EXIT Study: Toolkit launched!

Posted 16th July 2024

Care leavers are set to benefit from a new innovation toolkit designed by Warwick Business School.

The Implementation Toolkit helps local authorities, care homes, charities and organisations working in the care sector to implement new ideas that will improve their service without getting stuck with ‘pilotitis’ – ie never seeing the light of day after numerous trials.

It has been produced as part of a four-year research project in collaboration with the Care Leavers Association alongside charities Barnardo’s and the National House Project.

So many innovative ideas wither away because of a lack of resource or support, while young people leaving care face the brutal reality of a system that leaves them two and a half times more likely to become a young parent; four times more likely to experience mental health issues; and less likely to achieve academically in school, attend higher education, or be in employment. 

Graeme Currie, Professor of Public Management said: “Young people leaving care face an extremely difficult transition and are often dealing with the trauma of a desperately challenging childhood.

“There are many organisations trying to improve that move out of care and give youngsters the support they need, but with many diverse stakeholders involved and the lack of resource, these good intentions often get stuck in the system and don’t come to fruition.

“We studied several projects and innovations over four years to see what was happening and try to fix this. We have identified the key ingredients needed to make good ideas stick and actually help young people.

“The Implementation Toolkit will help organisations working to support young people in particularly challenging circumstances improve their service, so that when a new innovation comes along that will help care leavers it does stay in place, and spreads to other organisations and areas of the system.

Sue Hammersley, Director at the National House Project, added: “No two organisations are the same and it is helpful for them to identify where they and their partners are up to when embarking on new ways of working. This toolkit provides the opportunity for internal staff and partners to establish a shared understanding of their joint position and the work that they intend to do to achieve their goals.”  

The toolkit takes the user through a series of questions and statements for each of these ingredients, gaining an overall score for each one.

The user can then workout where their organisation and innovation are weakest and put in policies and procedures to make sure all five ingredients are in place for new ideas to take hold and get beyond the pilot stage.

Professor Currie added: “There is no template for implementing and sustaining innovation that applies to all organisations. Context influences what is appropriate.

To find out more about the toolkit or to view the full press release, follow the link below:

Toolkit launched to help innovations and improve care leavers life chances | News | Warwick Business School (wbs.ac.uk)