We always evaluate how well we deliver our services by seeking feedback from families and referrers at the end of support, but how do we measure the actual difference it makes to the lives of the children and families we support?
We always talk to children and families following the end of support to find out exactly what made a difference to them. In addition, our Outcomes Compass and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire together give us a clear picture of where parents, carers and children think they are. We measure before the start of support to benchmark the current position, at the end of support to give a picture of immediate results, and after a set number of weeks following the end of support to capture any long-term changes.
For children and families, being able to clearly see any progress they’ve made is an essential part of their journey, helping them build on existing strengths and identifying where changes need to be made.
But progress isn’t always measured in numbers or words; we recognise that sometimes even attending sessions is a massive step forward; sometimes being able to choose a toy, show a feeling or try an activity in a session is progress.