Frances has extensive experience of leading programmes of support to organisations on using evidence and measuring impact.
She currently leads on NCB's provision of this support to the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust and to a number of Government Departments on their Programme for Government delivery plans. Her work includes a programme of Outcomes Based Accountability (OBA) capacity building and support with implementation of OBA across directorates in SEHSCT and across all Policing and Community Safety Partnerships. Similarly, on behalf of Colin Early Intervention Community, Frances leads on implementing OBA with a wide range of key stakeholders (for example, commissioners, funders, service providers).
Frances is also responsible for the development and dlivery of NCB's training and support curriculum which operates across the public, community and voluntary sector and focuses on improving the use of evidence to make better decisions on programme design and delivery to secure better outcomes for children. She has supported the use of evidence and impact measurement on all projects within the cross-departmental £30m Early Intervention Transformation Programme, ensuring that improved outcomes for children and families remains the focus at all times. Frances is a researcher by background and at NCB has led on a number of influential studies for example: Childminding in Northern Ireland, which examined childminding practice and quality in Northern Ireland; Next Steps, a study examining the reasons why some young people become NEET (not in education, employment or training); ICT and Me, which explores young people’s use of ICT and their educational attainment and The Dissemination of Best Practice Research recently commissioned by the Dept of Education (forthcoming).
Prior to joining NCB NI, Frances worked for PriceWaterhouseCoopers as a senior consultant in the public sector research group.