Wednesday 3 April 2013

Evidence2Success - Update

posed by model

I received a response to the email I sent to Perth and Kinross Council about their latest intrusion into children's lives and the blatant lies they told in order to achieve their aims.

Thank for your email, the content of which has been noted.

Evidence2Success is a collaborative project between Perth and Kinross Community Planning Partnership (CPP) and the Dartington Social Research Unit (SRU) that aims to enhance the safe and healthy development of children and young people in Perth and Kinross. To provide a comprehensive picture of the wellbeing of children and young people in Perth and Kinross data has been gathered through the Evidence2Success Wellbeing Survey.  The Wellbeing Survey questionnaires were compiled from previously tried and tested research methodologies, such as Communities That Care and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires, and questions were carefully considered and weighted against the uses and potential benefits of such data to help inform services.  The survey methodology and tools were scrutinised by an ethics committee of social policy experts before being carried out.

All comments and concerns raised are being recorded as a matter of course, therefore I would be grateful if you could let me know at which school your child/children undertook the survey.

Yours sincerely


The signatory (a female) will be waiting a very long time for the information she requests. Why does she assume all complaints about this survey were from parents who currently have children in Perthshire schools?

As her reply is typical of CP employees - jargon about other programmes and 'experts' - I will not be communicating further with her. She has not answered one of the points I made in my email and obviously has no intention of doing so.

13 comments:

JRB said...

Surely you are not surprised by the response you received.

It is the standard rhetoric, with a few platitudes thrown in and reference to a couple of obscure organisations to give the merest degree of significance to what is being said, or more accurately what is not being said.

Of the tried and tested research methodologies –
‘Communities That Care’ is an American based organisation set up to investigate the social, ethnic, gang and drug culture of deprived American inner city children. Far removed, I would suggest, from life in Perth & Kinross.
‘Strengths and Difficulties’ is produced by Youthinmind Ltd who describe themselves as “a private family-run company harnessing computers and the Internet for the psychological well-being of people everywhere.” Did George Orwell not come up with an idea similar to this in one of his novels?

Finally a word of warning – both organisations acknowledge that such ‘testing’ of children is not just once only – such test have to be repeated over time to, as your lady from the council said, “provide a comprehensive picture”.

Crinkly & Ragged Arsed Philosophers said...

Data, statistics and research -the bureaucracy of averaging the undefinable for no other purpose than to 'create' another average.

Measure the response against the quality of yesterdays post.

Clarinda said...

Apparently the SRUs new head of Policy and Strategy, Sonia Sodha, was an ex-speech writer for David Cameron and came up with the stunning initiative on a recent Newsnight that improving teaching is the most important "school-based" factor in improving how children do at school.

As Mr Crinkly wisely observes - the Bell Curve is a useful tool to generate income and employment for this 'independent charity' - the SRU, that has a rather attractive campus in Dartington.

Demetrius said...

Perhaps you did not have empathy with the constructs of methodology as expressed in the mission statement.

Apogee said...

Seems that the reply is the standard
brush-off to awkward questions from the proletariat.

subrosa said...

No I'm not surprised JRB, not in the least.

Yes I looked into Communities That Care. This is all part of having a database for each children from birth. I've posted about this previously.

subrosa said...

A dangerous creation Crinkly which results in a reduction of freedoms don't you think.

subrosa said...

Indeed Clarinda, a handsome set up it is at Dartington I believe.

subrosa said...

Oh, I ignored the 'aims and objectives' Demetrius and asked sensible questions. :)

subrosa said...

Exactly Apogee.

Alison said...

We are awaiting publication of the minutes of the 5th March P&K CPC meeting where this issue was probably discussed, along with others of specific interest to us! No sign of them yet: http://www.pkc.gov.uk/cpcminutes

subrosa said...

Thank you for the info Alison. It's rather pathetic it takes over a month for minutes to be produced. Maybe they've too much to hide?

devora said...

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/evidence2success_survey_approval

take a look at the correspondence between the research company Social Research and PKC i think we can see who is running the show here as it clearly shows that PKC wanted to tone down the sexual and mental health questions but were not allowed to by SRU...must have friends in high places!!

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