An Introduction to Supporting People Client Records & Outcomes

The goal of the Supporting People programme is to provide vulnerable people with the opportunity to improve their quality of life. The programme will enable these individuals to have a stable environment that will eventually lead to greater independence. Providing high quality, cost effective, reliable housing-related services to complement existing care services will attain this goal. The Supporting People Programme is a central government funded programme from Communities and Local Government (CLG) which is managed and delivered at the local level by the 152 top tier administering authorities in England. The Centre for Housing Research (CHR) has been awarded the contract to manage the analysis of clients in the Supporting People programme.

The information required to carry out the essential analysis is obtained via the Client Record Form and the Outcome Forms (Short-term & Long-term). This office will provide information to CLG with an overview of who is accessing Supporting People services, as well as useful monitoring data for administrative authorities.

All project documentation for Client Record and Outcomes can be downloaded from this website. Please send any feedback or comments to sphelp@st-andrews.ac.uk

CLIENT RECORDS

The process involves providers completing information on a form for each new service user from 1st April 2003. Service providers have two possible methods available for returning forms during 2009/10: online web entry (CROSS) or making use of XML and exporting data directly from the provider's own in-house computer system using XML web services provided by CHR.

Client Record information submitted to the Client Record Office is transferred into our computer system before undergoing validation assessment. Any missing information or discrepancies is queried by our quality assessment staff with the relevant service provider who submitted the information.

Supporting People Client Record forms are an invaluable source of information on housing-related support services. Client characteristics, economic status, ethnicity, client group, source of referral and previous tenure are just some of the variables collected and analysed.

Quarterly data sets are distributed to CLG and Administering Authorities.

OUTCOMES FORMS SHORT-TERM

The process involves completing a short-term outcome form for every service user who leaves a short term (less than two years) SP funded service from the instigation of the framework on 31st May 2007.

There are three possible methods of submission: online web entry (CROSS), free software (SP Digital), or exporting from the provider's own in-house computer system using the data specification provided by CHR.

Short-Term Outcome information submitted to CHR undergoes validation and assessment. Any discrepancies are queried with service providers and resolved.

The Short-Term Outcome Framework provides key measurable outcomes that demonstrate the tangible benefits being achieved by the delivery of support services funded by the SP programme.

Quarterly data sets are distributed to CLG and Administering Authorities.

OUTCOMES FORMS LONG-TERM

The process involves completing a long-term outcome form for every current client in a long term service (greater than two years) identified in the sample at the time of support plan review on an annual basis. Sampling instructions are available from this website.

Long-Term Outcome information submitted to CHR undergoes validation and assessment. Any discrepancies are queried with service providers and resolved.

The Long-Term Outcome Framework sampling approach offers a pragmatic method to obtain a regular set of outcomes information for long term service users delivering clear and consistent information about benefits and outcomes achieved.

Six-monthly data sets are distributed to CLG and Administering Authorities.