Whole Family Wellbeing Funding Programme - EQIA

Monitoring and Review

The WFWF Programme and its impact on the children, young people and families who need support is being monitored through independent evaluation undertaken by external contractors. A report for Year 1 of the evaluation has been published: Whole Family Wellbeing Funding (WFWF) - year 1 process evaluation: final report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). We will continue to use the emerging findings from the evaluation to inform the EQIA in order to shape WFWF policy.

The outcome descriptors on the WFWF logic model have been updated, based on Year 1 findings and recommendations from IFF Research (our external evaluator), in preparation for future years of evaluation. Final findings from the Year 2 evaluation will be available late in 2024, with publication by early 2025. We will continue to evaluate the programme as we move forward in future years to ensure it meets the WFWF outcomes. As such, the Programme evaluation, Element 2 learning partner work and other research evidence will impact the EQIA which will be reviewed annually, and updated in response to further planned substantive changes to the Programme, in line with the WFWF Investment Approach.

The Programme evaluation is helping to assess how WFWF contributes to positive outcomes for children, young people and families who need support. Where possible based on the available evidence, the evaluation may be able to assess any differences in the programme’s effects on different equalities groups, however, this may not be possible until Years 3-4 of evaluation work. The evaluation is based on models of what the Scottish Government and Children’s Services Planning Partnerships expect transformation to look like. The findings from the evaluation process is informing the development of the Programme to ensure it delivers its intended outcomes for children, young people and families who need support.

It is important to note that there is a gap in determining some effects of whole family interventions as they are difficult to directly measure, take longer to observe and/or they address a wide range of outcomes for families. Additionally, there are other policy initiatives that will have potentially overlapping effects on the same outcomes of the WFWF (for example, the Promise, the Tackling Child Poverty Delivery plan, implementation of the UNCRC, and GIRFEC).

The Programme's evaluations are designed with specific awareness of these issues. They intend to assess the contribution towards the WFWF's identified outcomes, as directly attributing changes to the programme is not possible within this context. The WFWF logic model overall sets out how the Scottish Government and key stakeholders anticipate these contributions will be made through and beyond the life of the programme. This will be tested with evidence from the evaluations. Finally, evaluation reports available at key points in the programme will be carefully considered to identify any issues that may affect progress towards these outcomes.

In developing this Programme the Scottish Government is mindful of the three needs of the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED): eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation; advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not; and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. Where any negative impacts have been identified, we have sought to mitigate/eliminate these. We are also mindful that the equality duty is not just about negating or mitigating negative impacts, as we also have a positive duty to promote equality.

We will use the evaluation reports available from the Programme and other available sources as they emerge to monitor and review the EQIA on an annual basis, and at key intervals as the Programme evolves. As such, this active document is being revisited and will continue to be revisited during the lifetime of the Programme to identify any barriers arising to providing the services being funded and to ensure there is no discrimination to groups who have protected characteristics. The Scottish Government will continuously evaluate the programme to monitor for any negative impacts and opportunities to improve the Programme, considering any appropriate modifications and mitigations.