Co-creating rehabilitation: Findings from a pilot and implications for wider public service reform

Susan Baines,Jordan Harrison,Caroline Marsh,Chris Fox,Andrew Smith

doi:10.1177/02645505211065683

Susan Baines, Jordan Harrison + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.1177/02645505211065683

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Journal: Probation journal	Publication Date: Dec 28, 2021
Citations: 1	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Manchester Metropolitan University

Abstract

As part of a large pan-European project on co-creating public services we supported the design of a programme in England that attempted to operationalise research on desistance, through a model of co-created, strengths-based working. We then evaluated its implementation and impact. The programme was implemented in a Community Rehabilitation Company. It was delivered in the context of rapid organisational change, often in response to rapidly changing external events and a turbulent policy environment. These factors impeded implementation. An impact evaluation did not identify a statistically significant difference in re-offending rates between the intervention group and a comparator group. However, in-depth qualitative evaluation identified positive examples of co-production and co-creation, with individual case managers and service users supportive and noting positive change. Taken as a whole our findings suggest that a co-created, strengths-based model of probation case management is promising but needs to be accompanied by wider systems change if it is to be embedded successfully.

Highlights

As part of a large pan-European project on co-creating public services and building on previous piloting work in the UK (Fox et al, 2018), we supported the design of My Direction and evaluated its implementation and impact. 1 My Direction sought to implement personalised, co-produced and co-created models of case management in a probation setting in England
That the impact evaluation did not find a statistically significant difference in reoffending rates between the intervention group and a comparator group is unsurprising given the challenges around implementation
It is important to note that there were limitations in the design of the impact evaluation including in the limited choice of outcome measures available and relatively short follow-up period

Summary

Introduction

As part of a large pan-European project on co-creating public services and building on previous piloting work in the UK (Fox et al, 2018), we supported the design of My Direction and evaluated its implementation and impact. 1 My Direction sought to implement personalised, co-produced and co-created models of case management in a probation setting in England. The Interchange Model had three phases of case management: Interact, covering strengths based assessment and initial sentence plan; Intervene, covering interventions to deliver the sentence of the court and relationship building and Integrate, covering support to service users to help them develop personal and community networks for community integration. Interventions were designed and identified to facilitate co-production and personalised working They included resources aimed at increasing accessibility and promoting integration into the community through the creation of pro-social networks, such as an Enabling Fund, a sum of money provided by the CRC for service users to purchase good and services, Life Links, a volunteer support network for individual service users, Life Coaching and Time Banking. Ten case managers were trained and 84 service users started the programme

Methodology

Findings

Discussion and conclusion