- Description of the programme
- The study
- Key findings
- Points to consider
Description of the programme
[This is an extract from the Executive Summary of the evaluation report. Further amendments may be made to this Summary, pending review by the Evidence Hub partner]
The aim of this outcome evaluation was to examine the effectiveness of a bespoke Money Advice Service (MAS) in achieving financial capability outcomes to support domestic abuse survivors, as provided by Anglia Care Trust (ACT). This report describes the work undertaken by the MAS and the key findings of the evaluation.
The evaluation was funded through the What Works Fund. The Fund was setup in 2016 and is administered by the national organisation, the Money Advice Service, to help establish the most effective methods of improving financial capability across the UK through evidence on interventions. For the purpose of this evaluation, the acronym MAS refers to the alternative money advice model being delivered by ACT, which is distinct from the national organisation, the UK Money Advice Service. The MAS evaluation was carried out between January 2017 and March 2018 by Dr Olumide Adisa at the University of Suffolk’s Suffolk Institute for Social and Economic Research. To our knowledge, it would be the first time that an alternative money advice project focused on domestic abuse will be funded.
While ACT work with service users without a history of domestic abuse, this evaluation focuses on the 80% of MAS workloads involving survivors of domestic abuse.
The study
The evaluation was undertaken with the following groups:
- With the service users
- Money advisers and key management staff
- The domestic abuse outreach service staff working closely with the money advisers
- Professionals from referral agencies in the domestic abuse community in Suffolk.
The ACT management team developed an initial Theory of Change5 (ToC) framework for the What Works Fund application, taking into account the different elements of What Works Fund’s Financial Capability Model. This initial ToC was tested with the money advisers during a theory of change workshop and as part of the focus groups. The researcher examined the extent to which this MAS theory of change reflected frontline delivery outcomes. Subsequently, a revised theory of change for the Money Advice Service (which best reflects the delivery outcomes and changes) was developed as part of the evaluation.
The evaluation used a mixed methods approach. Quantitative data were collected from self-assessment pre-and-post questionnaires. These questionnaires were developed in consultation with the evaluation team to ensure that the instruments were robust in generating high-quality data. Interviews were undertaken with service users who volunteered to take part in the research. Service users were asked by ACT to complete the questionnaires and invited to take part in the interviews after they had exited the programme. Once consent was given, the researcher was provided with names of the service users who wished to be interviewed.
Some service users preferred to participate in the “Telling our Story” case studies which were developed by the operational manager of the Money Advice Service for various reasons. These case studies form part of the qualitative evidence and showcase the diversity and complexity of the MAS casework.
Data for the evaluation were collected using:
- 38 interviews with service users
- 17 in-depth interviews with professionals from referral agencies
- Two focus group discussions (including one with DAOS staff and one with MAS staff) – 15 professional participants
- Informal conversations with two key senior management staff
- Pre- and post-programme self-assessment survey completed by 73 service users
- Outcome information from ACT’s case files
- Case note reviews of 24 clients to the “Telling Our Story” case studies. Some of these people have not completed a feedback questionnaire for a number of different reasons: moved out of the area, shorter piece of work where advice was given over the phone rather than face-to-face.
The quantitative data was analysed using a statistical package for the social sciences, SPSS. Qualitative data enabled the development of the themes.
Key findings
Overall, the mixed-method evidence that emerged from the evaluation included:
- Referrals were mostly through agencies. From the interviews, the experience of the referral process was generally positive, with the duration of the referral process reported to have taken a couple of days to a week at most
- Together with the MAS, the Domestic Abuse Outreach Service (DAOS) at ACT has been crucial in offering a joined-up service to support those affected by domestic abuse in Suffolk. The short referral times and the positive outcomes from the case notes are indicative of the positive impact of this joined-up approach to service delivery in a domestic abuse context. Having both the DAOS and MAS provided by one organisation was seen as a unique feature of the service by the professional stakeholders taking part in the evaluation
- The average length of time that a service user received support from MAS was about four months. 19% (n=14) of respondents were still receiving light-touch support from the MAS after they exited the programme, through trained volunteer money mentors
- The Money Advice Service worked with both men and women, although 90% (n=66) were women. Most of the service users are White British (85%; n=62); and 5% (n=4) had a recorded disability. The majority of service users are on a low-income, with over 60% on benefits only. 21% had some earnings and benefits, and 5% had access to earnings. The rest had a combination of pensions and benefits
- The feedback received from respondents was overwhelmingly positive. Many respondents stated that their confidence and knowledge of managing their money had increased. There were several comments from survivors of domestic abuse that they felt very relieved to not have to deal with debt on their own, particularly after fleeing an abusive situation. This verbal feedback (qualitative evidence) was supported by the self-assessment questionnaires completed by service users (quantitative data). In one special case, the money advisers’ intervention helped to save the life of a survivor’s baby through ensuring that there was enough funds for the survivor to take her baby to a specialist London hospital for life-saving surgery and after-surgery care (see 4.3 Stories of Change in full report).
- To improve the confidence of DAOS staff in completing the financial health checks with their clients, the money advisers piloted a financial capability upskilling awareness-raising session with nine DAOS staff. The evidence of the pilot programme was somewhat mixed but the feedback provided suggested that the sessions helped improve their financial knowledge and confidence and they felt better able to broach the topic of money with their clients. However, they did not consider themselves to be money experts so they were glad that they could refer their clients to the MAS. “It helps that we have a door to the money experts that can specifically deal with money issues which can be quite complex. It is not that easy to follow for anyone as there are changes to the law, frequent benefits changes and so on.” Nonetheless, DAOS staff did not consider themselves to be money advice specialists, even after the upskilling, and advising clients on money issues was not in their remit:
- Based on the recurring themes from the qualitative data, the key success factors of MAS
- Majority of professional respondents stated that for domestic abuse work, this was a better
- The areas of improvement that emerged centred on expanding outreach activities in the
- This evaluation demonstrates that the uniqueness of the bespoke service delivery model works
- A simple referral system
- Speedy assessments
- Personalised contact with a money adviser
- Clarity of outcomes and how to achieve them
- A joined-up approach to working with referral agencies.
- Additionally, the Money Advice Service has had a positive impact on the lives of domestic abuse survivors who were referred to the service. Specifically, being able to refer into the programme enabled domestic abuse professionals to help their clients overcome the barrier of financial dependence, which can be a reason why some people are unable to leave or choose to return to their abuser. Having access to MAS enabled many service users to (re)construct their financial independence and (re)gain their financial confidence. These results have implications for reducing repeat victimisation in the domestic abuse context.
- There are complex links between being a survivor of domestic abuse and experiencing economic insecurity, in that many survivors face the untenable position of remaining with or returning to an abusive partner because of their economic dependence. Therefore, addressing these financial dimensions alongside other protective options is essential to help survivors of domestic abuse develop financial independence and improve their economic security.
- This report presents evidence on how a bespoke Money Advice Service is tackling the financial dimensions of abuse, which is paramount to successfully dealing with domestic abuse. The MAS project offers an alternative service delivery model that jointly works with domestic abuse professionals to enhance financial capability among domestic abuse survivors, as well as influencing good practice through upskilling and awareness-raising activities for professionals.
Points to consider
This evaluation captured the immediate outcomes of ACT’s MAS and is a good first step in creating the right tools for capturing longer-term outcomes.
- The response rate of the participants to the interviews was limited by the sensitive nature of the research area. Engagement of participants in domestic abuse research is often a challenge because of the chaotic and sensitive situations that typically characterise fleeing an abusive situation or the process of rebuilding one’s life in safety and free from fear. The researcher anticipated this challenge and used data from multiple sources which was sufficient to gain a fuller picture for the purpose of the evaluation. The evaluation has also demonstrated that survivors of domestic abuse are keen to engage in research and in many cases, found it empowering and participants were willing to share their stories.
- The evaluation of the financial upskilling activities pilot was based on a small sample size. While the researcher used an appropriate statistical test designed for very small sample sizes, there is scope to test the upskilling programme further with a larger group of support workers and professionals to facilitate more insights.
These limitations were further reflected upon during the knowledge exchange workshop, particularly in improving the collation of baseline financial and debt data by ACT in the future.
Full report
An evaluation of an alternative money advice service for survivors of domestic abuse - full report
