Soft outcomes, hard data – Using the Outcomes Star to improve, learn and evidence change

Learning from the Outcomes Star

Elizabeth HarperRegional Director

elizabeth.harper@mungos.org

Our vision is that:

• Everyone should have a decent place to live

• Something meaningful to do• Satisfying relationships with other people• The good health to enjoy them

Who are St Mungo’s

Our services

• 1800 residents • 850 staff• 100+ different projects including

– Street outreach – complex needs projects– Semi Independent houses– hostels– registered care homes

Our interest in Outcomes

Historically• Focus on inputs and outputs• Lack of service accountability• Inability to demonstrate many of the

effects of our work – clients– staff

Risks – of input output model

• Cherry Picking

• Undervalued and Under funded services

• Delivering outputs rather than client outcomes

Development

• A tailor made outcomes tool– Sector relevant– Incorporate learning

• Clients in partnership

• Objective

• Visually appealing

Outcomes Star

What have we learnt?

• Aggregated can be useful.

• That the measurements on the Star have meaning for the ways that clients are worked with

Research project

• Tailored support brings best results

• Women in mixed hostels fare worst

• Positive outcomes peak at 6 – 12 months

Improvement actions:Addressing decline at 6 – 12 months

• Raised internally as a concern

• We have developed internal pathways for clients

• Camden and others now use this model wholesale

Improvement actions:Women’s services

Peer research project

• Identify issue

• Research

• Women's strategy and coordinator

• National campaign

Implications for client work

• Measures link to cycle of change

• Guides staff practice

• Working at clients pace

• Client centred and personalised.

Emerging findings

• Rough sleeping

• Relationships– men – women

Summary

• To learn

• To improve

• To demonstrate

But beware…….

Its not using a measurement tool……its how you use it

Distance travelled is not an indicator of quality

Outcomes Star Demonstrating worth

Elizabeth.Harper@mungos.org