Local Evaluation into Practice

Creating an Effective Evaluation Programme

Lynnette Chapman, Community Evaluation Unit, Somerset NHS

Background

• Sure Start Bridgwater (Trailblazer)• Sure Start West Somerset (Round 4)• Sure Start Taunton (Round 5)

• Community Evaluation Unit.• Based in NHS Evaluation Unit, Taunton.

What is Effective Evaluation?

• Understanding how well Sure Start services are performing.

• Assessing progress towards objectives/targets• Making changes to programme as a result

of the local evaluation findings

Source: NESS

Question

If effective evaluation involves shaping and influencing the direction of a local Sure Start programme, how can we ensure that this happens?

Shaping Sure Start ProgrammesSome Examples• Library services• Speech and Language Services• Community Questionnaire

Effective Evaluation: Important Characteristics

• Knowing the Programme• Evaluative Culture• Evaluative Style• Opportunities for Shaping the Programme• Reporting

Knowing the Programme

• Close working with PM and staff• Regular contact (team mtgs)• Opportunities for evaluation ideas• Aware of issues at all levels (MMG/team)• Evaluate according to need (which may

change!)• Evaluation findings put into context

Evaluative Culture

• Evaluative Culture• Think Evaluation!• Evaluation as positive• Involvement and ownership by staff• Raising awareness of evaluation

Evaluation Style

• Approachable• Responsive to need• Research methods

– Innovative and open to new approaches– Rapid review/depth studies/visual

• Evaluation integrated not add on• Local but independent

Opportunities for Evaluation to help shape the Programme• Evaluation input into decision making and

shaping of services• Close working with senior staff• Two way process - evaluation

staff/management• Awareness of key issues/evaluation

questions

Reporting

• Accessible and clear reports - interesting!• Present or discuss findings with appropriate

key staff• Impact of results should be ongoing - not

just report, but reinforce, can offer reminders of the evaluation findings to shape services.

Challenges

• Time– attend meetings– building evaluation culture and opportunities– getting to know Sure Start programmes

• Responsive yet need to plan evaluation activity

• Keeping up with changes in the programme

Conclusions

• Shaping Sure Start programmes– More than just distributing evaluation findings

• Knowing the Programme• Evaluation Culture• Evaluation Style• Opportunities for Shaping• Reporting