, and explores how dimensions of ‘race’ and ethnicity affect how these operate for people living in the UK.

It focuses mainly on the experiences of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities and identifies how social network effects contribute to the occurrence of poverty, coping strategies and routes out of poverty.

What have I done?: the experiences of children and families in UK immigration detention - lessons to learn

This research investigates the experiences of UK immigration detention of children1 and their families. Numerous research studies (Crawley and Lester, 2005; Lorek et al, 2009; Burnett et al, 2010) and inspection reports (Aynsley-Green, 2005; HMIP, 2008; 2010) have highlighted that the experience of detention, even for a relatively brief period of time, has a detrimental effect on the mental and physical health of children.

Reponding to gender-based violence in Scotland: the scope of the gender equality duty to drive cultural and practical change

Research undertaken for the Equality and Human Rights Commission by the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research, which explores some of the arguments for and against a gender aggravation in Scots criminal law before considering the evidence thus far of the impact the Gender Equality Duty (GED) has had on Scotland’s criminal justice system. It also makes a number of useful recommendations for the future.

Plusone mentoring: evaluation

plusone mentoring is an early intervention programme that uses a voluntary mentoring approach to engage with young people aged mainly 8 to 14 years who are deemed at high risk of future offending. It combines the school, social work, police and community model with a youth work model, which emphasises community involvement and responsive practice in work with young people.

Aspirations three years on: the views of young people who are fostered and their carers

Study that focused on young people’s experiences of being fostered and their foster carers’ assessment of factors that contribute to these experiences. It looked in detail at a range of specific areas covering their health and wellbeing; education and participation outcomes; their involvement in activities; their life skills; and their connections with past and present family and friends.

Implementing outcomes based accountability in children’s services: an overview of the process and impact

The Outcomes Based Accountability (OBA) model has been used as a way of structuring planning to improve outcomes for whole populations and for improving services. The OBA approach focuses on outcomes that are desired and monitoring and evidencing progress towards those desired outcomes. NFER was commissioned by Local Government Association Analysis and Research (LGAAR), on behalf of Local Government Improvement and Development, to identify the impact of the OBA approach on LA practice in Children's Services through nine case studies (18 interviews with strategic and operational staff).

Safeguarding children peer review programme: learning and recommendations

The Local Government Group commissioned The National Foundation for Educational Research in England and Wales (NFER) to undertake an independent research study to draw out key messages and learning from the safeguarding children peer review programme. Telephone interviews were conducted with staff from five local authorities and their partners, as well as with a range of peers from the review teams of those local authorities. Interviews were carried out between August 2010 and February 2011.

Transforming social care: sustaining person-centred support

This is a summary of the study. This study is the most user-centred and authoritative commentary to date on current policies and practice. The Standards We Expect project team (service users, practitioners and researchers) worked with service users, carers, front-line practitioners and managers in eight very diverse settings. Research findings published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation in May 2011.