Outcome measures

28 Oct 2016 12:15 PM

 

Homeless Link wants to hear from our members about the outcomes you collect and measure in your homelessness service(s)?

As part of Homeless Link’s work for DCLG we are seeking to better understand the range of outcome measures used by ALL homelessness services (outreach, accommodation, day centres and other services). At this stage of the project we are seeking to map and describe the range of outcome measures used by homelessness services with a view in the longer term to scope and explore the potential to develop standardised core outcome measures that can be shared across all homelessness services.

Under the Supporting People (SP) funding programme there was a clear outcomes framework with SP funded services having to provide information under the following broad outcome domains: Economic Wellbeing, Enjoy and Achieve, Be Healthy, Stay Safe and Make a Positive Contribution. However, with so many changes to this funding stream along with changes in commissioning and the growing move to payment by results funding including Social Impact Bonds and the greater role of social investment in funding public services, there is a growing demand and need for services to identify the outcomes they achieve.

With so much change happening over recent years Homeless Link is seeking to build an updated picture of the current range of outcomes homeless services are collecting, analysing and using to evidence impact and to improve services.

An outcomes approach helps services and organisations to deliver more effectively for the people they support and work with. Outcomes are important for organisations for the following reasons:

  • It helps organisations demonstrate the value of the services being provided as part of the case for continuing commissioning/ funding into the future. 
  • It helps organisations to market or sell their services if they can demonstrate that the impact of their service or services is greater than others because they have achieved higher levels of positive outcomes. 
  • It enables the organisation to reflect internally what works most effectively and when, including how much intervention is required to achieve a satisfactory outcome and with what groups of people or under what circumstances.
  • It identifies which ‘investment’ presents value for money.
  • It enables organisations to demonstrate to commissioners / funders that the terms of any contract are being met.
  • It assists in the case management process by directing where support plans should be focused and providing individual service users with encouragement by evidencing how they are making progress towards their goals.
  • It helps in the management and monitoring of individual staff and team performance by informing supervision and providing data on staff effectiveness.

To help us in this project and for us to build up a current picture of the outcomes being collected by homelessness services please share with us the outcomes that you measure and monitor.

How to respond

Please share the outcomes framework/measures that your service or organisations currently collects by completing the form in the attachment below. This information will be anonymous and will help inform our understanding of the outcomes that homeless services collect 

Please return the form along with your outcomes measures/framework by 30th November 2016 to Jacqui McCluskey at jacqui.mccluskey@homelesslink.org.uk 

If you want more information or to discuss the project in more detail then please contact Jacqui on 0207 840 4429.

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