Using evaluation to support child abuse prevention programme development: Learning from the Speak Out, Stay Safe Evaluation

Objectives
Speak Out Stay Safe (SOSS) is a large-scale programme designed by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) in the United Kingdom for primary school-aged children (6-11years). It aims to help children to recognise abuse, to identify safe adults and promotes help-seeking. We consider how findings from an independent evaluation have been used to strengthen both design and delivery of SOSS.

Method
The mixed method evaluation included 3,297 primary school children from across the UK. Schools implementing the programme (n=19) were matched with comparison schools (n=17) that had not received SOSS in the preceding two years. Children were surveyed at baseline, post-intervention and then six months follow- using the Children’s Knowledge of Abuse Questionnaire –Revised, the Authoritative School Climate Survey, the Child Health Utility Index 9D, and a bespoke measure designed to elicit children’s help-seeking. Children’s and teachers’ views and experience of the programme were captured and the fidelity of programme delivery was also assessed.

Results
Six months post-delivery children aged 9-10 who had received the programme had improved their knowledge of different forms of harm and abuse, especially neglect, compared to children in comparison schools. Children of this age were also more likely to be able to identify a safe adult compared to those in comparison schools. However, younger children, aged 6-7, were less likely to show significant change and this may be due to the shorter version of the programme they received. Boys benefited less from the programme than girls. Some schools seemed unprepared for the programme, and some children were
not ready for the programme content. Facilitators covered material on sexual abuse less fully than other elements of the programme and some children noted this.

Conclusions
Such programmes have benefits for pre-adolescent children, but care is needed with programme design, delivery methods and preparation of schools and children. The NSPCC have used the evaluation findings to revise SOSS for future cohorts of children, increasing the programme content and dosage for
younger children, ensuring fuller teacher engagement with programme delivery and strengthening facilitator training to ensure that material about sexual abuse is more fully covered.

Key Learning
Prevention programmes have the potential to improve children’s knowledge about various forms of child harm, and to support help-seeking
Programmes need to consider the content and delivery of programmes alongside the needs of the targeted groups, and the role of safe adults, such as teachers, in reinforcing and sustaining key messages
Schools and children need to be prepared for prevention programmes prior to delivery
The ability for learning from programme evaluations to strengthen the programme requires a strong commitment and resourcing from organisations.