DARE UK Sensitive-Data Evidence Tracking Working Group

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What is this project about?

Administrative data, information routinely collected through interactions with government or public services, can offer vital insights into the who, what, where, & when of pressing health, economic and social challenges. Despite the benefits, it’s unclear if/how stakeholders use these insights to understand their target populations, improve services, obtain funding, and more.

What is the impact of this research on policy, service provision, and answering population needs? In other words, is itactually improving lives?

This project addresses these gaps by bringing together academic researchers, a large and diverse group of stakeholders from public, private, and Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector organisations, alongside a public contributor. Focusing on a shared population or societal issue, the project will explore how stakeholders consume, translate, and utilise administrative data findings to deliver meaningful change/impact. The population focus for this project is young people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Northern Ireland.

Why ADHD?

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition often identified in early life with potential life-long impacts, involvement over multiple sectors, and which intersects with a range of societal issues. Prevalence rates of ADHD are increasing globally and there is an urgent need to prioritise assessment, interventions, and services for children and adults.

Administrative data covering ADHD in young people in NI already exists, as does a network of stakeholder organisations providing services to these children and their families, allowing the project team to provide high-quality evidence-based findings. This is an opportunity to explore the pathway of administrative data evidence from research to real-life benefit, charting a roadmap for change in ADHD policy, support, and practice in NI.

Project objectives

The SET Working Group project aims to understand:

How different stakeholders consume, interpret, and use administrative data evidence
The most effective dissemination strategies, formats, and mediums for their needs
Existing knowledge and skills gaps related to data use
Supports needed for evidence translation and application
Perspectives on data interpretation and application informed by lived experience and as a member of the public

Who we are

The SET Working Group is comprised of academics and stakeholders supporting young people with ADHD and applying administrative data research for meaningful change and impact.