Social Research Unit awarded preferred bidder status for support for the Big Lottery Fund’s A Better Start Programme
We’re proud to announce we’ve been awarded preferred bidder status to support the first fourteen months of the Big Lottery Fund’s A Better Start programme.
This is a new, £165m initiative from the Big Lottery Fund that aims to improve the life chances of babies and children by achieving a step change in preventative approaches in pregnancy and the first three years of life, based on robust evidence of what works. More »
Evidence2Success: supporting local government to develop and implement evidence-based strategies to improve child outcomes
Evidence2Success is a strategy development and implementation process that supports the leaders of public services and community leaders to work together to improve children’s outcomes by commissioning, designing and implementing evidence-based children’s services.
The Social Research Unit is working with the City of Providence in Rhode Island in the United States, and the local authority in Perth and Kinross in Scotland to implement it in these areas. More »
Blueprints for Success: A ‘what works’ one-stop-shop for children’s services
We’re developing an interactive ‘what works’ one-stop-shop for children’s services, covering education, health, youth justice and social care. This will bring together information about what works in improving children’s outcomes, as defined by a set of transparent and independent children’s services, with cost-benefit information about the costs and financial benefits of various programmes.
The interactive site is in development, but you can find out more about the programmes that have met the standards so far. More »
Investing in children: cost-benefit analysis of education, health, youth justice and social care initiatives that improve children’s outcomes
We’re translating the highly-respected public policy cost-benefit model developed by the Washington State Institute of Public Policy for the UK. We’re using the model to analyse policies and programmes across five areas: early years and education; youth offending; child and adolescent mental health; child protection and social care; and drugs and alcohol. To date, we have published prototype analysis in three areas, covering around 40 different policies and programmes.
Prevention in Children’s Services: a new Social Research Unit report published by NESTA
This ‘how-to’ guide to evidence-based prevention in children’s services is by Michael Little, Co-director and Sonia Sodha, Head of Policy & Strategy, at the Social Research Unit.
The report sets out what commissioners need in order to be able to commission evidence-based preventative services for children, and considers issues like how to replicate and scale what works in one areas and how to fund prevention services in a time of austerity. More »
We work with
Trusts and foundations
Supporting trusts and foundations to develop, refine and evaluate grant-making strategies designed to improve children’s outcomes. More »
Local authorities
Supporting local authorities alongside other statutory and voluntary agencies to develop and deliver evidence-based strategies for children’s services. More »
Children’s service providers
Supporting charities and other children’s service providers to refine and evaluate their work – and move from innovation to proven impact . More »
Children’s service professionals
Supporting evidence-based practice at the frontline through a range of practice tools. More »
Quick Links
Blueprints for Success
A one-stop-shop for children’s service commissioners, bringing together information about what works and cost-benefit analysis. More »
ChildrenCount
A data portal to enable local authorities to collect data on child development and compare with national averages. More »
Journal of Children’s Services
A quarterly, peer-reviewed journal edited by the Social Research Unit on what works in children’s services. More »
Prevention Action
A news site run by the Social Research Unit that reports on science, innovation, and evidence-based interventions to improve children’s health and development. More »
Latest From The Social Research Unit
How to implement evidence-based programmes: Webinar 4 for YJB effective practice series
This is the fourth of a series of five webinars run by the Social Research
How to commission evidence-based programmes: Webinar 3 for YJB effective practice series
This is the third of a series of five webinars run by the Social Research
Social Research Unit awarded preferred bidder status to provide support for the Big Lottery Fund’s A Better Start programme
We’re proud to announce we’ve been awarded preferred bidder status to support the first fourteen
Developing and replicating evidence-based interventions: a workshop for charities
Four day-long workshops held across the UK for the charities being funded as part of