2001 · Report · English
CTC – the story so far: An interim evaluation of Communities That Care
France, A., & Crow, I.
France, A., & Crow, I. (2001). CTC – the story so far: An interim evaluation of Communities That Care. Joseph Rowntree Foundation. hdl.handle.net/2134/2507
Summary
Interim report of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation's independent evaluation of the first three CTC demonstration projects in England and Wales, covering the setting-up and early implementation stages before any outcome data were available; by 2001, 23 projects were running in 15 British towns and cities, and the final report followed in 2004. Drawing on participant surveys, interviews and observation in the three sites, it examines community mobilisation, professional involvement and the role of local coordinators, and then the use of evidence through risk audits, resource audits and action plans. Findings: site selection matters, with natural communities and existing infrastructure easing implementation; those engaged from the start stayed more involved than later joiners; the risk audits challenged professional assumptions and gave residents a say in decisions about resources, but problems with data collection and audit quality left it unclear how far the final action plans were evidence based. The authors list lessons for evidence-based community work: robust and understandable data, normative benchmarks, training for residents and professionals, and continuous consultation. Explicitly a process report; it does not assess effects on risk factors or behaviour.