1 A strategic approach to data and research – implications for Children’s Services Committees in Ireland Anne-Marie Brooks Sinéad Hanafin Gillian Roche Department of Children and Youth Affairs, Ireland

2 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

3 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

4 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.

5 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

6 Agree actions Action-indicator framework National Children’s Research Programme Prevention and Early Intervention Programme National Children’s Participation Programme (including Comhairlí na nÓg) Agree outcomes and indicators Outcome-indicator framework National Service Outcomes 1.Healthy both physically and mentally 2.Supported in active learning 3.Safe from accidental and intentional harm and secure in the immediate and wider physical environment 4.Economically secure 5.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 profile A baseline profile of child well- being An audit of services Census data Survey data Administrative data State of the Nations Children Reports Stage Role for data and research Data and research support

7 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

8 Data SourceData TypePeriodGeographic Census of the PopulationCensusQuinquennialElectoral division Programme for International Student AssessmentSurveyTriennialNot specified European Survey of Income and Living ConditionsSurveyAnnualNUTS III Health Behaviour in School-Aged ChildrenSurveyQuadrennialNUTS III Quarterly National Household Survey: Childcare ModuleSurveyTriennialNUTS III Triennial Assessment of Housing NeedAdministrativeTriennialLocal Authority Population estimates and projectionsAdministrativeAnnualCounty National Intellectual Disability DatabaseAdministrativeAnnualCounty/ Local Health Office National Physical and Sensory Disability DatabaseAdministrativeAnnualCounty/ Local Health Office National Psychiatric In-Patient Reporting SystemAdministrativeAnnualCounty Hospital In-Patient EnquiryAdministrativeAnnualCounty National Perinatal Reporting SystemAdministrativeAnnualCounty Vital Statistics (birth, deaths and marriages)AdministrativeAnnualCounty Immunisation Uptake StatisticsAdministrativeAnnualLocal Health Office Childcare Interim DatasetAdministrativeAnnualLocal Health Office National Education Welfare Board StatisticsAdministrativeAnnualCounty An Garda Siochana StatisticsAdministrativeAnnualGarda Region and Division WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance InitiativeSurveyBiennialNUTS III Early Childhood Care and Education DatabaseAdministrativeAnnualCounty/ County Development Board

9 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

10 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

11 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

12 National Strategy for Data and Research on Children’s Lives 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.

13 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 – Inventory of national data sources on children’s lives – Consultations Analysis of inputs Development of action plan

14 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

15 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

16 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

17 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

18 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

19 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

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