See, Hear, Respond
August 2020
Barnardo’s has appointed Cordis Bright to be the evaluation partner for See, Hear, Respond, a £7.25m programme funded by the Department for Education to support children and young people adversely affected by COVID-19 and the ensuing lockdown.
See, Hear, Respond is bringing together a consortium of national and community-based charities led by Barnardo’s to work together to provide assistance to vulnerable children, young people, and their families, who have been adversely and disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown measures that have been implemented in response to the crisis.
It includes a range of online and face-to-face support, as well as specific assistance to safeguard young people at risk of exploitation and to support young people to return to education in September.
The programme operates throughout England. A total of 56 charities have already signed-up to deliver support, creating a unique network of national and community-based charities that will have the combination of resources and reach into communities to help identify ‘hidden children’ that require additional support.
See, Hear, Respond is open to all children who are not already receiving support from a statutory agency, with a focus on children from BAME communities; children with SEND; children at risk of exploitation; young carers; and families with infants under the age of 5.
Dr Stephen Boxford (Head of Research, Cordis Bright) said:
“We’re very excited to be working with Barnardo’s, the DfE and all the delivery partners as the evaluation partner for See, Hear, Respond. During this pandemic we know that many children have been adversely impacted by the pandemic – especially those that were already vulnerable in our society. We look forward to supporting the programme to better understand what impact this programme is having to improve outcomes for young people.”
Amanda Naylor (See, Hear Respond Head of Partnerships, Barnardo’s) said:
“See Hear Respond gives us a unique opportunity to bring together the wider charity sector to provide immediate support directly to children and families who are facing a myriad of challenges. It’s a privilege for Barnardo’s to have been given the role by the Department of Education to coordinate this unique crisis response service and learn so much from children, families and our partners about how their lives have been impacted during COVID-19. It’s essential for us that we elevate these voices and experiences, share learning about what has worked and what has failed families during this time, and listen carefully to what those families tell us their needs are moving forward. If we are going to develop a recovery plan, rooted in the experiences and needs of children - then an agile and effective evaluation becomes the vehicle we need to help us do this.
"We are very excited to be working with Cordis Bright with their track record in developing evaluation frameworks for large innovative programmes and commitment to continuously finding ways to improve outcomes for societies most vulnerable children.”
For more information about See, Hear, Respond please visit the website here. You can find resources about supporting young people during the pandemic as well as an online referral form if you wish to refer a child.
For further details about Cordis Bright and our evaluation work, please contact StephenBoxford@cordisbright.co.uk
