Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 25
25
Acknowledged
Department for Work and Pensions explores new evaluation methods for quicker jobs service development.
Conclusion
We asked how the Department will make sure it provides a better service without evidence.53 The Department said it wants to conduct evaluations in a different way, to get test results quickly in order to help develop the new jobs and careers service. The Department said it is comparing and contrasting the evidence that it gathers by taking different approaches. It gave an example where it is using its core support model in one place and a different approach in another thereby creating groups 49 C&AG’s Report, para 1.12 50 C&AG’s Report, para 1.13 51 Q 75 52 C&AG’s Report, para 1.14 53 Q 76 16 of claimants for whom it can compare outcomes. The Department said it would use this approach to see if an intervention is less effective than the core regime, and if so it can be stopped.54 54 Qq 75, 76 17 3 Planned reforms The investment in reforms to employment support
Government Response Summary
The government is using test and learn principles, including Pathfinders, to test the Jobs and Careers Service, and its evaluation strategy is under development with research to be published at a future date.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
4.5 The department is also using test and learn principles, to test the whole Jobs and Careers Service vision via several Pathfinders. This will allow the department to see how its employment support offer interacts with local support for young people, those with health conditions and other government initiatives such as inactivity trailblazers. Testing in these Pathfinders will be small-scale, with learning iterating over time. The department’s evaluation strategy for the Jobs and Careers Service is under development and the department intends to publish research in line with Government Social Research processes at a future date.