Third sector organisations are increasingly important in the provision of a wide range of public services in the UK. This central role has developed rapidly, both under the previous Labour government and the Coalition government. This research explored key issues for third sector involvement in public service delivery. It identified gaps in research, including the effect that the new commissioning landscape is having on the range of services delivered by the sector, and the new forms of partnership working entailed by public service delivery. This data collection of interviews with adult social service department representatives explores the role of the third sector in commissioning and in the wider landscape of employment services provision. One set of interviews examined the role of the third sector in commissioned employment services particularly the Work Programme. The research explored the role of the sector in the Work Programme, how subcontractors experienced delivery in the early phase of the programme, and asked what, if anything, is distinctive about the approaches to delivery that subcontractors adopt (SD_TSES). Another set of interviews examined the new commissioning landscape, seeking to better understand the third sector’s engagement with the state and private sectors through commissioning, and the impact it is having on Third Sector Organisations (SD_COM). This is one of six data collections resulting from research by the Third Section Research Centre (TSRC). Other data collections can be found via Related Resources. The Third Sector Research Centre (TSRC) is a Venture Funded Centre, in partnership with the Office for Civil Society and the Barrow Cadbury Trust. TSRC is based at the University of Birmingham, but is a joint venture with the University of Southampton, with additional contributions from Middlesex and Kent. Research activity includes: (1) Analysis of theoretical issues and development of a critical understanding of the policy environment for the sector. (2) Securing and analysing reliable data about the size, shape, structure and dynamics of the sector - including quantitative data, drawn from administrative sources and large scale surveys, and in-depth qualitative research with a selection of sector organisations. (3) Analysis of the economic and social impact of the sector, including the role of the sector in delivering public services, the development of social enterprise, the role of organisations in the environmental field, and the mapping and analysis of smaller community organisations operating ‘below-the-radar’. Third sector policy has now been devolved to the separate administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and research includes analysis of the impact of this devolution. TSRC also employs a Knowledge Exchange Team to ensure that its work has a direct impact on policy and practice.
Qualitative, in-depth (semi-structured) interviews. Purposive sampling method adopted for all interviews, utilising snow-balling techniques where necessary to identify relevant individuals and organisations. Key criteria for selection included: for sector ‘experts’ the strategic overview and knowledge/experience of impact measurement practices amongst Third Sector Organisations; for commissioners their knowledge and experience of commissioning and service delivery, and ways of performance and impact monitoring in the area of adult social care as the service area under investigation.
