PurposeThis paper seeks to describe the development process for the Outcomes Stars as a suite of tools which are designed to simultaneously measure and support change when working with vulnerable people as service users. It describes the original process of development of the first Star, in homelessness services in the UK, and subsequent roll out to other client groups and in other countries. The paper indicates the theoretical and philosophical under‐pinning of an approach which aims to embody both research and values‐based practice in empowerment and respect for the individual.Design/methodology/approachAs a case study of development by the development team, the paper is based on first‐hand knowledge but builds upon extensive consultations with practitioners and users and relates these to the needs and strengths of service users, the contemporary policy framework, and wider research in the field.FindingsThe Outcomes Star draws on the core principles of Action Research and Participatory Action Research and extends them beyond research into assessment and outcome measurement. As yet there has been no formal research on the usefulness of the Star approach; but, there is a rapid take up of this approach within the UK and further afield. The paper argues that the approach has proved popular, because the Outcomes Star is rooted in a philosophy that is more in tune with that of people delivering services and more closely reflects the reality of those receiving services, compared to traditional measurement techniques.Practical implicationsThe paper aims to stimulate further thought and effective practice in measuring outcomes for vulnerable people, and on the most useful means to engage and support people in the co‐production of their own futures.Originality/valueAlthough the development and take‐up of the Outcomes Star approach has been rapid in practice, this is the first paper in which these more theoretical and philosophical roots have been outlined and explored in such depth. It will be of use to service providers, to deepen their awareness, and to commissioners, policy makers and regulatory bodies wishing to promote practical approaches to quality assurance of evidence‐based and evidence‐generating practice. It will also be of interest to moral philosophers and others wishing to understand the translation of values into social practice.

Objective To examine the psychometric properties of the Family Star Plus, an assessment of family functioning using a collaborative mode of completion between the caseworker and service user. Background The Family Star Plus is widely used to assess strengths and needs within services supporting families. Method In Phase 1, interrater reliability was assessed. Phase 2 established factor structure, internal consistency, item redundancy, and responsiveness. In Phase 3, the Family Star Plus was used to predict children's unauthorized school absence. Results Workers reliably applied Family Star Plus scales. A unidimensional factor structure was found with good internal consistency and responsiveness. School absence was predicted by the Family Star Plus. Conclusions These findings demonstrate the validity of the Family Star Plus as a tool for assessing needs and measuring progress of family support interventions. Implications The Family Star Plus can be confidently used and recommended as an outcomes measurement tool.

The purpose of this paper is to describe a pilot to test an approach to measuring inter-rater reliability of the Outcomes Star suite of tools. The intention, in publishing this account, is to show transparency in ongoing development of the tool, and to invite further cooperative development. Design/Methodology/Approach Twenty four workers, trained to use the first edition Family Star, scored a tested case-study. Scoring was analysed using two metrics on the 10-point scale and the underlying 5-point Journey of Change. The case-study approach and metrics were evaluated for validity and accessibility. Findings This initial evaluation suggests this edition of the Family Star has good inter-rater reliability for the 5 point Journey of Change, reaching the accepted threshold of 0.8 for the inter-rater reliability coefficient when three outlying workers are excluded. The reliability for the full 10 point scale was moderate. Research limitations/implicaitons The sample size of twenty four raters is small, though sufficient for an initial test of the approach, which will now be applied to larger samples, using other versions of the Outcomes Star. Practical implications The findings indicate that it is important that service providers test worker understanding of the scales to ensure consistency of use. The second edition of the Family Star incorporates more precise definitions of the 10 point scales to help improve the reliability. Originality/value The case-study method and metrics provide an accessible measure of reliability, both for Star development and to enable managers to assess the reliability of an organisation's client data for internal and external purposes.

This article explores the nature of interdepartmental relations in voluntary organizations, looking, in particular, at the relationship between fundraising and service‐providing departments. The findings indicate that the relationship between these two departments can be problematic, and the sources of tension between them are outlined. The author examines the question of why tensions arise. The fact that, for the voluntary organization, the needs and preferences of the service funder and the service recipient can be very different may be part of the explanation. Finally, the implications of the findings for our understanding of the role of voluntary organizations and the strategies they adopt are explored.

BackgroundAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is prevalent in adulthood, resulting in serious impairment across multiple domains of living. Despite clinical guidance recommendations, the relative infancy of research on service provision for adults with ADHD, along with the evidence transfer gap, means that there is a lack of specific frameworks for service delivery. Igniting research and developing service delivery frameworks within adult ADHD is an essential step in the provision of effective services for adults with ADHD.MethodFollowing the methodology used in previous related research that utilises a Participatory Action Research approach, we gathered data from clinicians and service users on the domains of living in which they wish to create change, and the steps and end point of the change process. This data was utilised, alongside data gathered from previous research and policies, to develop the domains of assessment for the ADHD Star, and the scale on which change is assessed.ResultsThe resulting tool, the ADHD Star, consists of eight domains: understanding your ADHD, focus and attention, organising yourself, friends and social life, thinking and reacting, physical health, how you feel and meaningful use of time. Each domain is rated on a five-point scale, the ‘ladder of change’, ranging from ‘stuck’ to ‘choice’.ConclusionsThe ADHD Star offers a guiding framework for the development of care pathways and subsequent service provision for adults with ADHD, based on multi-disciplinary, holistic and person-centred care.