Stage 1. Stakeholder Engagement
The research team will conduct stakeholder engagement in the three London-based partner Local Authorities to test and refine the Starter Programme Theory from the pilot work and inform the content of the data collection tools. We will do this through:
Stage 2. Data Collection
The data collection includes two concurrent work packages.
i. Evaluate Implementation
Research tells us social workers need encouragement to choose the SFGC rather than the ICPC pathway, as they worry it is riskier for children. For this reason, we want to find out what works to get professionals to choose the SFGC pathway. To do this, the research team will observe a series of Learning Workshops run by our London-based partner Local Authorities for up to 12 participating Local Authorities to share lessons learned and best practices around implementing the new SFGC pathway. The research team will also distribute a series of questionnaires and conduct interviews with workshop attendees to capture what helps and hinders professionals’ and families’ acceptance of the SFGC pathway over time.
ii. In-depth Case Studies
At the same time, two Researchers-in-Residence will be embedded in the social work teams and/or FGC service in two case study sites. They will follow up to 10 families and all involved professionals through the SFGC pathway over the course of a year to understand how the SFGC pathway did or did not work for them and why. Data collection methods will include meeting observations, interviews, and the collection of family outcomes data from social work and FGC service case files.
