Social exclusion and inequalities pose a complex challenge across major areas of public policy and service delivery. SQW has excellent insight into affirmative action programmes through our regular work with national government, regional development agencies, local authorities and partnerships and the third sector. Social inclusion sustains the impact of wealth creation activities, drawing whole populations into growth and regeneration.
Our expertise includes research into, and evaluation of, innovation in policy streams and services. We have scoped, designed and carried out assignments developing and testing personalisation and social mobility policies across service areas such as disability, worklessness, housing and health. We test the impact of new approaches to issues such as access to finance, rural access to services, social and labour market barriers linked to skills, ethnicity and mental health.
We evaluate and assess the impact of major programmes: these include the UK’s largest single digital inclusion measure, pathfinder regeneration schemes tackling area-based polarisation, and service innovation pilots testing universal access to young peoples’ services and social enterprise delivery of health services.
Social inclusion cuts across policy areas: we work with a range of academic and consultancy partners as appropriate to bring a creative, analytical and pragmatic approach to the challenges.
Examples of SQW projects
A National Evaluation of Participatory Budgeting
SQW is leading a national consortium in undertaking the National Evaluation of Participatory Budgeting (PB) in England on behalf of Communities and Local Government. The team, also including Cambridge Economic Associates and GFA Consulting, is delivering an initial scoping study and process evaluation of the Programme, which involves detailed fieldwork, case studies, the development of a pre-PB baseline and the development, dissemination and assessment of a model for assessing the costs, impacts and effectiveness of participatory budgeting. The study is exploring a range of models for how citizens and communities can engage with local government and other public services to influence decisions about public expenditure.
Provision of Support/Challenge and Evaluation of Individual Budget Pilots for Families with Disabled Children
Having completed a scoping study to inform the design of the DCSF’s IB pilots for Families with Disabled Children, SQW was commissioned to lead the evaluation and challenge/support of the IB pilots (alongside Ipsos MORI, Helen Sanderson Associates and iMPOWER). The three-year study incorporates a comprehensive scoping stage (including the design of an evaluation framework and cost-related monitoring tools), longitudinal surveys of families and disabled young people, process reviews, case studies, workshops and one-to-one support to assist each pilot area. The research will also involve initial cost-benefit analysis, which will include calculating the cost implications for wider roll out and a comparative assessment of IB versus traditional service provision.
Evaluation of Able to Work: Realising Potential
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) commissioned SQW to carry out an evaluation of the Able to Work: Realising Potential project, which aimed to engage employers and promote recruitment opportunities for people with health conditions and disabilities. As part of the project, two sets of training events were developed, in partnership with Employers’ Forum on Disability: one aimed at Jobcentre Plus staff and the other at employers. The focus of SQW’s evaluation was the introduction of better understanding of client issues and culture change through the Jobcentre Plus events, which were held for staff who work with employers to help them promote the business benefits of disability confidence amongst employers. The final evaluation report has been published by DWP.
Barriers to Service Among Asian Heritage Groups
Working with University of Central Lancashire’s Centre for Ethnicity and Health, we explored the barriers to take-up of social services among Asian heritage communities in Blackburn with Darwen. The aim was to explore whether cultural factors, ethnicity, faith and values meant that latent demand was not being met by mainstream services, in particular mental health, sexual health, child protection and family support, alcohol and substance abuse, and domestic violence. The results were to assist the local authority and PCT in a forthcoming Joint Area Review.
Research into Third Sector Access to Finance
SQW was commissioned to undertake qualitative research into ‘Third Sector Access to Finance’ for the Office of the Third Sector (OTS) within the Cabinet Office. Enabling third sector organisations (social enterprise, voluntary and community groups and charities, mutuals and cooperatives) to play a fuller role in delivering mainstream services, especially with hard to reach groups, is a developing policy driver. This research fed into policy developments within the OTS and the Comprehensive Spending Review, to develop the future role of the third sector in economic and social regeneration. The research explored a number of areas around the current and potential future demand for finance, and how improved access to funding might underpin growth in the sector.
Research and Appraisal of How Local Authorities use Transport to Improve Access to Learning
SQW delivered a series of studies for the Learning and Skills Council analysing the use of transport by local authorities to improve access to learning. Using comprehensive surveys of English local education authorities, and analysis of individualised Learner Records, the studies examined the level and type of transport provision for young learners (16-18), adult learners (19+) and learners with learning disadvantages and disabilities. The results informed national policy development and LSC guidance to local authorities, including a good practice publication. The research included the development of a method for appraising the benefits and costs of Independent Travel Training Schemes, which are widely supported by local authorities to enable learners with special needs to use mainstream travel options.
Access to Support in Rural Communities
SQW has recently carried out three related studies for the Commission for Rural Communities on financial inclusion and access to employment and skills support by vulnerable groups in rural England. The first study Promoting Financial Inclusion in Rural Areas reviewed the experience of financial inclusion initiatives in rural areas and identified good practices. The Rural Financial Poverty Paper was a review of the CRCs financial poverty priorities in the light of recent developments in policy, research and practice. The third study – Delivering national employment and skills programmes to vulnerable groups in rural England – examines the effectiveness of these programmes in meeting needs in rural areas and combines data analysis with local case studies.
Bringing the Long-Term Unemployed into the Labour Market: Developing Good Practice and Policy Advice
For Government Office North West, SQW developed good practice and advice to policy-makers and commissioners from six case studies of projects funded through European Social Fund, Objective One on Merseyside. The study identified factors which were essential in moving workless individuals towards economic activity – in particular focusing on three client categories: the long-term unemployed, lone parents, and individuals with mental health issues. As assessment of project planning and provision of services from both private and third sector agencies was carried out, and lessons for sustainability were then fed into recommendations for funders and commissioners.
The Role of Local Strategic Partnerships and Local Area Agreements in Promoting Equality
SQW – along with the European Institute of Urban Affairs at Liverpool John Moores University, the Local Government Centre at the University of Warwick, and Cities Research Centre, University of the West of England – was appointed by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission to carry out eight case studies looking at the role of LSPs and LAAs in promoting equalities. Case studies were based on specific equalities themes.
Evaluation of an Employment Pilot Tackling Long-Term Unemployment
SQW was appointed by London Borough of Newham to conduct a two-and-a-half year evaluation of the Mayor’s employment pilot. The pilot comprises provision of intensive support to the economically inactive and longer-term unemployed to find and keep work. The evaluation involved a detailed scoping stage that helped the borough with pilot design, including client monitoring systems, leading to the design of an overall evaluation framework and specification of key research questions and methodologies. This was followed by the design and conduct of a long-term tracking study of beneficiaries of the pilot, analysis of client monitoring data and interviews with pilot staff and other stakeholders.