For more than a decade, Griesbach & Associates have carried out research to support policy development and practice on a wide range of topics. Here are just a few highlights from the past few years. See our Publications page for details of our reports available in the public domain.
Independent Care Review (client - Independent Care Review): The Independent Care Review’s aim was to identify and deliver lasting change in Scotland’s care system and leave a legacy that will transform the wellbeing of infants, children and young people. In October 2016, after meeting with and listening to children and young people in care, Scotland’s First Minister announced “an independent, root and branch review of the care system” to look at “the underpinning legislation, practices, culture and ethos”. The Independent Care Review began its work in February 2017 and published its recommendations in February 2020. Griesbach & Associates, together with Jennifer Waterton and Dr Claire Baker carried out a series of evidence reviews to support the work of the Independent Care Review.
Talking 'Fracking' consultation analysis (client - Scottish Government): The Scottish Government has taken what it has described as 'a cautious, evidence led approach' to the possible development of an unconventional oil and gas (UOG) industry in Scotland. In January 2015, the Government put in place a moratorium on UOG development in Scotland, which prevented hydraulic fracturing for shale oil and gas, and coal bed methane extraction taking place while the Scottish Government investigated the evidence on potential impacts. A comprehensive was compiled, and then between January and May 2017, the Scottish Government carried out a public consultation to invite the people of Scotland and a wider group of stakeholders to comment on the main findings from this evidence gathering exercise. The consultation received more than 60,000 responses, and Griesbach & Associates carried out a comprehensive analysis of the comments received. (Project team: D Griesbach, J Waterton & A Platts).
Review of learning disability and autism in the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 2003: A scoping study (client - Mental Welfare Commission): The purpose of this study was to help lay the foundations for a review which will consider whether the provisions in the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 fulfil the needs of people with learning disability and autism. The study involved interviews and workshops with stakeholders to explore three main questions: (i) What should the scope of the review be? (ii) Who should be involved? and (iii) How (and with what timescales) should the review be conducted? (Project team: Dawn Griesbach, Colin McKay (Mental Welfare Commission) and Chris Creegan (Scottish Commission for Learning Disability)).
Young adults and e-cigarettes: A qualitative exploration of awareness, experience and attitudes (client - Scottish Government): This research involved a series of focus groups involving young adults in three Scottish cities. We specifically wanted to speak to young adults, aged 16 to 25, who were no longer in school, and a purposive sampling approach was used to recruit (i) young adults in employment, (ii) those in full-time education and (iii) those not in education, employment or training. The study explored what young adults think about e-cigarettes; what they know about them; what they feel they need to know about them; and their experience of using them. This research addressed a significant gap in the research to-date on e-cigarettes. The work was carried out between October 2015 and February 2016. (Project team: D Griesbach & A Platts).
Barnardo's children's advocacy service action research project: An independent evaluation (client - Scottish Government): Section 122 of the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 makes provision for children who attend a Children’s Hearing to be informed by the chairing member of the panel about the availability of children’s advocacy services, and for such services to be made available across Scotland. To help ensure that advocacy services provided under the 2011 Act are suitably designed and sustainably resourced, prior to this section being enacted, the Scottish Government funded different action research projects across Scotland to look at various models of provision. Griesbach & Associates carried out an independent evaluation of one of these projects, which was delivered by Barnardo's in Fife. The evaluation ran for a one-year period from April 2015 - March 2016, and involved regular meetings with the project steering group, working with the Barnardo's team and the Fife Children's Reporter's office to collect data on the use of the service, and the views of children and Children's Panel members about its effectiveness. (Project team: D Griesbach & J Waterton).