Evaluating Together for Childhood
We learn from and evaluate Together for Childhood using a variety of methods and approaches.
For example, we use creative methods that ask people to share stories of change so we can understand how Together for Childhood is making a difference to community members and partners. We also use large surveys that capture what young people, community members, and professionals know, think, and do about child abuse.
Each Together for Childhood site has its own research team that leads the work locally. The local research team actively engages with the community to ensure that their findings are relevant and impactful. They do this by attending events such as parent-toddler groups and strategic operational boards, where they can connect with people and discover new things about how Together for Childhood is working.
The knowledge is shared with a centralised research team on an ongoing basis so that everyone can use it. All this information helps us build a picture of what works to prevent child abuse. It also means we can learn about what is needed to make Together for Childhood even better.
This makes our approach different from traditional models where learning and development is simply the final step and outcome of an evaluation.
> Read our Together for Childhood research and evaluations
How we evaluate our work in Together for Childhood
We learn about how Together for Childhood makes a difference and what works in three ways.
Process evaluations
Process evaluations focus on understanding the implementation of Together for Childhood and how a place-based approach is defined and characterised in abuse prevention.
This allows us to gain insight into the local context in which Together for Childhood is being developed and how it is being put into practice. By considering local context, we can tailor Together for Childhood to better fit the needs and experiences of each community.
> Read about our design principles evaluation of Together for Childhood
Outcomes evaluations
Outcomes evaluations allow us to track the changes that Together for Childhood has brought about or played a role in, as well as who has been affected by these changes, and the reasons behind them.
Together for Childhood aims to improve the ability of different types of people to identify, address, and prevent child abuse. Outcomes evaluations are crucial to this aim as they help us determine if the initiative is achieving its intended objectives and its level of effectiveness.
This knowledge allows us to make informed decisions about activities and services that are more likely to be effective and sustainable.
Local evaluations
Activities and programmes in each site are developed to achieve the overall Together for Childhood goal of preventing child abuse. We work with local teams to develop a bespoke programme of local evaluation that explores what change looks like locally and the path to achieving change.
Our learning and evaluation model is designed to help each Together for Childhood initiative provide tailored activities and services that meet the unique needs of their community. This means that Together for Childhood can create a customised programme of activities for their communities, so that they get the best possible support and resources.
By sharing the findings widely, we are empowering communities to create safer spaces for children and prevent abuse. Together, we are making a real difference.
> Read our Sharing the Science evaluation (Glasgow)
Together for Childhood Annual Report 2023
An overview of all the work that has been carried out in the last year in our Together for Childhood sites - Plymouth, Stoke, Govan and Grimsby.
> Read our Together for Childhood Annual Report 2023 (PDF)