Evaluation
We have a range of expert associates across numerous specialist areas in public services who will use our comprehensive approach to evaluating projects and services.
Our methods include service user insight and feedback, 360-degree performance management, case study development, case file audits for quality assurance and clinical practice, analysis of performance data and independent chairing of dialogue between commissioners and providers. We also work with commissioning teams to re-design services based on the findings of our evaluation.
Why TONIC?
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Academic Rigour
Our team of award-winning and well-published academics ensure our research design and analytical processes are based on best practice and produce robust results you can rely on.
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Frontline Experience
Our fieldwork researchers have vast experience of working in health, social and justice settings, both in the community and secure estate. As a result, they work sensitively with the most vulnerable groups.
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Date Driven
Our insightful analysis finds the story in both qualitative and quantitative datasets, triangulating key insights to ensure that stakeholders have the highest levels of confidence in the findings.
Case study
Prison Leavers Programme for the Ministry of Justice.
TONIC are leading an independent evaluation of the Prison Leavers Programme (PLP), which started in 2021 and will run to 2025.
PLP is a £20 million Shared Outcomes Fund programme created to test new ways to break the cycle of crime. Led by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), it promotes collaboration across sectors and at a local level to develop innovative ways to reduce reoffending among those leaving prison.
The PLP has three strands; a Local Leadership Integration Fund providing grants and support to bring together local statutory and third sector organisations; Service Community teams staffed from across the system to address four key challenges - Employability and Skills, Community and Relationships, Day of Release, and Health and Wellbeing; and a Prison Leaver Innovation Challenge focused on digital and technological solutions.
We are working in partnership with the University of Kent to deliver this process, impact and economic evaluation.
Our evaluation adopts a theory-based, ‘realist evaluation’ approach to identifying the mechanisms triggered by different components of the PLP programme, its strands and interventions. We are ensuring consistency and comparability in the approach taken to evaluating different interventions in the evaluation strategy.
Our role is to act as an agile and flexible evaluation partner, rather than solely as a standard evaluator, working in close collaboration with the MoJ to share learning, co-design improvements, and help the MoJ Central Evaluation Team make informed decisions on whether each intervention warrants an impact or outcome evaluation. Our working practices will mirror the agile and iterative nature of the PLP. However, it is also important to acknowledge that we will not be able to evaluate everything within the entire PLP programme. Therefore, priorities will be agreed with the MoJ based around the evaluation questions and will be kept under review as the project develops.
To date, we have engaged hundreds of prisoners, prison leavers and stakeholders in qualitative interviews and focus groups (including use of body mapping) and produced 4 process evaluation reports.
Get in touch
If you’re considering a process or impact evaluation and need an experienced external evaluation team, contact us today - we’d love the chance to discuss your project.