Data analysis, evaluation and research services

We analyse mental health and wellbeing data and report findings. We collaborate with members and partners to evaluate interventions and support. Our research explores our own and others’ data to measure effectiveness, test hypotheses and generate evidence to improve care.  

We aim to understand the extent to which children and young people’s care is helping them and how real-world evidence can support and improve child and youth mental health services. Once collected, we analyse data to assess the impact, the effectiveness and efficiency of services and to answer key research questions. Our work in this area includes:

• Analysing members’ data and reporting to them on the findings.
• Evaluating mental health, wellbeing and other interventions.
• Carrying out analysis using the CORC and other data sets to measure effectiveness, test hypotheses and discover new findings in order to generate evidence to underpin care.
• Collaborating with members and partners to conduct research.

You can find out more about how CORC can receive and analyse any service or organisation's data on our Data analysis and reporting page.  

Data Analysis

Our data analysis and reporting helps organisations understand the impact of their support and discover new insights from their data. We listen to the needs and priorities of each service to determine the most useful approach.

This includes analysing change on outcome measures, breaking down results by areas/teams/demographic groups and comparing change with other organisations (benchmarking).

We produce clear and understandable reports on complicated data, enabling discussions about the findings and how improvements can be made. 

CORC Research and Evaluation Consulting

CORC have a great track record of working on large-scale evaluations and are currently involved in one looking at new service specifications and models in Forensic CAMHS and the Secure Estate. CORC led on analysis of the national Children and Young People’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (CYP IAPT) data collection and analysis and has advised NHSE on the development of the minimum dataset and outcome metric. We also provide schools with analysis of their pupils’ wellbeing on a large scale.

We hold data relating to mental health and wellbeing outcomes of more than 400,000 children and young people in the UK, a large data set for comparison. As part of Anna Freud, we work closely with leading experts in mental health, service providers and academic institutions, including Anna Freud, University College London and the University of Manchester.

Evaluation  

Our team are leading experts in research and evaluation, and would be delighted to work with you to understand your service or organisation's needs.

Our support includes: 

• Working with you to understand the questions you want answered 

• Developing logic models to unpick the processes driving your work 

• Advising and feeding back suitable evaluation approaches 

• Considering quotes for evaluations and discussing how these can be tailored to your resources and needs 

• Conducting evaluations drawing on over a decade’s experience 

Please just get in touch to see how we could work with you: CORC@annafreud.org

Research 

We conduct research under the following overarching research themes, aiming to provide evidence about the risk, choice and/or change to benefit mental health and wellbeing in children and young people:

1. Arts, creative, sports and non-specialist approaches to enhancing and promoting mental health and wellbeing
2. Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
3. Tracking outcomes and impact of services provided
4. Preventative mental health interventions in education settings

If you're interested to conduct research, and would like our involvement during the early stages of research activities; would like to contribute to areas of research, including submitting qualitative or quantitative data; or would like us to review early sharing and discussion of findings, feeding into interpretation and understanding of them. Please get in touch at CORC@annafreud.org

Translating research into data

Our aim is to explore the data and evidence that we and our members collect to further knowledge and understanding of what works for children and young people within the mental health and wellbeing sector. Our work in this area includes: 

• Translating research findings into policy recommendations at national and local level 
• Engaging in national level dialogue with government, the National Health Service, academic institutions and like-minded organisations 
• Leading new thinking and theory in the field of children and young people’s mental health 

Please just get in touch at CORC@annafreud.org

Do you have a question that could be looked into using the CORC data set?

We are keen to work with researchers and practitioners to explore the CORC data further, with a view to using the results to inform our members and the wider community of those supporting children and their families with mental health concerns. We encourage members and others to suggest research that uses the CORC data, to be carried out in collaboration with the CORC team. Where it makes sense to do so, we also consider research proposals for independent projects and can work with interns or students who are interested in conducting research using CORC data.  

All research proposals need to be made in writing using this template. Proposals are assessed by the central team and put to the CORC Board for approval. Please note, proposals are reviewed on a monthly basis. Please contact corc@annafreud.org for more information. 

---

Useful Links

• NHS England CYP IAPT programme
• CORC FAQs
• Understanding Patient Data

[Our report from CORC] is a powerful tool to show relatively small services how their data can be used on a "bigger level"

BACP

Data analysis and reporting support

Providing clear and understandable reports on complicated data, enabling discussions about findings and how improvements can be made. Including support for data submission,