Service Integration Evaluation
As a central component of the PFL programme is to work with statutory and voluntary purchasers and service providers to improve the quality of service provision and promote inter-agency collaboration. The PFL programme involves joint work with, the Centre for Early Child Development and Education (CECDE) to support early years providers in meeting the Síolta standards outlined in National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education, the Department of Education and Skills to develop the Early Start Programme, and the HSE, local schools and service providers to review, improve, and integrate services.
The service integration evaluation aimed to measure the success of this wider integration of services within the community and the successful integration of the PFL service components and was key to the evaluation of the PFL programme. In sum, the service integration evaluation determined the extent of integration between the various services throughout the duration of the programme, in addition to the factors that have aided or hampered integration of these services.
Similar to the process evaluation, the service integration evaluation used a multi-sequenced design which integrated systematic self-reporting by programme staff, focus group methods, qualitative analytical techniques and semi-structured interviews with programme staff and participating families.
