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Education and social policy: publications

Commissioning in health, education and social care: models, research bibliography and in-depth review of joint commissioning between health and social care agencies (2012)

The broad aims of this research were to:

  • identify research evidence on ‘commissioning’ or ‘public service purchasing’ in education, health and/or social welfare in the UK and other countries
  • investigate the impact of ‘joint commissioning’ of health, education and/or social welfare services
  • identify the factors which influence the impact of joint commissioning of health, education and/or social welfare services

A systematic review of selected interventions to reduce juvenile re-offending (2012)

The review question specified by the Ministry of Justice was: Do criminal justice/ correctional services interventions for juvenile offenders lead to a reduction in offending (including frequency and severity of offending)? Policy makers and practitioners need valid reliable evidence about potentially effective interventions that may reduce the rate of re-offending. The research literature on juvenile offending is voluminous, reflecting the persistent nature of public concern on this issue. However the relevant research literature is largely disorganised and widely distributed in different media and across different countries. There is therefore a need for systematic reviews of research, in order to produce systematic transparent summaries of the research evidence that can be used as an aid to policy making.

Fraud and error in financial, welfare and revenue services: a systematic map of the empirical research evidence with particular reference to ‘notification of changes of circumstances’ (2011)

In the context of the overpayment of benefits, this systematic map aims to describe existing research literature on the process of notifying a change of circumstance (CoC) in the fields of financial products and services, welfare provision, taxation and tax credit systems. The UK Department for Work and Pensions estimates that about 2 percent of its spending on benefits was paid as a result of fraud and error and wishes to establish strategies to reduce that figure.

Understanding the impact of engagement in culture and sport: a systematic review of the learning impacts for young people (2010)

This ongoing project has so far produced two reports: 

Understanding the impact of engagement in culture and sport: a systematic review of the learning impacts for young people (opens in a new window)

Understanding the drivers, impact and value of engagement in culture and sport: technical report for the systematic review and database (opens in a new window)

What is the effect of block scheduling on academic achievement? A systematic review (2010)

The organisation of school and how time should be spent during the school day has been under discussion since the education system came into existence. Questions about the optimal length of the school year or school day, and how much time is afforded to which subjects continue to be asked by educational policy-makers and educational professionals. This review has been commissioned by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) with the initial aim of identifying research evidence on the structure of the school day, and specifically how time is used in schools

Educational supervisors in secondary care Stage 1 report (2009) (Opens in a new window)

This report includes a systematic rapid evidence assessment which provided input into three aspects of the review question:

  • What possible different approaches/models are there for the education, training, support and accreditation of educational supervisors?
  • What is the impact of educational, training, and support programmes for educational supervisors and similar roles in healthcare professions?
  • What barriers and facilitatory factors can be identified regarding the education, training, support and accreditation of postgraduate medical educational supervisors?

In-work poverty: a systematic review (2009) (Opens in a new window)

This systematic review addresses two research questions:

  1. What is the nature and extent of the research that has been undertaken on the barriers to, and facilitators of, reducing in-work poverty in families with dependent children?
  2. What is the effectiveness of interventions with the potential to reduce in-work poverty in couple families with dependent children?

Targeted youth support: rapid evidence assessment of effective early interventions for youth at risk of future poor outcomes (2008)

Targeted Youth Support (TYS) is an initiative aimed at vulnerable young people and involves ensuring that agencies work together to meet young people’s needs. The initiative’s rationale is that a collaborative, ‘joined-up’ approach is needed because young people may have complex and multiple needs which cannot be met by mainstream or specialist services in isolation. This report was commissioned by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) to explore what works for young people in relation to the outcomes prioritised by the TYS initiative.

Supporting people in accessing meaningful work: the use of recovery approaches in community-based adult mental health services (2008)

The social model of recovery considered in this review stresses the importance of individuals having opportunities to take control of their lives and to engage in all levels of society regardless of whether mental health symptoms persist. The opportunity for people who use mental health services to have access to and engage in vocational and training interventions within adult community mental health services is one aspect of supporting people’s individual journeys of recovery.

A systematic rapid evidence assessment: interventions to improve the co-ordination of service delivery for High Cost High Harm Household Units (HCHHU) (2007)

The review aimed to discover whether, for families with persistent multiple problems spanning more than one generation, improving the coordination of service delivery improves family outcomes.

A systematic rapid evidence assessment: the effectiveness of interventions for people with common mental health problems on employment outcomes (2007)

The 2006 Budget announced a review of the policies needed to improve mental health and employment outcomes. Too many people of working age are excluded from work when, with proper help and support, it should be possible for them to find or remain in work, benefiting their own health and welfare, as well as the wider economy.  The Rapid Evidence Assessment reported here contributed part of the evidence base for the Policy Review Team by systematically assessing research on ‘what works’ in terms of interventions that address employment outcomes for people with mental health problems.

Support for pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD) in mainstream primary school classrooms: a systematic review of the effectiveness of interventions (2003)

Supporting children who might be deemed to have 'emotional or behavioural difficulties' (EBD) or 'social, emotional and behavioural difficulties' (SEBD) within mainstream classrooms raises interesting issues for the intersection of behaviour management policies, inclusive schooling and the drive for raising academic standards.  This review assesses the effectiveness of different strategies for supporting children with EBD in mainstream primary classrooms in ways that facilitate teaching and learning for all children.  It looks at reports published up to 1999.

Supporting pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD) in mainstream primary schools: a systematic review of recent research on strategy effectiveness (1999 to 2002) (2003)

Behaviour management is high on the education policy and practice agenda in England and the rest of the UK, as well as other areas of the world. Whole-school policies are advocated for managing the behaviour of all pupils, with specialist approaches nested within these for children who might be deemed to have ‘emotional and behavioural difficulties’ (EBD) or ‘social, emotional and behavioural difficulties’ (SEBD). This group of children raises interesting issues for the intersection of behaviour management policies, inclusive schooling and the drive for raising academic standards. A combination of government policies in England has encouraged schools to include as many pupils as possible within mainstream schools and at the same time to reach ever-higher academic standards.

Many different strategies for teachers to support children have been advocated.  This review considers which of these strategies are effective, for whom, and in what circumstances.

A systematic map and synthesis review of the effectiveness of personal development planning for improving student learning (2003)

Personal Development Planning (PDP) is a process by which students can monitor, build and reflect upon their personal development. It is a central part of the Progress File, which is being introduced across all levels of higher education. PDP is defined as 'a structured and supported process undertaken by an individual to reflect upon their own learning, performance and achievement and to plan for their personal, educational and career development'. Its primary objective is to improve the capacity of students to understand what, how and when they are learning and to review, plan and take responsibility for their future learning.  This review aims to determine the effectiveness of PDP in higher education.

The effect of travel modes on children’s mental health, cognitive and social development: a systematic review (2001)

Children travel to school using a variety of methods, such as walking, bicycling, bus, car and others.  On the way to school, they encounter a wide variety of experiences which may affect their learning, social skills or mental health status.  The purpose of this review is to establish what research is available on the effect of modes of travel on children's mental health and cognitive and social development, and the potential for further research.

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