Outcome Imps supports organisations use evidence to improve their outcomes. Our aim is to help you make the most of the knowledge you have within your team, as well as integrate the best available evidence of what works.

We can help you improve your effectiveness by troubleshooting issues with strategic planning, implementation, evidence base, evaluation and communication.  Our team has over 20 years experience of working with policy makers, service commissioners and front-line services - we can help you develop practical solutions that will improve what you do, not interfere with it.

We offer a 'critical friend' service tailored to your specific needs. This can include support to different levels in your organisation such as individuals, management and practice teams, through to running workshops and learning networks for broader groups. We tailor our support to prioritise what will give you the biggest benefit. 

Based in Northern Ireland, we work across the UK and Ireland.

Our services include support with:

• strategic planning to improve outcomes
• implementing and scaling-up services effectively
• independent evaluation
• finding and using evidence

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We are delighted to have been working with Barnardos to develop the Domestic Violence Risk Assessment for Children (DVRAC).  The DVRAC has been developed to help practitioners where there is male-perpetrated abuse:

- identify risks to children from domestic violence and begin the risk assessment process

- decide whether a case needs a safeguarding response or family support

- identify appropriate interventions for the children, the non-abusing parents and the abusive father/ father figure.

DVRAC supports professional judgement in 2 key areas:

- what is the level of risk to the child?

- is there a risk that violence will escalate, or that the level of risk will increase?

Guidance for practitioners has been developed and the approach piloted.  A training programme has been developed for practitioners, and also a Train-the-trainer programme.  Our first bunch of trainers shown below have already started to deliver the training in England and the feedback is great on how useful the model is.

We worked with Victim Support and the International Centre researching Child Sexual Exploitation, violence and trafficking to produce this report on 'Developing sensitive practice for working with survivors of child sexual abuse'.  It includes recommendations for best practice that is respectful and empowering, and how to support staff members as well as clients.

Outcome Imps is delighted to have worked with the International Centre researching Child Sexual Exploitation, violence and trafficking to map therapeutic services for young people who have experienced abuse across the UK.  The report was prepared for the NSPCC.  

Two great events were recently held in Liverpool and Belfast to launch the UK adaptation and evaluation of the Lifeskills programme. Lifeskills is a structured evidence-based prevention and early intervention programme, which prevents smoking, alcohol and substance use in young people.  It can be delivered to groups of children aged between 8 and 14 in schools or in the community.  It targets the major social and psychological factors that promote the initiation of substance misuse and other risky behaviours.  The programme was originally developed in America by Botvin and is one of the most proven substance misuse programmes in the world.  

We had the pleasure of working with Barnardos on the adaptation of the programme to the UK context, helping manualise changes, examine implementation and evaluate effectiveness.  The evaluation undertaken in England, N. Ireland, Scotland and Wales showed that the adaptation has been effective.  Findings are consistent with previous robust evaluations.  Young people who took part in Lifeskills showed significant improvements in knowledge, attitudes and skills that should prevent substance misuse.  Teachers highly recommended the programme and felt it fits well with the UK curriculum.  Children and young people enjoyed Lifeskills and reported feeling more confident, being better able to make friends and cope with stress.  

Helga Sneddon was delighted to speak at the launch of the Dads Direct briefing paper on the importance of fathers in Stormont on 21st September 2015.  Dads Direct is a consortium of Parenting NI, Men's Health Forum, Surestart (Banbridge, and South Armagh), Family Mediation NI, HomeStart, Contact and Relate.  The briefing paper can be accessed below and more details about the work done by Outcome Imps for the Dads Direct group can be seen here.  Big Lottery funded this piece of work and Parenting NI will be running a series of training workshops for practitioners based on the review and evidence of what is effective.