Exploring qualitative outcomes to support progress towards keeping the promise

2. Background to this work

One of the aims of the sub-group was to track and review emerging literature (academic journal articles, reports and online articles for example) that captures the experiential data of care experience. To understand what qualitative literature exists which could be of use to the group, partners were asked to complete a pro-forma highlighting relevant sources they were aware of, and a search of the literature was carried out. A tracking tool was then set up to monitor emerging qualitative literature.

However, very little qualitative literature was identified which was directly relevant (i.e. conducted after 2018/19, carried out in Scotland, and involving children and young people). Given the challenges of capturing experiential data of care experience, there is a need for greater understanding of the nature and extent of evidence gaps.

The Promise Story of Progress sets out ten Vision Statements. Within the Promise Progress Framework, each is accompanied by outcomes and indicators to detail what keeping the promise should look and feel like, and support measurement of progress using readily available, existing quantitative data. While quantitative evidence is central to understanding progress, outcomes in the Promise Progress Framework are not defined in terms of the quality of changes.

Given the lack of literature to draw on, and to support thinking around what qualitative evidence is needed, the sub-group and partners sought to propose qualitative outcomes relevant to each of the Vision Statements. These aimed to articulate changes in the lives of children, families and care providers that we might aspire to see if the promise is kept. This was intended to complement the experiential component of the Promise Story of Progress. The What Matters questions were developed directly from the voices and experiences shared during the Independent Care Review. An alignment exercise was then carried out, comparing the proposed qualitative outcomes with the What Matters questions to identify any gaps and ensure they reflect the testimony of those who took part. This process helps keep the work firmly rooted in the promise.