The Promise Data and Evidence Group 12 Month Work Programme

2. Aim and Scope

The scope of the Promise is broad and covers a diverse population supported across multiple policy areas and local services.

2.1 Population Groups

Four population groups, which are likely to be intersectional and not mutually exclusive, have been identified as within the scope of the work of this group:

1. Children currently in the care system and their families

2. Children at risk of entering care and their families

3. Young people transitioning out of care and into adulthood

4. Care-experienced adults

A workplan for the first 12 months of the group will be agreed in the first instance focusing only on one of these population groups in order to test and refine the approach before progressing work across groups. The initial focus therefore is on population group one identified above: children currently in the care system and their families. To explore data and evidence relating to this cohort of children and young people, the DEG has been split into three subgroups which will focus on:

1. A review of the quantitative data presented in the Promise Progress Framework to update and maintain the current statistics, in addition to, identifying and working to fill quantitative data gaps in the short to medium term

2. Identification and review of qualitative data which can contribute to the Stories of Progress to complement quantitative data in the Promise Progress Framework

3. Long-term data projects to identify and promote opportunities which use quantitative data, including one-off research projects and improvements to the longer-term data infrastructure, to improve the data and evidence landscape.

The work of all three groups will come together with the shared ambition to improve how Scotland can understand the life experiences and outcomes for those in and around the care system, to inform longer term policy and monitoring of progress. In keeping with the underlying principles of The Promise Story of Progress, methodological approaches which make use of data and evidence that is already being collected and that minimise additional reporting burden will be explored in the first instance.