Principal Investigator
Co-Investigators
Megan Hamilton, Prof Graham Moore, Prof Simon Moore
Background
The Wales Without Violence Framework (from now on referred to as the Framework) is developed by the Violence Prevention Unit (VPU) and co=produced alongside the Peer Action Collective Cymru (PAC). It aims to represent a shared vision for violence prevention in Wales, the foundation of which is grounded in and advocates for a whole system, public health approach. The Framework aims to act as an evidence-based, community-informed guide and resource for professionals when planning and conducting violence prevention work. The Framework aims to influence practice at multiple levels across multiple agencies, adopting and integrating a public health approach to violence by integrating an evidence-informed and co-produced approach, designed to support:
- Local areas in Wales to develop their strategic responses in line with the Serious Violence Duty.
- Professionals working with children and young people who want to explore what works to prevent violence and provide guidance on how to implement this into practice.
- Children and young people in Wales to utilise the Framework to drive local change tailored to their priorities.
- The utilisation and integration of effective evaluation practice for violence prevention work.
Evaluability Assessments (EA) are a collaborative method targeting the production of robust, relevant evidence to inform decision making and the wider evidence base in for both the planning and designing of evaluations.
Rationale, Aims and Objectives
Evaluability Assessments (EA) provide a means to identify the optimal and most appropriate methods to understand intervention effectiveness by exploring the key change mechanisms of the intervention to understand how interventions work and how they work across different population groups. The updated MRC guidance for developing and evaluating complex interventions advocates for researchers to consider the use of EA to determine whether and how a useful evaluation of a given intervention is possible.
The overarching aim of this research is to conduct an Evaluability Assessment (EA) of the Wales Without Violence Framework. This type of assessment seeks to understand if, how and by what methods a full-scale evaluation is able to take place in the future. This will include assessing the status of the development and implementation of the Framework; the availability of data; the size of any expected effects and the difficulty in designing or costs associated with the Framework. Also, as the Framework represents a whole-system approach to violence prevention, this will be taking place across multiple interacting complex systems, which will likely lead to variation in impact across different settings (for example, police, health and local authorities) over time. This impact can be both positive and negative and intended or unintended. Given this uncertainty and scope for variation in the impact of the national framework, EA becomes particularly important as a means to consider both positive and potential harmful outcomes. EA is also important in the context of the nature of VRUs and the difficulty in ascertaining whether changes to regional violence are a direct result of the VRU activities, or whether there are other factors at play (e.g. independent community factors, changes to social funding, or political, environmental, and global factors).
The aim of the research will be to provide recommendations for an evaluation framework to be used for future research which will be informed by the development of a working theory of change for the Wales Without Violence Framework as a whole as well as, where possible, an exploration and expansion of the current theories of change that have been created for each of the nine strategies, with a focus on the mechanisms of change and processes required to enact change.
Research Questions
Research questions, drafted by the research team and the VPU and aligned to the aims and strategies of the Framework, will underpin this EA:
- What are stakeholders’ perspectives on the Framework and how it could, should or is being used? What are the perceptions of its suitability for vulnerable and most at risk communities?
- What are wider contextual factors affecting and influencing implementation, delivery and engagement with the Framework?
- What are the key measures for understanding Framework: implementation, outcomes (including positive, negative and unintended outcomes) and sustainability?
- What measures of whole-population effects and variable effects across population sub-groups are already available and what else needs to be measured?
- What level of evaluation of the Framework is feasible, practicable and desirable in the time available? And how can evaluation utility be maximised?
- Can the work associated with the Framework be utilised to inform national policy on violence prevention?
Study Design
The evaluability assessment will be theory based, involving a combination of primary and desk-based research which will be underpinned by an iterative, information gathering process with each methodological approach feeding into and informing the other. This research is underpinned by engagement with key stakeholders. This will be achieved through the following steps:
- We will conduct between 10-15 interviews with key stakeholders including professionals at local, regional and national level covering strategic and operational roles.
- Documentary analysis: Explore what documentation pertaining to the design, delivery and implementation of the Framework is available and what could be included in a future evaluation.
- Exploration of Routine Data: Explore what routine data is needed to support a future evaluation and what is currently available and accessible.
- Creation of a Theory (or Theories) of Change for the Framework and associated populations (professional; public/patients)
Potential Impact
The EA aims to demonstrate impact in the following ways:
- Identification of what works well and areas for improvement with the Framework.
- Consider the suitability of the Framework for the most vulnerable and at-risk communities.
- Provide recommendations for an evaluation framework to be used for future research.
- Inform decision makers and key partners; policies and approach to violence prevention locally, regionally and nationally.
Dissemination
The primary output from this project will a report provided for the VPU at the end of the project, March 31st 2025. The research team will also look to publish an academic paper later in 2025 as well as targeting national and international conferences.
Start date
1st April 2024
End date
30th March 2025
Funders
Police and Crime Commissioner South Wales
Amount
£23,674