reason was commissioned to support and develop our strategy in relation to our community budget pilot. They have proven to be key partners in this development, which has been invaluable, and have provided us with strategic direction, acted as a critical friend and have ensured we have a robust approach based on academic research which has been translated into operational processes (Paula Doherty, Project Manager, London Borough of Croydon)

Recognising the triple imperative of reducing costs at the same time as improving service and building capacity, we have launched an online support service, reason, focusing on evaluation in social care.

reason is led by a collaboration between the National Foundation for Educational Research which has decades of experience in carrying out and advising on evaluations, and Research in Practice and Research in Practice for Adults which have extensive expertise in supporting those in children’s services and adult social care to gather, use, and share evidence.

reason provides resources and tools, as well as networking and information exchange for all levels of service delivery and development. There is also a bespoke element, offering support with any or all aspects of evaluation, ranging from introductory packages to get evaluation underway to in-depth design and analysis.

The role of evaluation in children’s and adults’ services has never been more critical. At a time of rapid change and financial demands, evaluation is key in assessing the progress and impact of work. reason is based on the need for children’s and adults’ services to develop evaluation skills, to improve efficiency and effectiveness and to explain the decisions that they make.

Subscribers can utilise evaluation tools and resources to build capacity within their teams and projects. Networking through reason will provide members with opportunities to benefit from and share learning and expertise. This sector-led support enables subscribers to develop their skills from the experience of colleagues around the country.

For more information about reason visit http://www.reason-network.org.uk/.