The Development of an Evaluation Framework for Partnership Working

Abstract

This paper describes the outcomes of the "Action Planning" stage of an action research project utilising a search conference for the purposes of organisational development. The aim of the project was the design of a methodology to facilitate the evaluation of the complexities of working in partnership and to assess the extent to which collaboration actually adds value in terms of both process and outcomes. The research centred on multi‑agency partnership working within Children's Services Planning (CSP) in the Southern Health and Social Services Board's area in Northern Ireland. The resulting evaluation framework contains seven interconnected dimensions with associated sub‑ dimensions and assessment criteria. The framework is underpinned by the concept of a virtuous circle formed by evaluation, learning, improvement, measurement, and back to evaluation.