CHAPTER 3: APPROACH TO ANALYSIS OF CONSULTATION RESPONSES
3.1 ANALYSIS
3.1.1 George Street Research was commissioned to conduct an analysis of the consultation responses and this document constitutes a summary report of this analysis.
Analytical Framework
3.1.2 The analytical framework used in our analysis of the consultation responses was an electronic ACCESS database specifically written for this consultation. This enabled a combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis to be undertaken.
3.1.3 The fields used to record the material in the ACCESS database were based on the questions set out in the consultation document. The text from free flowing responses was, where possible, assigned to a specific question and stored in the relevant field.
Publication of Responses
3.1.4 Where respondents have agreed to publication, these responses will be made available in the Scottish Executive library. After discussion with the consultation team, the convention adopted for this consultation has been to attribute comments and quotes to the grouped consultee category to which they fit. In this way, a further depth is added to the analysis by providing some contextual information about the consultee type. However, there were occasions where it was seen as useful to directly attribute comments or quotes; this was mainly in cases where the response came from an organisation with a major role in fostering or in delivering the strategy.
Factual Accuracy
3.1.5 The views presented in this analysis have not been vetted in any way for factual accuracy. The opinions and comments submitted to the consultation may be based on fact or may, indeed, be based on what consultees perceive to be accurate, but which others may interpret differently. It is important for the analysis to represent views from all perspectives. The report may, therefore, contain analysis of responses which may be factually inaccurate or based on misunderstanding or misinformation on the issues but nevertheless reflect strongly held views. In some instances, such inaccuracies and misunderstandings will be relevant findings in themselves.
Interpretation of Findings
3.1.6 Those participating in the consultation exercise were self-selecting and each had their particular motivation to take part. The exercise was not intended to gain views that were representative of the Scottish population, but was intended to give all those who wished to comment an opportunity to do so. This has to be borne in mind in interpreting the findings presented in this report.
3.1.7 Given the self-selecting nature of any consultation exercise, it should be noted that any statistics quoted here cannot be extrapolated to a wider population outwith the consultation population.
3.2 REPORTING
3.2.1 The following chapters document the key themes identified from the 111 responses received to the consultation, including the response submitted on behalf of young people, and from the 16 events run by the Fostering Network and for ease of reference directly reflect the structure of the consultation paper and questionnaire.
3.2.2 It should be noted that, as a number of consultees chose not to use the consultation template provided for answers, many of the yes/no or similar questions were not answered. For those who did not answer in this format we have tried, wherever possible, to identify any answer as either a positive, negative or mixed from comments given, in order to quantify as many responses as possible.
3.2.3 Although documentation from a small number of the Fostering Network's events gave an indication of the attendees' views in relation to some of these questions, most did not. For this reason it is not possible to include any quantitative data from the events in the charts. However, where information is available, an indication of support or otherwise from event attendees has been reported after each chart.
3.2.4 Where reports from the events include comments similar to those in the consultation responses, these have been reported alongside, and any extra themes emerging from those attending the events have also been highlighted.
3.2.5 Themes emerging in response to each question were examined by respondent type thereby allowing us to ascertain commonalities or differences between consultee groups. In addition, this allowed us to identify issues about which consultee groups did not comment, and by implication therefore did not feel as strongly about, similar comments to those made by others. On the whole, most of the key themes emerged in responses across all respondent groups. In the report, details are given for any theme that appears primarily in responses from one particular type of respondent group, or where any of the larger sub-groups (especially local authorities, voluntary organisations and the 3 individual respondent sub-groups), do not include these themes.