1. Using data on children’s well-being to plan and commission services
John Hill
Research and Statistics Manager
Children, Young People and Families Directorate
Birmingham LA

2. Birmingham Context CONTEXT 1 million population
256,000 children & young people
180,000 school age
30% BME (50% of children)
23% Under 16
30% lone parent
30% under 15 – where no adults work
2,000 plus Children in Care

3. Birmingham’s Brighter Futures Strategy To Improve Outcomes for Children and Young People
Clarity about outcomes
Guided by high quality evidence on children’s well-being (Epidemiology)
Logic model approach (how activities relate to outcomes),
Outcomes Activities Investment Outputs
Informed by robust evidence on what works
Rigorous evaluation

4. Epidemiology Purpose:
To find out how well Birmingham children are doing on the ECM outcomes and where we need to focus attention to improve outcomes.
To use the results to plan and prioritise services.
To monitor outcomes over time to see if they are improving as a result of interventions.

5. Methodology Review of existing data on outcomes from partners.
Questionnaires compiled by Dartington-i covering ECM outcomes - based on KIDSCREEN and Strengths and Difficulties questionnaires.
Three versions:
0-6 year olds (for parents/carers to complete)
7-11 year olds (on-line, completed in school)
12-18 year olds (on-line, completed in school)

6. Questionnaire Sample
0-6 year olds (representative sample of 500 parent/ carers visited at home )
Representative sample of c year olds used in initial analysis. Questionnaire completed by c15,000 per year
Version for children with learning difficulties to be piloted this term.
Annual survey -schools can choose when they administer the questionnaire during the academic year.

7. Children’s Well-Being Survey
Example Questions

8. Physical Health (7-18) In general, how would you say your health is?
Have you felt fit and well?
Have you been physically active (e.g. running, climbing, biking)?
Have you been able to run well?
Do you eat ‘junk food’ daily (e.g. hamburgers, chips, crisps, fizzy drinks or sweets)?

9. Physical Health (12-18) Do you ever smoke cigarettes/tobacco?
How often do you drink alcohol?
How often have you used any illegal drugs during the last month?

10. Safety Have you been afraid of other girls and boys?
Have other girls and boys made fun of you?
Have other girls and boys bullied you?
Have you been in an accident in the last 12 months that meant you had to go to Hospital?
In the last 12 months, have you been in trouble with the police?
I feel safe when I’m at home
I feel safe when I’m at school

11. Enjoy and achieve Have you been happy at school?
Have you got on well at school?
Have you been satisfied with your teachers?
Have you been able to pay attention at school?
Have you enjoyed going to school?
Have you got along well with your teachers?

12. Emotional well-being I worry a lot
I am often unhappy, down-hearted or tearful
I am easily distracted, I find it difficult to concentrate
I take things that are not mine from home, school or elsewhere
I am nervous in new situations. I easily lose confidence
I am often accused of lying or cheating
I am restless, I cannot stay still for long
I get very angry and often lose my temper
I am usually on my own.
I generally play alone or keep to myself

13. Getting on with others Other people my age generally like me
I am helpful if someone is hurt, upset or feeling ill
I often volunteer to help others (parents, teachers, children)
I try to be nice to other people. I care about their feelings

14. Examples of the survey findings
Results are compiled to produce an overall City picture. Comparisons with national averages. Analysis by different groups (e.g.gender, ethnic group, LAC, SEN)
Participating schools receive their own report on their pupils’ well-being that can be used as evidence for the school’s SEF

15. physical health lifestyles
8% of year olds smoke cigarettes
10% of year olds drink alcohol ‘a few times a week’
(25% for White, 2% Pakistani)
8% of year olds have used illegal drugs in the last 12 months
22% of children ‘always’ eat junk food
n = 1,477
12-18 yrs
Healthy Lifestyles
& PLQ

16. behaviour 26% of children get very angry and often lose their temper
9% often fight with other children or bully them
325 children are permanently excluded from school each academic year
Levels of offending behaviour are falling - the number of first-time offenders is down 3%
n = 5,858
all (7-18 yrs)
SDQ & Birmingham data

17. behaviour 20% 2.8 10 2.2 11% 10 threshold n = 5,858 all (7-18 yrs)
significant
behavioural
difficulties
2.8 10
0.7
4.9
2.2 10
0.5
3.9
threshold
n = 5,858
all (7-18 yrs)
Britain (11-15 yrs)
behaviour
SDQ

18. emotional health anxiety and depression
17% of children worry a lot
20% of children are nervous in new situations and easily lose confidence or are unhappy, downhearted or tearful
n = 5,858
all (7-18 yrs)
SDQ

19. emotional health anxiety and depression
3.2 9% 5%
high levels of
anxiety or
depression 10
0.8
5.5
2.8 10
0.7
4.9
threshold
n = 5,858
all (7-18 yrs)
Britain (11-15 yrs)
emotional health anxiety and depression
SDQ

20. mental health total difficulties
12.3
12% 5%
impairment to
mental health 40
6.4
18.2
10.3 40
5.1
15.5
threshold
n = 5,858
all (7-18 yrs)
Britain (11-15 yrs)
mental health total difficulties
SDQ

21. social literacy peer relations
2.5 8% 2%
poor peer
relationships 10
0.6
4.4
1.5 10
0.1
2.9
threshold
n = 5,858
all (7-18 yrs)
Britain (11-15 yrs)
social literacy peer relations
SDQ

22. social literacy pro-social behaviour
7.2
10% 2%
unkind or
uncaring 10
9.3
5.1
8.0 10
9.7
6.3
threshold
n = 5,858
all (7-18 yrs)
Britain (11-15 yrs)
social literacy pro-social behaviour
SDQ

23. social literacy summary
Alongside their poorer emotional and behavioural well-being, the social literacy of children - their ability to get along with and to support each other - is also suffering.

24. A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE Example School
Physical health
School
Birmingham
% of those with good physical health 94 90
% of those who feel very fit and well 64 58
% of those who are physically active 86
% of those who feel very full of energy 73 61
% of children who say they drink alcohol at least once a week 4 7
% of children who say they smoke 6
% of children who say they have used drugs in the last month 5
National average
overall health score for the average child on 100 point scale (100 being good) 72 67

25. A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE Example School
Mental health
School
Birmingham
National
average
% of those with significant behaviour problems 24 19 11
% of those with significant emotional problems 12 7 5
% of those who have poor attention and concentration 14
% of those with significant difficulties in their overall reported mental health 9
overall mental health score of the average child on a 40 point scale (0 being good)
12.4
11.7
10.3

26. A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE Example School
About school life
School
Birmingham
% of those who enjoy going to school most of the time 38 50
% of those who often or always get on well with their teachers 45 54
% of those who feel safe at school all of the time 43 51
% of those who are quite often bullied 17 13
National average
overall experience of being bullied on a 100 point scale (100 being good) 80 84 90
overall perception of school on 100 point scale (100 being good) 58 65 63

27. What outcomes resulted?
Behaviour
Physical
health
Literacy
numeracy
Emotional
health
Job Skills
Social
literacy

28. Curriculum Programmes Leaving Care - Disability
-9 months - 5
6-11
12-18
19-25
Developmental Framework
Primary school
Secondary school
Transition Services
Quality pre -school
Secondary school
Equipped to learn
Ready for School
Transition
Vocational education
Health
Visitor
Connexions
Children’s
Centre
All
All
GPs Hospitals Leisure Community Health Service
Housing Libraries Play space
Children in need
Children in need
CAMHS
SEN
CAMHS
SEN
Ready for School
Transition
Equipped to learn
Parenting Programmes
Curriculum Programmes
Leaving Care - Disability

29. Where are we now? Preparation for Pilots Council Pump Priming Funding
Governance Arrangements
Examples
Nurse Family Partnership
Parenting Programmes -Incredible Years,Triple P
SEAL + (PATHS)
LAC
Integrated services for children with disabilities

30. Challenges of Implementation
Selection of Pilots
Fidelity
Stakeholder Engagement
Communications
Workforce – Culture
Evaluation
Service Re-design
Commissioning/Decommissioning