Do The Right Thing

Domestic Violence and Children: evaluation report

Derby 3 June 2008

The feedback from the first seminar in Leeds made it clear that not dipping into workshops but rather having each session presented to everybody (even though we encouraged, what shall we call it, “a workshoppy ambience”) didn’t work. The room was a bit crowded too, which didn’t help. So we listened to the feedback and tried to do something about it for the Derby event.

The programme is suitably altered to have people moving around into workshops rather than stuck in the same place – with only one session (apart from the seminar drama) being delivered to all delegates. That session was to be presented by Professor Marianne Hester – whose views would help to set the context for the day. Everybody else on the programme is cut from the main agenda and chopped up into workshops and we get the facilitators to run two workshops each on the day.

So with everything sorted, we sit back and await for the curse of the children seminars to strike again (we had already experienced hotel disasters, pranged cars, lost wedding rings). And strike again it duly does. Marianne – the only presentation set for everybody - is taken ill and drops out the day before. Despite desperately ringing around – unsurprisingly a suitable replacement cannot be found at such short notice. So we chop the programme about more and move Dr Ravi Thiara’s session into the main programme.

However, we still fail to lift the seminar into an overall score of at least 4 (our aim); and it is a slight dip on the previous seminar in Leeds which scored 3.9.

What you said

Here are the average ratings by delegates who scored each section on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being “excellent” and 1 being “poor”). We always look to score at least 4.0 on these ratings.

Responses were received from 24 delegates

1 How would you rate the seminar overall?	3.8
2 How would you rate the venue?	4.5
3 How would you rate the administration before the conference?	4.3
4 How would you rate how things were organised on the day?	4.2
5 How would you rate Heartstrings – the conference drama?	4.8
6How would you rate Ravi Thiara’s session on communication?	3.7
7 How would you rate Chris Greenwoood’s session on education?	4.5
8How would you rate Heather Coady and Fiona Morrison’s session on children’s participation in Scotland?	3.9
9How would you rate Salli Ward’s session on child contact?	3.7
10 How would you rate Helen Baker’s session on rural issues?	4.1
11How would you rate the lunch?	3.7

Comments: the good stuff

“Very informative. Nice size groups. Excellent info and networking opportunities.”

“Very good”

“Very useful”

“Enlightened, very useful and thought provoking”

“Well organised – small groups worked better than large national conferences: everybody has a chance to speak”

“Very useful and informative. Heartstrings was brilliantly written and acted. A good day. Thank you.”

“Chris Greenwood’s presentation was excellent, informative and I took a lots of information away with me which I can use in my professional practice”

“VERY informative. VERY valuable.”

“Really benefited from discussions around education session. Really enjoyed Heartstrings.”

“A thoroughly enjoyable day – particularly the morning session”

“Heartstrings was brilliant!”

“Well presented and good subject matter”

“Good that it was smaller numbers – gave ability to interact. Good variety of topics.”

Comments: the not-so-good stuff

“Felt the workshop of children’s participation in Scotland was limiting as I don’t and many others today do not live or work in Scotland”

“Some speakers were very quiet”

“Too rushed. More time needed”

“Very un-organised. Felt like I was on a conveyor belt. I thought the day would provide information and tools for working with children to do with domestic abuse. It didn’t provide this. It was directed at specific providers and what they provide: this was not very relevant to professionals from outside the area.”

“Don’t think I have learned anything new that I didn’t know”

“Changed beyond belief! - compared to the original programme”

“Totally changed”

“Disappointed that speaker was ill”

Comments: the suggestions: content

More interaction in the workshops, not just presenting

We say: We had hoped that was what would happen. Sorry this didn’t seem to be the case.

Needed more signage – what was where; in addition to verbal

We say: Fair point

Very disappointed that the programme changed so much. An hour was taken off and a number of speakers just weren’t present on the day. This was never mentioned and I really feel that at £185, some money should be given back to delegates.

We say: We share the disappointment. However, we did let people (those who were the contact person on the booking forms) know of what changes were made when joining details were sent out two weeks or so beforehand. But we’ve just been hit with bad luck. For example, we were aware that Kathleen Baird could not make this event but she had arranged for a colleague to take over the slot – but she, too, unfortunately had to withdraw a few weeks before. These events are very expensive to put on; and, indeed, on the children seminars overall we have lost money. We have contacted this particular delegate, have apologised for the disappointment and offered to refund some of the fee.

Comments: the suggestions: food

Fruit at lunch

No fruit

We say: This is a peach of a suggestion – but not sure why we didn’t get fruit. The venue slipped us a banana skin there, methinks.

Mayonnaise needed for salad

We say: Sorry this shouldn’t have been a sauce of disappointment…

Would have liked something warm and some sauces

We say: No excuse for the sauces and there should have been something warm. Naturally if we go for “better” food – it does cost more – and gets lumped onto the fees, which we try very hard to keep attractive and with which we struggle particularly at these seminars where we keep numbers deliberately low.

Comments: the suggestions: future events

Young people’s participation

We say: We will look at doing something around this.

Legal advice and counselling support

We say: Not something we have particularly paid attention to – but certainly worth exploring as a possible session in one of our bigger events.

Use a better venue (a bit shabby) and stick to listed speakers and programme

We say: This venue has done pretty well on previous feedback, but we’re always on the look-out for other venues. We usually do bring in our advertised programmes – but this one has been badly hit. And, with the best will in the world, there is often little you can do about people dropping out or becoming ill. We did keep delegates informed as best we could about changes.

Bit more time for networking

We say: This is more likely to happen if, again, we offer less sessions – and restore lunch to a full hour. Perhaps we should. We believe strongly in the effectiveness of networking – indeed, working in social services, I often got more out of the other delegates than speakers at conferences. So possibly we should think about making more time available – rather than rushing from one to session to another…

Can you include e-mail addresses of other delegates in list?

We say: This is a good idea. Especially in light of what is said above about networking. I think we should ask delegates when they book if they are willing for their contact e-mail address to be given out with the delegate list.