Social Justice
Ongoing Work
Working for Families Monitoring and Evaluation 2004-2006
Contractor: ERI, Napier University
Due to be published: April 2007
Contact: Sinéad Power [0131 244 0681]
Research to monitor and evaluate the Working for Families fund which started in April 2004. To assess the impact of the overall funding; to answer what is effective, for whom, in what circumstances and why; and to show, through cost benefit analysis, the trade offs between such benefits and the economic resources used.
Working for Families Evaluation 2006-2008
Contractor: ERI, Napier University
Due: July 2008
Contact: Sinéad Power [0131 244 0681]
Research to continue monitoring the Working for Families fund client data from 2006-2008 for the ten original local authorities and for the 10 new local authorities. To assess the impact of the overall funding; to answer what is effective, for whom, in what circumstances and why; and to show, through cost benefit analysis, the trade offs between such benefits and the economic resources used.
Evaluation of support to lone parents and others to sustain employment
Contractor: BMG Research
Due to be published: April 2007
Contact: Sinéad Power [0131 244 0681]
A qualitative evaluation of two initiatives which support lone parents and others to help them sustain employment, in order to explore the nature and effectiveness of the initiatives from the perspectives of project clients and staff.
Money Advice Projects for Vulnerable Groups - Consultancy & Evaluation
Contractor: Scottish Poverty Information Unit ( SPIU) with Money Advice Scotland ( MAS)
Due to be published: March 2007
Contact: Sinead Power [0131 244 0681]
Research to provide consultancy support and to monitor and evaluate the MA projects individually and collectively, in order to inform future initiatives meeting the needs of the target groups and to provide mainstream advice providers with information which will allow them to understand the issues which affect these client groups.
Closing the Opportunity Gap ( CtOG) Approach - Phase 1 Interim Evaluation
Contractor: Scottish Poverty Information Unit and Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion
Due: May 2007
Contact: Sinéad Power [0131 244 0681]
The overall aim of the CtOG approach is to prevent poverty, provide routes out of poverty and to enable the Scottish population to sustain poverty free lives. The aim of this research is to analyse the progress that CtOG has made towards meeting its stated aims, objectives and targets and where appropriate to identify ways to measure this progress.
Exploring the take-up of home contents insurance amongst tenants in the social rented sector
Contractor: Hexagon Research and Consulting
Due: April 2007
Contact: Sinéad Power [0131 244 0681]
The aim of this research is to explore the low take-up of home contents insurance amongst tenants in the social rented sector and recommended how take-up can be improved within this sector.
Best practice in establishing and monitoring Urban Regeneration Companies ( URC's)
Contractor: Tribal
Due: May 2007
Contact: Sinéad Power [0131 244 0681]
The aim of this research is to explore examples of best practice in the establishment of URCs in Scotland and to set in place a framework for the future monitoring and evaluation of URC's.
Vacant and Derelict Land Fund 2004-06
Contractor: Tribal
Due to be published: March 2007
Contact: Sinéad Power [0131 244 0681]
The aim of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund 2004-06 in achieving its objectives i.e. tackle long-term vacant and derelict land; stimulate economic growth and job creation and promote environmental justice and improved quality of life.
Scottish Household Survey: Analytical Topic Report on Volunteering
Contractor: Blake Stevenson Ltd.
Due: May 2007
Contact: Jonathan Wright [0131 244 7558]
An analysis of SHS data on volunteering, seeking in particular to identify lessons with regard to barriers and attractions for volunteering, that will arise from the revised set of questions first asked in 2005. There will also be some discussion of trends in the data and comparisons with other volunteering surveys.
Older People Research Programme
Contact: Jacqueline Rae [0131 244 0291]
Due to be published: March 2007
- Age and Experience - Developing the Strategy for a Scotland with an Ageing Population: Consultation Analysis
Contractor: George Street Research
Analysis of responses to the consultation: 'Age and Experience: Developing the Strategy for a Scotland with an Ageing Population'. The consultation was launched in March 2006 and ended in June 2006.
- A Strategy for a Scotland with an Ageing Population: Qualitative Research with the General Public
Contractor: Ipsos MORI Qualitative research conducted with people of varying age and from different socio-economic and equality groups to gain an understanding of their attitudes towards: the ageing population; their aspirations for old age and perceived barriers to fulfilling those aspirations; and their perceptions of change needed to support an ageing population.
Public Sector Professional Qualifications and Violence Against Women Curriculum
Contractor s: Blake Stevenson Ltd
Due: May 2007
Contact: Sara Dodds [0131 244 0427]
The research will identify the extent to which training on supporting women against gender based violence exists across the different professions in the public sector, and assess the strengths and weaknesses of current training to inform future development.
Gender Audit of Statistics: Comparing the Position of Women and Men in Scotland
Contractor: Esther Breitenbach
Due to be published: March 2007
Contact: Dharshi Santhakumaran [0131 244 7571]
This research will collate and analyse Scottish Executive and other available statistics that are able to be disaggregated by sex across key policy areas. The audit will provide an expert and informed description of the data and relate these findings to specific policy areas.
Communication Support Needs - A Review of the Literature
Contractor: Professor James Law, Queen Margaret University College
Due: May 2007
Contact: Dharshi Santhakumaran [0131 244 7571]
This research reviews the existing literature on the needs and experiences of people with communication support needs in order to help define and assess the scale and range of needs. It is anticipated that the review will inform two further phases of research, which will involve research with people with communication support needs and with service providers.
Multiple and Complex Needs: Programme Evaluation
Contractor s: Cambridge Policy Consultants Ltd
Due: August 2008
Contact: Leyla Charlaff [0131 244 7371]
The research will identify key, generic lessons of what works and what doesn't across 14 pilot projects funded by the Multiple and Complex Needs Initiative and share learning from these projects with relevant service providers and policy makers. The research aims to identify what interventions in the programme most effectively impact on how people with multiple and complex needs are made aware of, access, engage with and move through services to achieve successful outcomes.
Forthcoming Research Studies
Monitoring of the Scottish Compact
Contractor: To be commissioned
Contact: Jonathan Wright [0131 244 7558]
This research will provide information on the effectiveness of the Compact between the Voluntary Sector and the Executive.
Further forthcoming research projects including invitations to make Expressions of Interest will be announced on the Scottish Executive Social Research website at: www.scotland.gov.uk/socialresearch.
Publications
Literature Review on Providing Services for People with Multiple and Complex Needs
Contractor: Ann Rosengard Associates
This review evaluates existing research to understand the processes through which people with multiple or complex needs engage, or do not engage, with services to resolve their problems and identifies good practice. Link to report here
Review of Voluntary Sector Support Services: Perceptions of Users and Providers
Published, February 2007 Contractor: Rocket Science
This study involved a survey of and focus groups with voluntary organisations, as well as interviews with support providers to identify the issues with regard to coverage of support services for the voluntary sector in Scotland.
Research Findings Link to report here
Report Link to report here
Online Survey Annex Link to report here
Closing the Opportunity Gap Scoping Study
Contractor: Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion ( CESI) and SPIU
Published: May 2006
In tackling poverty and disadvantage in Scotland and building on the Social Justice Milestones, the Scottish Executive's Closing the Opportunity Gap ( CtOG) approach focuses on a number of key policy areas: employability, educational attainment, health improvement, community regeneration, service development in rural areas and financial inclusion. CtOG comprises 6 overarching objectives and 10 targets, announced in July and December 2004 (respectively). In addition to Closing the Opportunity Gap ( CtOG) target monitoring, this scoping study aimed to provide options to help synthesise and assess the impact of CtOG as a whole.
Link to report here
Full Cost recovery in the Voluntary Sector
Contractor: GEN Consulting
Published: February 2007
Report on costs and impacts of the implementation of the principle of Full Cost Recovery in the public sector contracts with the voluntary sector
Research Findings: Link to report here
Report: Link to report here