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A strategic approach to data and research – implications for Children’s

Services Committees in Ireland

Anne-Marie BrooksSinéad HanafinGillian RocheDepartment of Children and Youth Affairs, Ireland

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Department of Children and Youth Affairs - Overview

Responsibility for the development of harmonised policy and co-ordinated service delivery for children and young people:

Child Welfare and Protection Policy Unit Childcare Directorate National Children and Young People’s Strategy Unit Irish Youth Justice Service Early Years Education Policy Unit National Education and Welfare Board Family Support Agency Participation Unit Research Unit

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Presentation outline Provide an overview of the Working Together for

Children Initiative Highlight the role for data and research Provide an overview of existing data and research

supports and the challenges that have emerged Set out how the National Strategy for Data and

Research on Children’s Lives will address these challenges

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Working Together for Children Initiative - Purpose

The purpose of the Working Together for Children Initiative is to secure better developmental outcomes for children through more effective integration of existing services and interventions at local level.

The initiative is operationalised through the establishment of Children’s Services Committees (CSC’s) which operate at Local Authority level.

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Stage 1

Analyse the

current situation

Stage 4 Monitor

and evaluate

Stage 2

Agree outcomes

and indicators

Stage 3 Agree

actions

Improving Outcomes for Children

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Agree actions

Action-indicator framework

National Children’s Research ProgrammePrevention and Early Intervention ProgrammeNational Children’s Participation Programme (including Comhairlí na nÓg)

Agree outcomes and indicators

Outcome-indicator framework

National Service Outcomes

1. Healthy both physically and mentally2. Supported in active learning 3. Safe from accidental and intentional harm

and secure in the immediate and wider physical environment

4. Economically secure5. Part of positive networks of family,

friends, neighbours and community, and included and participating in society

National Set of Child Well-Being Indicators

Monitor and evaluate

Evaluation framework

Census data Survey data Administrative data

Analyse the current situation

A socio-demographic profileA baseline profile of child well-being An audit of services

Census data Survey data Administrative dataState of the Nations Children Reports

Stage

Role for data and research Data and research support

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Challenges

Data availability – Gaps in knowledge on particular area (e.g. mental

health, educational transitions, sexual health behaviours)

– Information not capable of disaggregation at the level needed (e.g. child level, geographic area)

– Focus on inputs and outputs– Timeliness and periodicity

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Data Source Data Type Period Geographic

Census of the Population Census Quinquennial Electoral division

Programme for International Student Assessment Survey Triennial Not specified

European Survey of Income and Living Conditions Survey Annual NUTS III

Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children Survey Quadrennial NUTS III

Quarterly National Household Survey: Childcare Module Survey Triennial NUTS III

Triennial Assessment of Housing Need Administrative Triennial Local Authority

Population estimates and projections Administrative Annual County

National Intellectual Disability Database Administrative Annual County/ Local Health Office

National Physical and Sensory Disability Database Administrative Annual County/ Local Health Office

National Psychiatric In-Patient Reporting System Administrative Annual County

Hospital In-Patient Enquiry Administrative Annual County

National Perinatal Reporting System Administrative Annual County

Vital Statistics (birth, deaths and marriages) Administrative Annual County

Immunisation Uptake Statistics Administrative Annual Local Health Office

Childcare Interim Dataset Administrative Annual Local Health Office

National Education Welfare Board Statistics Administrative Annual County

An Garda Siochana Statistics Administrative Annual Garda Region and Division

WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative Survey Biennial NUTS III

Early Childhood Care and Education Database Administrative Annual County/ County Development Board

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Challenges Capacity

– Funding – Resources– Expertise

Infrastructure – Access – e.g. technical, administrative barriers– Data systems– Harmonisation (e.g. concepts and definitions)– Quality issues e.g. coverage, sample size– Lack of established protocols for e.g.

Data sharing Data linkage

– Data protection – Governance e.g. ethical oversight, increased co-ordination

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Challenges

Data for monitoring and evaluation of services– Limited data on service quality– No common assessment framework

Making use of research and data findings– Lack of a culture of data use– Lack of suitable data– Links back to data quality, capacity and

infrastructure

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Why a data and research strategy?

Cross-Government initiative for development of Departmental data strategies

Commitment in Towards 2016 to children’s data strategy

Better understanding of the effects of policy decisions, supports and interventions

Provide strategic direction More co-ordinated and comprehensive data

on children’s lives to inform policy and services

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National Strategy for Data and Research on Children’s Lives 2011-2016

Aim To set out a plan to guide and support the development of

research and data around children’s lives over the next five years, for the purpose of ensuring children and

young people benefit from improved understandings of their lives. In doing so, it will work towards the

development of a comprehensive and co-ordinated approach to the collection, compilation and

dissemination of data and research on children’s lives and will facilitate the utilisation of good quality, easily

accessible, internationally comparable information about the lives of children in Ireland.

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Development of a data and research strategy Systematic, evidence-based approach Guided by

– Theory– Policy imperatives– National guidelines

Informed by– Literature review identifying key issues– Cross-national case studies– Review of policy 2000-2008– Inventory of national data sources on children’s lives– Consultations

Analysis of inputs Development of action plan

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Data Strategy Action Plan - Objectives

A. Generate a comprehensive and coherent understanding of children’s development, needs and appropriate supports and services

B. Develop research capacity in the area of children’s data and research

C. Develop, support and promote good infrastructure in the area of children’s research and data

D. Improve evaluation and monitoring of children’s services in Ireland at local, national and international level

E. Support a continuum of research and data use within policy and practice settings

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Objective A: Generate a comprehensive and coherent understanding of children’s development, needs and appropriate supports and services

Types of action which can support CSCs to generate this knowledge

Generation of information where gaps currently exist – e.g. educational transitions, sexual health, information on services at local level

Promote use of geographic codes within datasets that are capable of being aggregated to different unit

Focus on child as central unit of data collection / analysis Generation of data with a focus on child outcomes from

different forms of service / intervention Increased focus on locally-based data sources to generate

more timely information

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Objective B: Develop research capacity in the area of children’s data and research

Types of action which can support the CSCs to develop this capacity

Fund and support structures and programmes which develop quantitative data skills to increase pool of skilled analysts available

Direct support through workshops etc. Provide /support mechanisms such as summer schools

which give opportunities to develop skills, engage with relevant datasets and to share knowledge

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Objective C: Develop, support and promote good infrastructure in the area of children’s research and data

Types of action which can help provide such infrastructure for the benefit of CSCs

Access to and linkage of administrative data systems by NSI to produce statistical outputs

Development of national data systems where deficits exist Structures to promote increased harmonisation across data

systems, data sharing and comparability Development of guidelines and protocols Improved dissemination e.g. through mapping of data, more

integrated approaches

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Objective D: Improve evaluation and monitoring of children’s services in Ireland at local, national and international level

Types of action which can support CSCs in conducting such monitoring and evaluation

Increased availability of on-line, searchable directories of key services for children including mapping of services

Existing reports on service delivery taking an increased focus on child-relevant services

Development of assessment frameworks at national level

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Objective E: Support a continuum of research and data use within policy and practice settings

Types of action which can support such use by CSCs

Building a culture of data use Building capacity Development of range of data and research outputs to

support the planning and evaluation of services e.g. Further analysis and synthesis of information currently

collected to develop key messages for services Targetted, strategic dissemination from key data sources on

children’s lives, with a focus on messages for service delivery Longitudinal data and other service evaluation studies to

examine impact of interventions over time

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Summary / Conclusions

Working Together for Children Initiative provides a structure for interagency working in children’s services

Information key component of their work Challenges exist to the adequate use of data and

research to inform children’s services National Strategy for Data and Research on

Children’s Lives sets out strategic vision and action plan addressing many of these challenges

Implementation has already commenced National Children’s Strategy 2011-2016 will

continue to promote the principles of interagency working and use of data and research in service provision