Report: An investigation into how to collect and map data on 'what matters' to Children and Families in Scotland

In February 2020, the Independent Care Review, a root and branch review of Scotland’s ‘care system’, published its conclusions as a set of seven reports - primary of which was the promise report. Many of the organisations which engaged with the Care Review identified challenges with data collection, access and sharing as barriers to supporting children and families and meeting their needs.

Data collection and analysis often focus on measuring what matters to the ‘system’, rather than what matters to children and families. What it captures is too narrow and doesn’t reflect the whole context of children and their families lives, and the relationships that are important to them. Data is fractured, disconnected and incomplete.   

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As a part of The Promise Scotland project, this report by the Fraser of Allander Institute summarises the process and findings from an investigation into data on what matters to children and families in Scotland.

This project has been funded by The Promise Scotland and facilitated via the Data for Children Collaborative. The work has been undertaken alongside and with Wallscope who are designing software to allow the sharing of a data map as it develops.

The intention of the report is to show the learning from a process of mapping data from a small number of stakeholders. This report first provides an overview of the reasons why this research has been commissioned before providing an overview of the process, findings and finally the reflections on what can be put in place to facilitate the provision of information from stakeholders across Scotland for mapping purposes.