Organisational Change in Barnardos Developing · PDF fileOrganisational Change in Barnardos...
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The Centre for Effective Services (CES) is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee
(Company Number 451580 and Charity Number 19438 in Ireland). The work of the Centre is
supported by The Atlantic Philanthropies, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and
the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government
Copyright © The Centre for Effective Services, May 2013
Published by the Centre for Effective Services, Dublin
The authors of this report are ANNE COLGAN and MARY RAFFERTY
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
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Centre for Effective Services, 9 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.
The Centre for Effective Services
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Acknowledgements and appreciation
The authors wish to acknowledge the significant support they received from all stakeholders
in the course of this work.
The CEO and staff members of Barnardos were generous with their time, thoughtful in their
responses and open to challenge.
Table of contents
Chapter 1: Introduction ..................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Background and context ................................................................................................... 1
1.2 This case study .................................................................................................................. 1
1.3 An overview of strategy development and implementation ........................................... 1
1.4 Separate and Integrated organisational capacities – development and use ................... 2
1.5 The influence on the wider field ....................................................................................... 2
1.6 The scope of the report .................................................................................................... 2
1.7 Methodology ..................................................................................................................... 3
1.8 The organisation and structure of the report ................................................................... 3
Chapter 2: The overall strategic development process ....................................................... 5
2.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 5
2.2 The strategic intent ........................................................................................................... 5
2.3 The context: the opportunity for change ......................................................................... 6
2.4 Openness to change .......................................................................................................... 7
2.5 Securing funder support ................................................................................................... 7
2. 6 The vision for change: decisions about where to begin .................................................. 8
Chapter 3: Designing and managing the strategic development ........................................ 10
3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 10
3.2 Overview of the service design and development processes ........................................ 10
3.3 Developing capacities to support change ....................................................................... 14
3.4 Managing time ................................................................................................................ 16
3.5 External resources and supports .................................................................................... 16
3.6 Capturing and using organisational learning .................................................................. 18
3.7 Stakeholder partnerships ................................................................................................ 21
3.8 The Atlantic Philanthropies role and relationship ......................................................... 22
3.9 Barnardos and the field .................................................................................................. 24
Chapter 4: Developing sustainable capacity: The learning from the Barnardos case study 27
4.1 The idea of sustainability ................................................................................................ 27
4.2 Being ‘alive’ to context ................................................................................................... 27
4.3 Understanding organisational capacity .......................................................................... 28
4.4 Capacities that mattered ................................................................................................ 29
4.5 The role of ‘hidden’ capacities ........................................................................................ 30
4.6 Making use of organisational learning ............................................................................ 30
4.7 Change agent roles ......................................................................................................... 32
4.8 Time for change .............................................................................................................. 33
4.9 The commitment to evidence-based practice ................................................................ 34
4.10 Involving stakeholders .................................................................................................. 36
4.11 The grantee/funder relationship .................................................................................. 36
4.12 Barnardos and the field of children’s services .............................................................. 37
4.13 Summary and overview ................................................................................................ 38
References and bibliography ........................................................................................... 41
Appendices ..................................................................................................................... 42
Table of Figures
Figure 1: Strategic Plan 2005- 2009 ......................................................................................................... 5
Figure 2: The Quality Framework........................................................................................................... 11
Figure 3: Improved Fidelity and Outcomes ............................................................................................ 35
Chapter 1 Introduction
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Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 Background and context
The Atlantic Philanthropies has commissioned the authors of this case study to undertake a
review of capacity building strategies, to document and learn about the implementation and
impact of capacity building strategies in a sample of Atlantic grantees. Other materials
generated through this review, which may be of interest to readers of this case study,
include a Review of the Literature on Capacity Development, a Workbook to support
practitioners in reviewing organisational capacity and materials and tools for evaluators.
1.2 This case study
The Atlantic Philanthropies has had a significant involvement with Barnardos, over a long
period of time. A range of in-depth evaluation studies, including randomised control trials
have been/are being undertaken in relation to specific programmes and initiatives. The
evidence and learning from this work, alongside the extensive materials and documentation
developed by Barnardos in support of specific programmes, are a valuable resource to
policymakers, funders and service providers in the wider childcare sector.
The rigorous evaluation path is a very good route to learning about the process, impact,
value and limitations of the specific initiatives and will have significant value inside
Barnardos and in the field of children and families. However, the organisational experience
of Barnardos during this extensive change and over the period of involvement of the
Atlantic Philanthropies is equally valuable. Specifically, Barnardos moved from delivering a
wide range of services to a smaller, needs-led, outcome focused service in a relatively short
time. This has required the organisation to change: to think differently and to do things
differently. This case study focuses on the learning about the process of change, captures
key elements of the supports for and barriers to change and identifies the correspondence
between the literature on capacity development and the experience of Barnardos in
undertaking such development.
1.3 An overview of strategy development and implementation
This study examines the strategies for developing capacity and transforming a model of
service in a large national organisation providing services to children living with
disadvantage and their families. It is an account of the service development journey and a
description of the significant organisational change involved, with a particular focus on how
the organisational capacities needed were identified and developed. The process of design
and implementation involved a large number of staff at all levels in the organisation. The
reconfiguration of the organisational vision and practice required all staff, throughout the
organisation, to understand, adopt and practice new knowledge and skills.
Rather than focus on the rationale for individual models or programmes within the overall
organisational change, this study examines the work involved in developing the strategy, the
process of building understandings and commitment to the change, supports and
constraints on movement and progress, planned and unplanned issues of development,
Chapter 1 Introduction
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implementation and pace. This includes learning about the organisational capacity required
to undertake this work and the capacity development process – how did management
understand the requirements, what development strategies were undertaken, how were
these resourced and evaluated and how are the relevant capacities understood now, in
retrospect?
1.4 Separate and integrated organisational capacities – development and use
This study explores the learning about the alignment of capacities in different parts of the
organisation – leadership, resources, communication – to support the change in delivery
model. The connection between policy and funding changes and particularly how financial
grants were used to develop and shape the new direction for the organization, is of
particular interest: what did grant money from AP enable or create, in terms of capacity?
1.5 The influence on the wider field
Barnardos set out to enhance and strengthen its influence and role as a national
organization and leader in the field. This study examines how this development was planned
and undertaken. This is potentially valuable learning about the establishment and
development of ‘cornerstone’ organizations, including understanding the networks and
relationships Barnardos has established or developed as part of its strategy. This study
reports on how a strategic analysis of its position in the broader field shaped organisational
thinking about relationships, collaboration, partnerships and networks.
The radical changes within Barnardos have had an impact throughout the sector as
Barnardos relationships with practitioners, managers and funders in large and small,
statutory and voluntary organisations have changed
1.6 The scope of the report
As agreed in the Terms of Reference for this case study, the overall aim is to document and
learn about the implementation and impact of capacity building strategies which were
developed through and for an extensive organisational change programme supported by
the Atlantic Philanthropies. The focus is on the process of change rather than the content or
detail of change. Comprehensive descriptions of individual programmes are available in the
form of Progress Reports, Evaluation Reports, programme manuals and other materials.
These are not included here.
Most data was collected and analysed in late 2011 and early 2012. The analysis focuses
primarily on the development and implementation of the Family Support Strategy 2007 –
2012. The Family Support Strategy was based on the McKinsey Strategic Plan (2005- 2009)
co-funded by the Atlantic Philanthropies and the One Foundation and was developed over
year 1 and 2 of the McKinsey Strategic Plan. The work and focus of Barnardos Strategic Plan
Blueprint for Children, 2011 – 2016 is not included.
The case study sets out to review and distil learning. It is not an evaluation, although it may
report evaluative insights and perspectives of those involved and locates the learning from
Chapter 1 Introduction
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this organisational experience in the context of the literature on capacity development,
organisation development and implementation science.
No financial data were examined in the course of this study and no attempt is made to
examine costs, relative costs or value for money.
1.7 Methodology
The Terms of Reference for the case study were agreed with the Atlantic Philanthropies and
Barnardos. The authors were guided by the early interests and focuses of Atlantic
Programme Executives and the Director of Children’s Services in Barnardos. Mary Rafferty
undertook detailed interviews with the Director of Children’s Services, the heads of Service
Design and Research, the Children’s Services Management Team, members of the Senior
Management Team, including the CEO and the Director of Internal Services. She also met
with two Programme Executives from the Atlantic Philanthropies. The authors reviewed a
wide range of plans, proposals, reports and evaluations extending from 2006 to 2011.
Additional documentary material was provided by the Director of Children’s Services. These
are listed in the Appendices.
This report is limited to the views of internal Barnardos managers and those of a significant
funder. As yet, the perspectives of stakeholders outside Barnardos and the Atlantic
Philanthropies, for instance, policy-makers, commissioners and other providers, have not
been sought.
1.8 The organisation and structure of the report
Chapter 2 describes the intent and vision for change, the changes in context, internally and
externally that helped to mobilise interest and focus on change and the organisational
capacities already existing in Barnardos that allowed it to recognise and exploit
opportunities for change.
The key elements of that service design and implementation process, and the approach to
aligning and managing the capacities that were needed for the project are described in
Chapter 3. The relationship between Barnardos and Atlantic Philanthropies as funder are
examined here. The approach adopted by Barnardos to taking part in and developing the
field of services for children and young people is explored.
Chapter 4 highlights some important learning from the literature on capacity development
and points to the many ways in which the change process in Barnardos demonstrates and
confirms this learning. As well as stressing the correspondence between recommended
practice in the literature on capacity development and implementation science, this chapter
also describes examples of differences between the literature and experience in this
organisation.
Chapter 1 Introduction
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Relevant background material and summaries, including a chart of the Organisation
Structure and the Logic Model for Barnardos Family Support Services developed through the
strategic change are provided in the Appendices.
Quotations are used throughout the report to illustrate, describe and elaborate. Where
these are verbatim, they are not attributed. In some cases, the role of the speaker is
obvious, in other cases not. The role or identity of the speaker is not considered relevant
and is omitted. Where quotations are from written documentation the source is given and
referenced in the Bibliography.
Chapter 2: The overall strategic development process
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Chapter 2: The overall strategic development process
2.1 Introduction
The Barnardos strategic development process did not happen in a vacuum. The change
programme on which the organisation embarked in 2005 built on a foundation of earlier
work, took advantage of a confluence of factors that facilitated change, and was led by a
vision for new organisational possibilities. This chapter describes the intent and vision for
change, the contextual factors that helped to create the ‘right time’ to begin and some of
the existing capacities that made it possible to grasp the opportunity that presented.
2.2 The strategic intent
The Children’s Services Family Support Strategy (2007-2012) was one of the 5 key pillars of
Barnardos’ Strategic Plan for the period 2005 -2009. The Family Support Strategy was
integrated with and supported by the other pillars – Research and Evaluation, Advocacy,
Field Building, Funding and Supporting Capacity.
Figure 1: Strategic Plan 2005- 2009
The strategy envisaged that Barnardos would move from providing a multiplicity of services
to providing a core set of eight services based on new or refocused service designs. The
work activities to deliver the new services were service development, implementation,
research and evaluation, and field building. The eight new or refocused services which were
the subject of the strategy were:
1. Wizard of Words (Wizard of Words, a school-based, intergenerational, paired reading
programme; Literacy and Numeracy support service)
2. Friendship Group (programme for 6-8 year olds aimed at increasing positive peer
relationships, social and emotional skills)
3. Tús Máith (early years school readiness programme)
4. Partnership with Parents
5. Parent Coaching
Chapter 2: The overall strategic development process
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6. Gust (Growing Up Strong Together – individual work with children (and Roots of
Empathy in 2011 Strategic Plan))
7. Transition Group to Secondary School
8. Building Blocks (early years parent-child relationships)
The strategy planned that five of the eight services would be in the pilot phase by 2009, six
ready for roll-out by 2011, with the remaining two in the pilot phase and ready for rollout
later. Other services addressing specific needs and with existing service level agreements
continued to be delivered alongside these new programme developments.
This major transformation programme required an overarching capacity to engage in a
complex and multi-faceted change process, moving through evidence-informed design to
implementation, and driven by a needs- led outcomes framework. The plan is summarised
in the Family Support Logic Model (2008)(see Appendix 1).
2.3 The context: the opportunity for change
The 2005 - 2009 strategy was a direct outcome of Atlantic Philanthropies’ investment in an
earlier strategic review of Children’s Services, management, and facilities. This investment
enabled a radical acceleration of Barnardos’ organisation development and capacity, which
laid the foundations for the 2005 Strategic Plan. The 2005-2009 Strategic Plan was co-
funded by Atlantic Philanthropies and the One Foundation.
Other foundational work included an external audit of early years’ services, a review of
evaluation processes, and a series of surveys with service users and staff, which pointed to
high levels of satisfaction with Barnardos work and also helped to identify important focuses
for change and development.
Before 2005, Barnardos was seen as a ‘good’ organisation – reliable, effective, and
responsive. Although it was a national organisation, the service delivered by Barnardos
varied considerably from one – local - setting to another. Services had evolved organically,
often in response to a local need, the availability of local resources (e.g. funding from an
individual Health Board), interest from a local health board being met with interest by a
local Barnardos manager (regional or even project). While the range of services was
documented by Barnardos, there was little systematic sharing of learning about and
between services, about the effectiveness of different service models and no systematic
measurement of outcomes. Service managers describe individual services at that time as
‘independent republics’ where managers, project leaders and even frontline staff were
more or less free to ‘do your own thing’, often informed by a passionate, individual vision
about the needs of children and the best ways of addressing these.
A number of changes occurred together between 2000 and 2005 which created the
opportunity to think about bigger changes in the organisation. Barnardos Ireland had
separated, legally, financially and formally, from Barnardos UK with reduced funding coming
to an end in 2006. The development allowed and required Barnardos in Ireland to be more
Chapter 2: The overall strategic development process
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independent. Over time, it had to develop its own identity, its own policies and practices
and clarify and to assert a particular model of service. This resulted in a strong
organisational identity, with staff feeling a strong affiliation to the organisation and its
‘brand’. The identity and motivation of staff is seen as an important strength.
The CEO of many years standing planned to leave the organisation, and the appointment of
a new CEO created a further transition point for the organisation. At this time also, two
significant funders engaged with the organisation to explore the ways in which the
organisation could transform the lives of children living in poverty and disadvantage.
2.4 Openness to change
With the support of external consultancy, senior management and the Board explored the
strategic future of the organisation. This led to a key capacity – an openness to questioning
the assumption that Barnardos was already an ‘outcomes focused’ organisation. This
capacity allowed early questioning about how – precisely – the services were ‘good’ and
how good the services were. There was a recognition that these judgements were based on
impressions, on reactions and on anecdote, not on reliable evidence. Being able to tolerate
the discomfort of ‘not knowing’ was a powerful and difficult capacity to develop and use.
This capacity continued to be influential throughout the significant change over the years of
the strategic plan and managers and staff developed and used this capacity to tolerate ‘not
knowing’ in different ways at different times, depending on the person, the issue and the
supports available.
Ideas about forms and measurement of success and failure were developed during this time
and continued throughout the process. Staff had to begin to consider new measures of
success. This could be threatening for staff who had worked for a long time in one way and
could see the change as a criticism of the way they had been working.
2.5 Securing funder support
Securing funder support was central to the opportunity to embark on the major change
process. Two significant funders engaged with the organisation to explore the scope for
transformational change. The foundational strategic planning process, undertaken by
McKinsey, was co-funded by the Atlantic Philanthropies and the One Foundation.
The Atlantic Philanthropies describe a range of reasons for their decision to engage with
Barnardos. A key factor was the perception of strong capacity already in place in Barnardos.
The Barnardos brand was already established. It was seen as a leader in the field, or at least
a large player in a field with very few large players. It had a record of starting things. From
the Atlantic Philanthropies’ perspective, Barnardos knew how to think about change and
how to plan and deliver it. In a field that was completely focused on settings, they were
already talking and thinking more about children than parents or settings, which was
revolutionary at the time. The previous CEO had demonstrated a capacity for
thoughtfulness: the new CEO demonstrated a capacity to listen. The Atlantic Philanthropies
itself was on a journey and open to new ways of looking at service design and delivery.
Chapter 2: The overall strategic development process
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There was a synergy between this openness and the opportunity to make a big investment
in Barnardos. This organisation wanted to know how ambitious they could be and they
challenged AP to back them in some very ambitious thinking. This complex combination
convinced AP to invest in Barnardos in transforming the organisation.
The willingness to address questions about effectiveness and the support and
encouragement of funders to do this was a critical element in shaping the content of grant
proposals, the scale and extent of the grants from both funders and the later capacity of the
organisation to learn and to change in response to learning. AP Programme Executives
commented on how open Barnardos was in discussions with funders. This is a positive
commentary on the capacity of senior and middle managers to explore differences and
difficulties and their confidence in being able to engage with funders:
over the years I’ve sat in with them where they have been around the table
themselves discussing stuff which most people wouldn’t let a funder near … I
just think they were quite relaxed ... That was good. I liked that.
This capacity for openness, robustness and courage in exploring implications and
considering organisational upheavals is described as already present in the organisation and
also actively developed and grown through the strategic change process. Other strengths
are also seen as evident before significant early grants.
there was always a sense that… if this was agreed it would happen …also quite
a strong ethic on delivery … an organisation which … understood delivery and
understood the parameters of it. Now … it didn’t have necessarily sophisticated
systems at the IT level at that point but developed them.
Funders recognised that Barnardos was not a start-up organisation but had already
significant capacities that could be developed. The evidence of these organisational
capacities led funders to be confident that:
if you invested in them that you could get a return.
2. 6 The vision for change: decisions about where to begin
Barnardos was coming from a context where it delivered a number of different services,
with a range of standards. There were issues of consistency and standardisation. So when
the organisation started to question what business it was in and how you would know what
made a difference, it was clear that issues to do with order, structure and consistency
needed to be addressed.
The strategic plan set out to achieve outcomes for children in two key domains:
• Increased capacity to learn and develop
• Improved emotional well-being
The clarity and simplicity of these domains allowed outcomes to be communicated
effectively throughout the organisation and allowed it to be a meaningful test of the value
of any model or proposed intervention. In later reflection, people throughout the
organisation identified the clarity, simplicity and persistence of outcomes in these domains
Chapter 2: The overall strategic development process
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as a core influence on building the organisational capacity to achieve it. Managers recognise
that there was significant work and time involved in achieving clarity about this objective
but that this had led to better ways of communicating it. The focus on better outcomes for
children led to an openness to the ideas of evidence based practice and eventually to a
Needs Led Outcomes Focused model of work. This meant a commitment to undertaking
systematic needs analysis and developing service responses to identified needs which were
based on high-quality evidence of effectiveness in producing relevant positive outcomes for
children.
Chapter3: Designing and managing the strategic development
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Chapter 3: Designing and managing the strategic development
3.1 Introduction
In 2005, Barnardos embarked on a path to implementing an evidence-based design,
development and service implementation process that required the organisation to put new
internal capacities in place, secure a range of external supports and manage a complex and
multifaceted change process to secure better outcomes for children.
This chapter describes the key elements of that service design and implementation process,
and the approach to aligning and managing the capacities that were needed for the project.
The chapter looks specifically at the key relationship of Barnardos as a grantee organisation
with Atlantic Philanthropies as funder. It also examines Barnardos approach to positioning
itself within the wider field of Children’s Services.
3.2 Overview of the service design and development processes
The process of envisaging what services would look like in Barnardos began from mid- 2005.
The core service design and development structures were the Service Design and
Development Team (SDDT - Head of Service Design and facilitators), working closely with
the Children’s Services Management Team, supported by a Best Practice Advisory
Committee established in 2007. (See Appendix 5 for overview of SDDT and process).
The basis for all development was a comprehensive analysis of needs. Processes included
the development of quality standards and a Quality Framework (see below and Appendix 4),
a Best Practice Framework (see Appendix 3) and a research and evaluation strategy, all
driven by a focus on outcomes (Needs Led Outcomes Focused) geared to achieving improved
outcomes for children and children’s wellbeing. Every staff member working with children
was supported in developing the knowledge and practice skills needed through information,
management, coaching and mentoring.
The process of Service Design was used to address inconsistencies and
differences across services, the need for a shared language around needs-led
services and outcomes, and the need for a consistent organisation-wide
approach to records and case management systems.
Consistency in approach is supported by the case management system, the assessment
framework, practice standards and practice framework. Staff are supported in learning and
using these standardised approaches by core training and technical assistance from the
Service Design and Development Team. Auditing and monitoring of systems ensures quality
of practice. The development of new approaches for standardised filing and record-keeping
is on-going.
Translating outcomes into practice - the Quality Framework
Integration across streams of activity was achieved by developing and using the Quality
Framework. The Framework applied across all services. Together with Shared Language( a
framework of common language developed to facilitate discourse among staff about the
Chapter3: Designing and managing the strategic development
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practice model), this had positive benefits for everyone and created common tools for
design, development, dialogue and measurement (See Appendix 4).
Figure 2: The Quality Framework
Barnardos Best Practice Framework was published in 2009. Every member of staff who has
contact with children and families has received a copy of the Framework, has been trained
to use it and it is reinforced in practice by peer support, line management and coaching (see
Appendix 3).
A structured continuum of service development and implementation was followed for each
of the new services, in which each service was designed, based on its own logic model, and
then tested in pilot demonstration sites. The learning from the pilot sites was used to
finalise design, leading to implementation, following negotiation of funding for
implementation. The development/implementation continuum was supported by both
process evaluation (which generated an outcomes framework for the service), and by
outcome evaluation.
Staff commenting on the work note that rigour and coherence were key features of the
strategic approach; design was translated into practice systematically, resources were well
Chapter3: Designing and managing the strategic development
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used, people stuck to the task, and evaluations helped to ensure rigour in the way the work
was described and discussed.
The service design function and its alignment to service management
The Service Design function and process was central to achieving the planned changes in
service. The Service Design Team Manager, and six Regional Service Design and
Development Facilitators were put in place in each of the six regions to support the Regional
Managers who make up the Children’s Services Management Team, along with the Research
Manager, under the leadership of the Director of Children’s Services. (see Appendix 2).
Facilitators reported to the Service Design Team Manager, thus helping to ensure co-
ordination of national and local change processes.
The Director of Children’s Services functioned as an integrating influence, ensuring that
developments on separate fronts were aligned – facilitating and promoting effective
communication between different functions and operating as an important bridge between
the Children’s Services Management Team (including all Regional Managers) and the Senior
Management team.
All of the Service Design team came from a practice background. The Service Design Team
was a strongly skilled and experienced team with the team characteristics of practice
understanding and knowledge embedded in the team, openness and curiosity, and
consistency of key personnel and consistency of practice within the team. The key
resources used in the Service Design process were the experience of members of the team,
the skill mix in the team and the capacity to exploit differences and gaps in perspective
within team.
Team engagement in service design
The design process for each individual programme involved several iterations, with
consultation with and involvement of operational managers a central part of each cycle. This
meant that the design process was enriched and validated through rigorous scrutiny and
contribution of Regional Managers and that Regional Managers were aware of and
influencing the emerging design. For instance, the Friendship Group design went through
many stages from concept to implementation. The Children’s Services Management Team
was involved throughout, critiquing and questioning the rationale, framing ways of
strengthening the early design, thinking together about ways of anticipating implementation
including identifying good sites for the first roll-out. This engagement meant that Regional
Managers were familiar with and felt ownership of the process and the product and that the
Service Design team were supported and integrated in the shared focus on outcomes for
children.
it’s not that we get presented with the service design,... It comes in here and we
work it
This way of working is seen as requiring a lot of time, effort, skilled management and
commitment on the part of team members. The Director of Children’s Services is described
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as having ‘unique ability’ to work with her team in a most facilitative and yet highly results-
orientated approach.
She’s not directive …but gets things done and her team …have a tremendous
loyalty to her She walks the walk and doesn’t [just] talk it
Laying the foundations - developing shared language
A firm of consultants (Dartington) were early advocates of outcomes-focused services and
had a strong reputation in relation to the development of children’s services. Dartington
worked with Barnardos in 2005 and 2006 on needs analysis and delivering Common
Language Training. This was later adapted and developed by Barnardos into ‘shared
language’ to make it more accessible to the Barnardos staff group. This was a core part of
the model and a central resource to implementation and managing change. The importance
of shared language is emphasised by all stakeholders. Language was important as a
foundational piece of work with practitioners and influenced the work of the Children’s
Services Management Team, the Service Development team and regional and local teams.
The use of shared language strengthened the capacity of members of the Children’s Services
Management Team to be a resource to each other. Shared language allows a discourse
about the model, the practice, the requirement to change, the values, systems and
processes. The development and use of shared language allowed all staff to understand the
changes being proposed, acted as important tools for thinking about and exploring what
was required and reinforced and strengthened the shared goals and focus of all parts of the
organisation.
The actual words and the use of the products made it real For an entire organisation to change the language is incredible Understanding the language in practice… talking about needs instead of
services and embedding this in everything we do allowed us to being this to
external audiences
Communicating the change
The internal communication around the strategic change was a core part of the change
strategy and is seen as very effective. Internal and external commentators observe that the
Change Manager displayed significant expertise in planning and implementing a good
communications strategy. A high premium was placed on meeting staff and on creating
opportunities for staff to meet together, to provide information and provide a range of
support and training linked to the change. Internal communications are seen as very well
aligned with the change strategy. The Children’s Services Managers Team structure, led by
the Director of Children’s Services, was a key structure in communicating change to and
with front line services.
Implementing and embedding the new model of service
There was a coherent approach to implementation and mainstreaming new programmes
and initiatives. The design process led to pilot programmes, generating learning which
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shaped the technical and organisational resources used to roll programmes out more widely
in the organisation. Training for staff in new approaches, systems and programmes were
followed by coaching as a key support to changes in practice and fidelity to the
programmes. Coaching support continued as line managers integrated scrutiny and support
for changed practice into routine supervision and management. Over time, coaching by
service design facilitators in relation to specific approaches was phased out as these models
were mainstreamed and fully integrated into everyday practice for staff. As staff integrated
a Needs Led Outcomes Focused approach into their work, critically grounded in Shared
Language, it was increasingly maintained not only by frameworks, monitoring and
management but by peer feedback.
This move from additional supports for the ‘new’ to routine supports for the ‘now’, reflects
a thoughtful attention to developing capacities, caution about creating dependency and
good practice around integrated systems for day to day management. Managers note that
even ‘after’ the change, the organisation can’t become complacent and recognises the
importance of the ongoing need to monitor . High standards have been achieved, but in
terms of sustainability, the requirement to maintain these never stops.
3. 3 Developing capacities to support change
The strategy made use of a rich mix of internal capacities at multiple levels in the
organisation, and of external capacities. One of the overarching capacities has been the
ability to identify, put in place and manage this mix of capacities working across a complex
set of activities operating at several organisational levels.
Strengthening head office capacity
The strategic plan of 2005-2009 had a strong focus on the professional infrastructure, with
the development of several new functions and the strengthening of others, all in head
office. Several new posts were established in the national head office, to strengthen the
senior management team. Posts were created to establish or enhance capacity in IT, HR,
Fundraising, Advocacy, Research, and Service Design.
The Head of Service Design, the Outcomes Evaluation Coordinator and four Service Design
and Development Facilitators were recruited in 2005. These appointments are seen as
providing a valuable input in developing the Assessment Framework, driving quality
standards, and helping to shift the organisation from a service-led to a needs-led approach.
The person appointed as Change Manager had strong change management skills and this
was influential in the capacity of the SMT but also as a resource in the approach to change
throughout the organisation. Bringing this substantial experience and expertise to the
change process early on is seen as very significant. Other new resources were based on
existing expertise and capacity within the organisation: the head of Service Design was a
service manager, grounded in the practice of childcare and managing practitioners. This
meant that Service Design was strongly influenced by the practice perspective
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Managers as champions for change
Initially, the senior managers were the champions of the Needs Led Outcome Focused
approach, this was something that was held by managers and promoted and focused on
primarily by them. At this early stage, frontline staff were the recipients of inputs on the
change. Over time and through the process of bringing staff along the journey in multiple
ways, this changed, so that a tipping point was reached. Staff integrated the Needs Led
Outcomes Focused approach into their work and issues are addressed by their manager if
this is not embedded in practice. Managers report that when the programmes were rolled
out, staff could see the benefit and could see how common goals and Shared Language
would allow them to learn from each other.
You … see an incredible shift in the practice. This way of working allows staff to
really understand the individual needs of the child. Staff have gone through the whole change and now have a lot of pride in what
they have achieved and what they are doing, because they can see the change
in the children. Once they start to see that, the difficulty and the resistance
reduces.
In terms of capacity for achieving the organisational transformation, managers identify key
elements:
1. Very strong leadership focused on achievement
2. Strong line management involvement
3. Clear roles, so that everyone is clear about what belongs where and to whom
4. Technical resources: the dedicated service design and research capacity is a
significant resource and very unusual in the context of services for children
5. Time: although the process was always under pressure of time, the clear focus
and important boundaries were strongly held, so that there was enough time
to do the work well, even if this was a much longer time than was planned for
at the start of the work
Empowering the Children’s Services Management Team
The significant work with the Children’s Services Management Team aimed to develop the
capacity of the team in terms of team interaction. The management and on-going work of
the team as well as a range of explicit tools and exercises were used to strengthen the
capacity of team members to:
• Pay attention to themselves and others
• Develop insight and awareness of resistance to learning and change
• Develop language for acknowledging and exploring the experience of change
• Practice having difficult conversations
• Develop and retain the capacity to think under stress
• Engage in a joint journey of personal, professional and role change
• Clarify and rehearse communication with the wider organisation and the
external world
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• Capture learning, document change within the team and pay attention to the
development and changing needs of the team
This work not only strengthened the team but also provided managers with a model of ways
of working with their own teams and with the individual skills and capacities to do this. The
habits and practice of ‘learning as we went along’ were important throughout the work.
Members of the team comment on the development of the team and its capacity to work
over the life of the strategy. Members drew attention to the renaming of the team from
Children’s Services Managers Group to the Children’s Services Managers Team. The title of
team was seen as real and significant.
We went from being a group to a team
3.4 Managing time
Early, optimistic estimates of the time required for the change process failed to recognise
the compound effects of the simultaneous demands of learning the process of Service
Design and applying this to a new service, in a new context, with different professional
orientations, requiring significant and complex negotiations involving new relationships. The
realities of the time required for such an enterprise were quickly learned and subsequently
applied to later programmes and initiatives, so that estimates became more accurate over
time. It seems that the pace of change was managed well in line with the evidence about
what it takes for longer term sustainability of change, and this led to good outcomes. At the
same time, the accurate prediction of how long change takes continues to present
challenges and managers express concern and frustration at the difficulties involved.
Time and progress were also routinely perceived differently by different stakeholders. In
this case, Programme Executives observed that progress was slow and wondered what was
taking so long. From within Barnardos, managers experienced the interval between one
progress report and the next as too short and observe that ‘not much can happen’ in six
months. This tension between the ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ view of time requires ongoing
management and attention.
Managers saw the need for a ‘timing’ map of the change process that would locate
proposed changes in the landscape of the project and enable people to see where practice
developments are located at any given time. There was a need to be mindful of staff and the
impact of change on them, for managers to put themselves in the shoes of staff and to see
the process from their perspective. Managers needed to attend to a complex and changing
set of variables including the current context, training and other supports, time, pace and
sequencing.
3.5 External resources and supports
Both before the 2005 strategy and throughout the course of the work, Barnardos made
extensive use of external resources and supports. Access to this range of supports was made
possible through the funding from the Atlantic Philanthropies. The expertise on which
Barnardos drew included individual consultants and consulting teams with expertise in
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strategy development, consultancy firms specialising in outcome focused service design,
coaching and mentoring expertise, evaluation, and opportunities for site visits in the US to
see evidence informed service design in practice. In addition to these supports, Barnardos
also set up structures to avail of on-going independent advice and guidance to the change
process and to the implementation of individual programmes.
AP suggested the use of an experienced independent organisation consultant, Eddie Molloy,
to work with Barnardos on the development of strategy. He used specific strategic tools
which led to very divergent thinking, which excited and energised the organisation. Further
work was undertaken with McKinsey, which built on the divergent work and started the
convergent process of narrowing, making concrete and specific, developing a plan,
discarding some elements and firming up others. This led to the development of the
ambitious 2005-2009 strategic plan and the significant commitment to funding this work by
AP.
Barnardos already had a relationship with a UK based firm of consultants (Dartington) who
were early advocates of outcomes-focused services and had a strong reputation in relation
to service development for children’s services. They had influence on early design decisions.
Their focus on common language was developed and adapted by Barnardos and reframed
as Shared Language This was a central integrating tool with far-reaching effects in
implementation. Dartington was the wellspring for the journey in Barnardos in many ways
The relationship with Dartington ended at the end of 2006, primarily as a result of
differences of principle regarding approaches to managing change. The work with
Dartington was a huge learning experience and coincided with very rapid and extensive
upheaval in questioning the service model. The challenges of this upheaval were conflated
with and enacted, in part, through a relationship with Dartington that was experienced as
conflictual, problematic and difficult to resolve. The approach to managing the ending of the
relationship, while difficult, was indicative of growing confidence in Barnardos in its own
philosophy of change, and served to strengthen confidence and self-belief within the
organisation.
Exposure to other models
A field trip to the US with AP grantees in Ireland in early 2005 and development of a link
with Penn State University in November 2006 was very influential. Penn provided
knowledge that Barnardos did not have, along with a willingness to transfer that knowledge;
they provided access to a structured and methodical approach to outcome measurement
and needs assessment, supported by strong project management inputs.
The intensive visits to projects had the effect of stimulating interest. Key people had time
together with very rich resources and could see evidence-based work in practice. This
coincided with a process within Barnardos which was asking ‘what is the research telling us
about children in poverty?’. People saw the major beneficial anti-poverty effects of
improved literacy and staying in school. The visit to Experience Corps in Philadelphia in
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particular was very influential. This is a model that recruits older adults as volunteers to
tutor and mentor children in literacy, homework, with a focus on the well-being of the
volunteers as well as children. This led directly to the commitment to develop the Wizard of
Words programme.
The link with the US based Mathematica Policy Research Inc also came about in November
2006. This organisation offers expertise and advice in relation to collecting information,
conducting research and evaluation (see http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/About_Us/ ). A
senior fellow of Mathematica was appointed as Atlantic’s representative on the Best
Practice Advisory Group.
The Best Practice Advisory Group
The Best Practice Advisory Group, set up in 2007, brought external expertise to bear and
was an important influence. The Group had a range of expertise including representatives of
the funders. It was/is a good combination of people with a range of relevant expertise who
also represented a range of important constituencies (academia and research, funders and
children specialists). It is seen as a supportive, hard working group that offers helpful
technical expertise as well as giving weight, status and ‘clout’ to the work, because the
members are ‘heavy hitters’. The Advisory Group is seen as made up of knowledgeable and
considered people who don’t have vested interests in approaching the work, nor are the
individuals ‘strong egos’ , so the focus is the work. The Advisory Group and the Evaluation
sub-committee helped to clarify thinking, have asked ‘outside the box’ questions,
challenged and in turn helped people to challenge themselves and each other.
The process of working with the Advisory Group has been an important
mechanism for developing our capacity. The atmosphere is supportive: you
always feel that they are on your side. The model of high expectations, hard
work, challenging, critical and questioning has been valuable and has taught us
to use this approach ourselves. They are generous with their time and expertise,
but they expect to see evidence that they are being used. We do serious
preparation for Advisory Group meetings and we are often apprehensive in
advance, because we know they will scrutinise everything – nothing will be
allowed through on a nod.
3.6 Capturing and using organisational learning
The capacity to capture and use organisational learning as a key contribution to managing
strategic change is well evidenced in the Barnardos process. The organisation made use of
multiple mechanisms to support learning, both formal and informal. While some elements
of the work were identified in advance as a focus for learning and there were explicit tools
for capturing and examining these, other experiences only emerged in the course of the
work and it was the quality of attention – by individual and teams – and the range of
structures for communicating about them that allowed and supported learning from these:
The Needs Led Outcomes Focused approach is kept ‘live’ in both structured,
formal spaces – team and management meetings, supervision and coaching –
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and in informal spaces – conversations in and around the work,
communications within and between teams, communication with the external
environment, induction of new staff – on an ongoing basis.
The main mechanisms in use include:
• Using the formal learning from the systematic programme of research and
evaluation to inform on- going work of design, development and
implementation
• The strategy of using demonstration pilots to inform implementation
• Formal and informal consultations with stakeholders across the design and
implementation phases
• The use of teams as places for supporting the culture and practice of capturing
and using organisational learning
As part of the Children’s Services strategy, a five year evaluation plan was developed
covering all of the service design choices and addressing both process and outcome
evaluation. Progress reports (see Bibliography) describe in detail how the findings from
various evaluations, and also from research, were used proactively to inform decision-
making and development, to prompt a change in direction if required, and to guide the on-
going management of change, as evidenced in the following reference to a specific
evaluation:
Learning from this pilot would suggest that managerial involvement, the
interest, understanding and commitment of all staff in the project and the
emotional awareness of the coaches are important factors in programme
success. The environment in which the group takes place is also important, and
in particular that the room in which the programme is delivered provides
minimum distractions. Staff continue to be coached and supported in the
implementation of the programme by a service design and development
facilitator and their project manager. (May 2009 progress report)
and
Research evidence is currently being considered as part of the service design of
our work with parents… Evidence and expertise in terms of ‘what works’ arising
from the design and implementation of WoW, Friendship Group and Tús Máith
are being used to inform our new designs.(May 2009 progress report)
Developing the capacity of the Children’s Services Managers Team (CSMT) for team learning
was a significant part of the transformation strategy. Senior managers comment on the
value of the CMST as a space for learning in which managers can expose their own thinking
to others and be exposed to the thinking of others. Growing levels of trust in the CSMT
allowed differences to be examined. A safe space for thinking and exploration was seen as
fundamental to learning.
The Children’s Services Management Team was experienced as a containing space for
learning, providing stability of leadership, especially at a time of change in the Senior
Management Team. There was a focus on learning which challenged people, sometimes
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painfully, about whether they wanted to learn. The team was a safe place for differences to
be explored and worked with; it offered a balance of perspectives and modelled ways of
engaging which Regional Managers could take back to their own teams. Members of the
Children’s Services Management Team comment on the tone and culture of the team being
one of valuing learning and reflection and of admitting difficulties and working with them as
a group. External commentators note the ‘sense of unity’ of the Children’s Services
Management Team.
The need to continue learning and development is emphasised by managers:
Over time and with how we’ve focused on learning and on bringing staff with
us, there’s a much sharper understanding of what Needs Led Outcomes
Focused means in practice. It’s possible to use these words but really not
understand what difference it makes to how to think about the work, how to do
the work, how to measure the work, how it informs not only the overall
direction and focus, but the daily work of every member of staff and how they
understand what they are doing and why.
Managers commented on the value of celebrating change, taking time to recognise the
achievements of individuals, teams and services and creating opportunities to notice and
learn from difficulties and solutions:
Learning from the challenge of change
Inevitably, in a large-scale organisational change, there are difficulties, barriers and
unplanned and unanticipated problems. A challenge for Barnardos was how to manage
perceived ‘failure’. The experience is that ‘failure’ is dealt with formally. There is a process
of review, aimed at identifying the learning from an approach that has not worked. There is
an awareness of the need to reflect such learning in the organisational systems, although
this does not always happen:
It is difficult to think and talk about problems or failure. The concept and
language of ‘failure’ is very emotionally loaded. We tend to focus on things that
haven’t worked only in order to change them, not often to learn from the
experience. If things aren’t going well, the practice is to find a way to present it
positively, which reinforces the sensitivity to the idea of ‘failure’.
The experience was that both front line staff and senior managers can be defensive
about their own practice, at whatever level, and this can reduce the openness about
exploring and understanding the influences on what is done, day to day:
These habits of seeing functions and practice as ‘mine’, means that we don’t
see the whole organisation, or any part of it, as a shared and common
enterprise and responsibility, but as an enterprise divided into different parts
which ‘belong’ to different teams or individuals. The experience is that we have
not been great at encouraging each other across functions – support is not
heartfelt. It’s not always clear that we have a stake in the
job/success/achievement of others
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Some managers identify as the ‘real’ failures the small number of staff leaving the
organisation because they can’t or won’t adopt the Needs Led Outcomes Focused approach.
Other managers identify this as a success - the insistence on the adoption of this approach
by everyone, without exception.
3.7 Stakeholder partnerships
In any change process, the effective involvement of stakeholders is one of the keys to
success. The ways in which staff teams and management participated in design and
development processes have already been described in terms of the involvement in teams.
Staff also have a position as stakeholders as well as providers, which was understood and
managed. As part of the communications strategy, a number of day-long meetings were
held with project leaders from throughout the country to discuss the new Children’s
Services Strategy in detail, and to secure staff buy-in for the changes that were needed.
These are reported as having been very positive meetings, with good feedback and support
from everyone involved. A key factor in this process of engagement was recognised as giving
time to listening to people’s concerns:
Understanding the dynamics of change is crucial to introducing new
programmes. We have recognised the importance of giving time to bring
people with us on the journey. We are aware of the emotional impact of
change and recognise the space that staff need to be able to express their
concerns and discuss issues. This opportunity to be listened to assists staff to
overcome any barriers which may exist and reinforces their commitment to the
programme.
Funders and policy makers are key stakeholders, and those critical relationships were
recognised. Meetings took place and continue with other stakeholders, including in
particular with the Office of the Minister for Children and a variety of meetings with the
HSE, to secure support for the change process involved.
As the users of services, the involvement of children and parents in service decisions that
affect them is particularly significant. Progress reports give accounts of various consultations
with children and parents, mainly as part of evaluations, but also in relation to service
design and development. Learning from the WoW evaluation highlighted difficulties in
engaging parents.
A key programme for the involvement of children was the Building and Amplifying the
Voices of Children and Young People project – a four year project funded by Atlantic
Philanthropies, that arose out of a broader conversation about social change. It is seen as a
means of developing sustainable capacity in Barnardos and more widely in children’s
services.
Barnardos’ direct contact with children and families through its services at
community level provides a unique opportunity to strengthen and deepen their
voice on the issues that affect them. In turn, this would strengthen the
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credibility of Barnardos national advocacy capacity, as well as the quality and
focus of its services.
The programme seeks to produce learning that can be transferred into Barnardos and other
local mainstream practice after the four years without the need for ongoing specialist staff.
It is expected that the investment will ultimately improve organisation effectiveness and
impact by deepening the quality and value of Barnardos engagement with children’s and
young people’s voices.
Funding for the Amplifying Voices project was seen by Atlantic as a good strategic fit for its
own social justice objectives, while also providing Barnardos with the scope to deepen the
capacity of children, advance the Barnardos advocacy agenda, and strengthen its
effectiveness.
3.8 The Atlantic Philanthropies role and relationship
The Atlantic Philanthropies investment in Barnardos had many facets. Clearly, the major
financial investment in the organisation’s strategic development was at the heart of that
investment, but was nonetheless only one of the aspects of AP’s role and contribution
identified by the organisation. The main contributions included:
• The funds for strategic development over several years
• Linkages, access to and funding for external supports, expertise and networks
• Opportunities to be part of the AP investment in the wider network of AP
grantees
• Funding for specific innovations
• Advice, encouragement and belief in the organisation.
Atlantic funding for Barnardos strategic review in 1999/2000 covering children’s services,
internal support functions and management functions laid the foundations for the major
strategic initiative that began in 2005. Barnardos is clear that later work would not have
happened without the earlier development of that Barnardos Review and the support of
Atlantic in funding its implementation.
The main outcome from that investment was a radical acceleration of Barnardo’s
organisational development over the time period resulting in the development of the 2005-
2009 Strategic Plan. Progress on the original three key objectives of enhancing the quality
and effectiveness of services, enhancing the quality of management and enhancing the
quality of equipment of facilities acted as a launching platform from which Barnardos
developed a new vision and mission and developed the five year strategy for Children’s
Services with the focus on two primary outcomes for children:
• Increased capacity to learn and develop
• Improved emotional wellbeing
The AP funding allowed Barnardos to develop capacity it simply would not have had
otherwise. It also, significantly in the view of Barnardos, provided a framework which set up
a range of things for specific attention:
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• Specifying the Logic Model was a helpful grounding
• A Needs-Led, Outcomes-Focused orientation as a consistent and common
focus for the work
• An Assessment Framework, with materials and documentation and training
• Evaluation processes and ways of maintaining that focus post-evaluation
• A focus on outcomes in relation to design and measurement
AP enabled Barnardos to make the valuable links with Penn State University, which provided
critical guidance and support for the service design and implementation processes on an on-
going basis. Links with other consultants were utilised over the period of the strategy,
supporting specific stages of development.
The working relationship
There was a general view that the external funders were supportive in helping to create and
maintain a focus on getting things done, on moving things on and on making changes in
practice, not just on paper. Managers did not experience a pressure to demonstrate the
benefit of Atlantic Philanthropies investment, but they did see the need to show what
Needs Led Outcomes Focused meant in practice, as a way of encouraging or putting
pressure on the wider sector and field to adopt this way of working. In general, managers
thought that Atlantic funding changed other peoples’ perception of Barnardos, that they
were seen as special, different and well-resourced. Sometimes this can be a disadvantage,
as others see what Barnardos is doing as a result of the investment and not as an approach
that they could adopt in their own organisation. There was a view that there was some
suspicion of the ‘Atlantic agenda’ in the wider environment. At the same time, being a big
‘AP grantee’ created a high profile and endorsed the work of the organisation.
Accountability
Throughout the process, the service design and research team were very aware of the
funder in the landscape, that the funder was meeting with Barnardos and wanting to know
why something wasn’t happening. The progress report and quarterly summary were a very
short time scale and not always a good fit for a very big change. Different reporting
requirements from Atlantic and from One Foundation created additional administration and
technical work without any additional benefit for learning. Given their differing focuses, a
single reporting format did not meet their needs and drove additional reporting work.
More generally, managers were confident that the relationship with funders was well
managed by senior managers and that they could focus on implementation. They were
working to understand the differences between different settings and contexts in terms of
the ease or difficulty of implementation. Most managers were isolated from any reporting
role in relation to AP and their impression was that AP offered flexibility around time and
delivery:
We did not have a sense that the funder was breathing down our necks, but we
all understood that there was accountability for the investment. Over time, the
contact and relationship meant that there was increased trust on both sides:
we were able to give feedback on progress – even outside the formal reporting
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– and to be truthful about obstacles; the funder knew that the work was
ongoing and understood that the work was complex and difficult to predict in
precise timescales.
Senior managers consider that they have an excellent relationship with the Atlantic
Philanthropies. They experience the relationship as ‘mutually challenging’, with Atlantic
pushing, encouraging and stimulating without being directive and Barnardos challenging
Atlantic to use its influence in a political way to drive progress and insist on sustainable
development in the field. Barnardos considers that it is well-met in terms of passion and
commitment and that the key influence of Atlantic on Barnardos is to move towards Needs
Led Outcomes Focused services.
Now everything we do is aimed at a result The legacy of the relationship with Atlantic is a focus on outcomes, along with
all sorts of other legacies any objective observer would notice a radical transformation in our internal
operations, our capacity to deliver service in a highly accountable way, our
public profile and our ability to influence public policy and to contribute to the
development of our sector. This transformation would simply not have
happened without [Atlantic’s] original commitment and ongoing support
(Progress Report, 2006)
3.9 Barnardos and the field
The positioning of Barnardos in the field of children’s services is complex, and its capacity
for field level work has many facets. It envisages or has already taken up a range of roles: as
provider of services into the field as market; as a collaborator with other agencies, sharing
learning and expertise, especially at local level, and as a leader of innovation in policy and
practice, nationally and internationally.
The decision to invest in a dedicated Advocacy function in the 2005-9 Strategy has had a
significant influence on the context of rights to and services for children in Ireland. While
this part of the strategy was not specifically funded by AP it has been a significant
contributor to the field.
Barnardos has long been engaged in interagency co-operation and joint planning and work
at local levels. In terms of the field, Barnardos works hard to ensure that other organisations
also take on leadership roles in the field (e.g. advocacy work with EPIC, an advocacy
organisation for children and young people in the care of the state). Barnardos recognises
that it has a lot to offer to and in the field and sees itself as being generous in sharing a
range of resources with other organisations in the field. However, this generosity has to be
managed, particularly in the light of Atlantic and One Foundation spend down and
significant cuts in public funding.
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Field building work has been an explicit part of the Barnardos strategy since 2005, and the
organisation has been actively exploring the scope for offering products and services in
specific areas of expertise, such as service design and development. The organisation has
opened dialogue with other community sites with a view to establishing areas of cross
fertilisation and collaboration for innovative work and services. This field level work has a
strong economic dimension, in which Barnardos sees potential to secure government
funding that will help to sustain its capacity for innovative work into the future. As a
potential provider of service into the field, Barnardos is interested in co-ordination of its
work with the role of the Centre for Effective Services, with potential synergies in relation to
effective implementation of research findings into practice, especially, but not exclusively, in
relation to the childcare sector.
A leadership role in innovation has brought the challenge of developing capacity to manage
that role, and to ‘hold’ the commitment to new thinking. One of the challenges is the need
to build support for and understanding of new conceptual models and approaches.
Barnardos notes that during the time when the organisation was promoting a strong focus
on outcomes, many of the people with whom they were working, including important public
funders, were still focused on inputs and at best outputs. So there was a complex process of
building understanding of the difference between inputs and outcomes at a time when
funding systems were still measuring inputs. In practice, this meant that there were no
external drivers for the change Barnardos was proposing and making and there may even
have been barriers:
There were times and concrete examples when being ahead of the posse
proved a problem for [Barnardos]
As a sector, children’s service have bought into ‘evidence’ but to some extent
the debate that we have been able to have in Barnardos has been missed.
There has been little exploration of the differences between ‘evidence-based’,
‘evidence-informed’ and ‘outcomes-focused’ models and ways of working:
sometimes they are used interchangeably. In terms of research and evidence, there’s RCTs versus ‘if it works, use it’
approach. There is limited awareness of the work involved, that there’s an
implementation and a process evaluation before outcomes. In some ways,
Ireland has been a huge laboratory for testing models of practice and
approaches to evaluation.
There is already significant interest in the Barnardos framework for supporting the
development of quality services. For example, the quality standards and the assessment
framework have been distributed to HSE national senior managers and their advisors, and
HSE has been considering incorporating elements of the framework into the national HSE
framework. There has been an expression of interest from at least one Children’s Services
Committee in the Shared Language Training,
The work of Service Design was very internally focused. However, the extent of
resources and the ambitious nature of the development did attract notice
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within the field of children’s services. Sometimes this took the form of envy but
the expertise was also recognised and this led to requests for advice and input
in other organisations and in the wider field
One of the areas where Barnardos believes it can make a particular contribution is in the
development of models of genuine bottom up participation of children, building on the
Amplifying Voices project. Barnardos believes it is well placed to lead on development of
models in that regard, given the organisation’s reach and credibility and its skill mix in areas
such as youth work and community development. The links with Atlantic offer particular
scope to utilise these capacities, through linking this Barnardos programme with similar
planned Atlantic investments in youth civic action.
The role of Barnardos in field building is also influenced by how others in the field view the
organisation, and how they position themselves. Atlantic Philanthropies observe occasional
confusion between brand or market leadership and field leadership. They also identify a risk
of conflating the issues of leadership and delivery. Both Barnardos and other participants in
the field should address this, to avoid creating barriers through confusion.
the stronger the organisation maybe the less porous it is in terms of its ability
to collaborate locally the better you are at doing something … the less people are likely to want to do
it with you. As Barnardos again has got stronger I think its capacity to be genuinely
collaborative has weakened. …and yet what they’re doing and the way they are
thinking, the outcomes focus, actually puts them much more in the space of
working with others. So is it possible for them to be doing both at the one time?
I guess so. Again maybe it’s the big C versus the little c
For the future, Barnardos sees a need to examine how to make field-building more explicit,
so that it is not an incidental by-product of being a large organisation in the field. Learning
from Communities of Practice and the influences on the field identified by CES could be
important. The advent of the DCYA, with its focus on interagency working in the children’s
services field, is seen as offering potential to optimise the use of Barnardos growing
capacities:
The new agency (CFSA) could be very important for Barnardos because it could
provide them with a ‘buyer’ for their work… create a more rational system of
buying and selling of services and avoid the situation where Barnardos is both
the broker and deliverer of their own programmes
The Strategic Plan for 2011-2016 includes specific goals in relation to communicating and
sharing impact/outcomes information with other providers, policy-makers and funders in
order to leverage Barnardos significant experience and expertise.
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Chapter 4: Developing sustainable capacity: The learning from the
Barnardos case study
4.1 The idea of sustainability
NGOs and philanthropic funders have a strong interest in the sustainability of organisational
capacity. In the capacity development literature, the thinking about sustainability overlaps
with theory and research about Organisation Development (OD) and with the literature
about effective change management. The literature on sustainable capacity development
reinforces similar features, while also highlighting the need to invest time in capacity
development, work in a structured way with all stakeholders, risk management, the
centrality of evaluation, and the need to pay particular attention to the change agent role.
Key ideas from this rich blend of thought resonate with the Barnardos strategic change
experience.
An Organisation Development focus on developing capacity recognises the organisation as a
contested space, and not a fixed entity; it foregrounds vision, empowerment of those with a
stake in the organisation, the need for a longer-term, planned approach, and the
importance of managing organisational learning.
The extensive literature on successful change management strategies emphasises the
importance of a clear view of the organisational and wider context of the change process,
the need for a vision, a compelling case for change and a sense of urgency; it underlines the
need for a clear view of the route to outcomes through carefully selected interventions,
willingness to persevere in the ‘miserable middle,’ recognition and removal of obstacles to
change, attention to the personal and organisational dynamics involved in complex change
processes, and embracing experiences of failure as routes to learning.
The account of the Barnardos strategic change process demonstrates that virtually all of the
ingredients of a sustainable capacity development process were in play at some level, by
being strongly present from the outset, or coming into focus and being addressed in the
course of the work, or being recognised as a challenge to be managed into the future. It
follows that Barnardos can confidently make use of its experience. It can optimise the value
of that experience through a formal process of naming and interrogating its own learning to
extract guidance for future change projects, support on-going review, and share learning
with others.
In the following sections, a number of key facets of the Barnardos experience are explored
in the context of the capacity development literature, with a view to pinpointing interesting
links and divergences between theory/research and the Barnardos experience.
4.2 Being ‘alive’ to context
Organisational change processes do not happen in a vacuum, but in the ‘stream’ of
organisational life. The literature highlights the importance of taking account of that context
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in order to maximise the likelihood of sustainable change. The case study points to an
alertness to context in the decisions taken by both Barnardos and Atlantic Philanthropies at
key stages in the process.
Barnardos demonstrated the capacity to read the environment and take advantage of
critical changes at key moments in the life of the organisation in order to embark on a
substantial change process. The changing context in the organisation created opportunity
for change, helped to make a compelling case for change and contributed to a sense of
urgency around the need for change – all key features noted in the literature as
requirements in the early stages of a successful change process.
Barnardos decision to parallel the service design and development work with investment in
a field building strategy linked to that work, also demonstrated a capacity to ‘read the field’;
the organisation actively planned to position itself as an innovation leader and as a provider
of expertise in anticipation of a future context where both state and philanthropic funding
are set to reduce.
The literature points to use of audits of various functions such as finances, human
resources, leadership, in use by funders as short term indicators of longer term
sustainability to identify a ‘good bet’ for investment. While such audits were no doubt part
of the process in their considerations about providing financial support for Barnardos, AP
also applied their own capacity to read the organisational context in support of their
decision to invest in Barnardos. Their assessment of and confidence in the capacities already
developed within Barnardos as a major player in the provision of children’s services were
key considerations in funding decisions; the openness to engage with organisational
upheaval and the evidence of a strong ethic of delivering on commitments, were among the
factors that shaped the scale and extent of early grants. These ‘hidden capacities’ are not
easy to read in ‘objective data’ and highlight the importance of a sustained funder/grantee
relationship as a way of getting beyond the reports to achieve an in-depth knowledge of the
organisational realities.
4.3 Understanding organisational capacity
The literature emphasises the need for clear understandings of organisational capacity in
any change process. These understandings shape the assessment of what capacities need
to be built and how to build them; capacity development is also driven by an analysis of
what is already in place and in use. In organisations, discussion around capacity can ensure a
shared view among those (internal or external to the organisation) charged with managing
organisational change. This common language is a powerful tool in a change process, in the
same way that a common language around service outcomes brought clarity and focus to
the service design process in Barnardos.
While at the outset of their change programme there may not have been a systematic
whole-organisation analysis of where capacity was needed, Barnardos demonstrated a
capacity to begin, to take a view about what had to be created and what was already in
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place, and the balance to be struck between internal resources and external supports for
change. In the evolving process, that analysis was refined and developed in response to
organisational learning - itself a significant capacity noted in the literature as an essential
feature of sustainable organisational change.
4.4 Capacities that mattered
The literature highlights the array of capacities needed in effective organisations who want
to build sustainability for the future. Organisations need capacity in specific ‘functionalities’
such as human resources, research, finance; ‘Hidden’ capacities such as culture, beliefs,
have a huge impact; future focused capacities enable the organisation to build good
strategy, to plan, and manage the external environment. The literature also highlights the
interplay between the different forms and levels of capacity, and suggests there may be a
hierarchy of inter-dependent capacities, in which the effectiveness of one kind of capacity is
dependent on development at another level, and an appropriate sequence in which capacity
may need to be developed, depending on capacities already available and in use.
The Barnardos experience resonates with the literature’s view about the need for a
complex mix of kinds and levels of capacity required in a large scale change process. A lot of
attention was paid not only to capacities needed but to where those capacities should be
located. At the outset, strengthened head office capacities were put in place early to lead
the change process. Key resources were located so as to ensure integration between
functions and across management levels; the aim of linking design to practice and
implementation was an explicit part of the change management plan, so as to create strong
ownership of change among service teams. The balance between external and internal
capacities reflected an analysis on the part of Barnardos and funders about what was
available and in use within the organisation, and how external expertise could support the
change process.
The sequencing of capacity development proved to be important in the Barnardos
experience. When the early investment in the development of support services ahead of
capacity on the ground led to a mismatch between capacity in head office functions and
service development, there was a recognition of the need to connect and integrate these
different elements of capacity and an effective response. New posts were created to
support and facilitate the involvement of local managers and staff in service design work .
This response is evidence of strong capacity for capturing and using organisational learning.
There was a then a high level of investment in team development alongside individual
expertise .
This learning about the importance of aligning and sequencing essential capacities prompts
key questions for organisational planning around capacity development. What are priority
capacities? How to optimise the connection between back room and front line operations?
It is important to get this sequencing right: enough head office capacity is needed to serve
and lead changes at frontline and enough frontline capacity to engage with and use head
office leadership and resources. There is never perfect alignment and some tension
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between different focuses and indeed different speed and pace of change is required to
drive change.
The Barnardos experience gives credence to the idea of a hierarchy of organisational
capacity (insofar as head office capacity was needed as a key starting point) and confirms
the view in the literature that capacity development is an iterative process, rather than
following a rigid sequence. It challenges any view of capacity at one level being more
important than, or capable of developing in isolation from, capacities at other levels; in an
organisation as system, the interplay of capacities must be kept in constant focus. What is
needed depends on where the organisation is at any given time or stage in a process.
4.5 The role of ‘hidden’ capacities
The literature on capacity development also draws attention to the impact and importance
of ‘hidden’ capacities, often described in terms of organisational culture.
A striking ‘hidden’ capacity noted in Barnardos was the way in which aspects of
organisational culture supported readiness for change and the change process; the
openness to questioning assumptions about the organisation’s effectiveness reflected a
capacity to challenge themselves which appears to have been a critical enabler of change;
the culture of valuing learning and reflection and of admitting difficulties and working as a
group prompted external comment on the sense of unity in the Children’s Services team.
These particular ‘hidden’ capacities do not feature explicitly in the capacity development
literature but were clearly essential elements of Barnardos process.
The leadership capacity within Barnardos is seen as a particular strength. In the context of
organisational transformation, the combination of quite different leadership styles in
different places in the organisation is regarded as important: the very diverse changes
implemented required different qualities and capacities at different times and for different
purposes. Managers identified a range of behaviours that they regarded as characteristic of
leadership in the organisation, including determination, resilience and tenacity, maturity
and expertise as a manager. The promotion and support of leadership in others was noted
as an important contribution to strengthening the organisation and building sustainability.
Behaviours contributing to this included being able to identify champions, supporting
collaboration through team-building and personal qualities of insight and ‘humanity’ –
responding to the person as well as the role. It is interesting that respondents commonly
identified personal/interpersonal strengths and skills when invited to comment on
leadership capacities, despite a significant organisational and service focus on creating
systems that support effective behaviours. Managers highlighted the relationship between
effective leadership and effective followership in the organisation.
4.6 Making use of organisational learning
The literature emphasises the role of knowledge management and organisational learning
as key aspects of developing and maintaining sustainable capacity in organisations.
Knowledge transfer and dissemination shape capacity development. In particular, the ease,
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benefits and risks of acquiring and using new knowledge have an impact of the scale and
pace of implementing change. One form of capacity – absorptive capacity – has a particular
significance as it refers to the core capacity to value, assimilate, and use knowledge. Clearly,
the absorptive capacity at different levels in an organisation can act as an enabler or
inhibitor for change. Tacit knowledge is about practice experience and learning while doing.
Tacit knowledge can be made explicit and the associated gains (and losses) are relevant for
sustainable capacity development.
When there is a recognition that the organisation is not a static entity, there will be a
parallel need to capture and use the learning from the on-going shifts that are inevitable
when an organisation is in a state of flux. Formal approaches such as action learning or
when staff work as Communities of Practice within an organisation can support the effective
use of organisational knowledge and learning.
In the Barnardos process, there were multiple opportunities to generate, capture and
manage organisational learning; these included formal processes such as evaluation, team
and management meetings, supervision and coaching – and in informal spaces –
conversations in and around the work, communications within and between teams,
communication with the external environment, induction of new staff – on an ongoing
basis.
What is significant about the organisational learning processes in Barnardos, along with
their existence, is the experience of how they served to generate and embed learning. In
the Barnardos experience, it seems that a key way of sharing knowledge and learning was
through the capacity to ‘surface’ tacit learning from practice. Team learning at senior
management team level and at practice level was made possible by growing levels of trust
which allowed those teams to serve as safe spaces for thinking and exploration. Other
organisational processes such as supervision and coaching also provided opportunities to
make tacit knowledge explicit and to share this knowledge. The multiple, sustained
opportunities for staff and managers to examine and share their own practice and their
experience of change and changing meant that practitioners got a lot of practice at making
tacit knowledge explicit. Repeated rehearsals increase ease and familiarity and reduce the
cognitive strain of using new skills: as participants feel more competent, they start to
recognise the benefits and to tolerate the difficulty; this, in turn, increases motivation and
commitment to the new approaches. Managers in Barnardos report trying different
approaches where an individual is ‘stuck’ or experiences difficulty in learning in one specific
way.
The organisation acknowledges that a weakness in making full use of learning has been the
relatively poor capacity to acknowledge performance that falls short of target as a rich
source of learning. Although strong trust has developed among staff, there is a sensitivity
and defensiveness that prompts people to find a way of presenting difficulties, delays,
disruption or interruption positively rather than mining the experiences for learning. Careful
judgement of timing and sequencing, along with the creation of safe spaces for
experimentation and models of effective behaviour are all important in reducing the risks
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associated with surfacing tacit knowledge, including that related to the experience of
failure.
Notwithstanding this sense of resistance to acknowledging failure, there are multiple
examples in this case study of situations where weaknesses in processes were identified,
and remedial action taken to rectify the situation. For example, action was taken to balance
the investment of support for practitioners with head office supports when the imbalance
was identified; systems were put in place to address gaps in building the capacity of service
users; difficulties in the relationship with an external consultant were addressed when they
became a barrier to the process. These examples point to an organisation that is good at
learning and making use of learning.
4.7 Change agent roles
The model of external expert as change agent is common to many models of capacity
development for both philanthropic funders and grantee organisations. The model has
many strengths; it is relatively accessible, it can be mobilised quickly, it is a dedicated
resource but does not give rise to on-going costs. The model also has disadvantages. The
model may create a dependency; it may replace or displace missing, weak or emergent
capacities. The literature refers to the risk of a ‘me too’ effect when the consultant is asked
to reproduce interventions that are successful in one setting in a very different setting.
Critically, unless the grantee and funder have a shared view about what capacity is to be
built, based on a commonly held theory of change, the external consultant work may be
disconnected from the context, reality, needs and expectations of the users.
The literature suggests that the competencies needed by the change agent should be
shaped by the change strategy being adopted; for example, using an Organisation
Development (OD) approach means the change agent must understand the developmental
needs of the organisation and respond in an effective way to those needs. Organisations
need the capacity to manage external consultants - they must be ‘knowledgeable and
sophisticated consumers’ of external change agents.
The Barnardos experience reinforces these findings. The organisation seems to have struck
an effective balance between internal change agent and external change agent roles. On-
going dependency was not created, and emergent internal capacities were able to develop.
The Barnardos experience also reinforces the importance for an organisation and funders of
the capacity to match the need at any point in a change process with the specific skill of an
external consultant. A wide range of external expertise was employed to match different
stages of the change process. External consultants used specific strategic tools to prompt
divergent thinking at a key early stage in the process and then helped the organisation to
narrow its focus; later, consultants with expertise on designing outcome-focused models
brought that expertise to bear.
The Barnardos case study also underscores the need to ensure coherence between the
consultant and the organisation’s core beliefs about the nature of organisational change.
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What is perhaps most significant about the Barnardos experience is not so much that
differences did ultimately emerge with an external agent about core beliefs about how
change needed to happen in the organisation – not a rare or unexpected occurrence - but
that the divergence was managed and that the organisation applied the learning in
negotiating and managing subsequent engagements with external consultants.
4.8 Time for change
The literature points to the fact that an Organisation Development (OD) approach to
capacity development – one that empowers participants and focuses on long term
sustainable development – needs time, and has to be done at an appropriate pace.
Capacity development does not happen instantaneously nor does it tend to happen as
planned. There are lags and delays. Some stakeholders take longer to come on board; an
unexpected event can divert resources and attention or make initial plans obsolete. The
initial assessment and diagnosis of what needs to be done or can be done may be found to
be unrealistic or incorrect and new opportunities may present. Time also refers to timing
and sequencing, in the sense that activities, progress, and outcomes can be early or late, on
time or premature. These organisation development realities require a model to accord with
stages in the change process, to help to evaluate and manage the pace of intervention and
implementation.
The literature suggests that the question of time is rarely addressed in capacity
development literature except at a ‘micro’ level in terms of time management strategies.
Although time and pace are not often examined as significant factors in the literature on
organisational change, Whittle (2012) has some useful and ‘timely’ observations about time,
timing and change. She observes that ‘Orchestrating and responding to the pace and tempo
of organisational change is a core competence for insider consultants and change leaders,
but this competence is difficult to learn by doing, as insiders are artefacts of their own
organisations’ (p1).
The Barnardos experience accords well with these findings about the role and impact of
time and timing in a significant change process. The classic challenge of change in a service
providing organisation - that of managing to continue with the current model of service
alongside planning the new – was especially difficult in what the literature refers to as ‘the
miserable middle’ of a lengthy change process, when the excitement of the ‘new’ has waned
but new practice has not yet been embedded. There was a sense of external pressure to
produce results, and at the same time the need to keeping changes aligned across the
organisation and among groups of stakeholders.
Within and beyond Barnardos, the issues of timing, momentum and pacing in managing
change are complex. Indeed, complexity science has much to say on the interconnections
between factors that are – relatively – knowable in advance and those that cannot be
anticipated or controlled. Apparently minor developments can generate significant impacts
on delivery of planned change: for example, in Barnardos, the maternity leave of key staff
members required significant changes to plans for and timing of, key project goals. OD
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literature notes the importance of an appropriate momentum in large-scale change
initiatives: too fast and the change doesn’t ‘stick’, is only superficial or is not sustained; too
slow and early adopters and enthusiasts lose motivation, leaders and champions are
criticised from inside and outside and there is increasing divergence and loss of fidelity in
implementation.
Barnardos has undertaken large scale change, involving multiple, repeated cycles of
development and implementation of new programmes. The capacity to learn meant that
early experience informed later cycles, knowledge from experience of time required shaped
subsequent design and implementation and the organisation became more skilled and
confident in responding to ‘outliers’ – staff who couldn’t or wouldn’t change.
The ‘right’ pace allows a project to keep going, even if progress is slow compared to initial
plans. In terms of managing that pace, the example of Barnardos is demonstrates two
important and related characteristics: very clear objectives and persistence. The clarity and
simplicity of the goals sought were a common focus for all parts of the organisation and
were used both to test the validity of plans and decisions at any stage of the change and to
support and refocus change efforts when these were interrupted, delayed or derailed by the
inevitable discrepancy between plans made in advance and real-time implementation of
plans.
4.9 The commitment to evidence-based practice
The literature on capacity development does not say much about evidence based practice
although it does foreground the role and significance of research and evaluation in the
development of sustainable capacity. Implementation science is more explicit about the
issues relevant to achieving change based on evidence and it points to three critical inter-
connected sets of focuses that give rise to ‘coherence’ between activities, design and
intended outcomes. These focuses, which can be readily identified in the approach adopted
by Barnardos, are:
• Building competency and confidence in those directly implementing the
innovation or policy;
• Changing organisations and systems;
• Providing the appropriate leadership that matches the challenge
(CES draft paper).
The interconnected relationship of the components of competency, organisation and
leadership is illustrated in the diagram below:
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Figure 3: Improved Fidelity and Outcomes
The use of research, needs analysis, evaluation, practice evidence, consultation and external
expertise were blended by Barnardos into a comprehensive framework of guidance and
support for an evidence based approach to design and development.
In terms of implementation, the US work on implementation science is familiar and
recognisable to AP and to Barnardos from their experience of the process of change they
have undertaken. Issues of diffusion of knowledge are complex. Critically, Barnardos
invested significant time and thought in these issues as well as in the service design. While
each element of the strategic development has been well planned and thoroughly
implemented, it is especially important to note the integration and persistence of the
approach to implementation: each element was understood in the context of the whole,
learning from one experience informed others, timing and sequencing were adjusted in
response to emerging learning, attention was given to alignment over time, across strategic
areas and within and between different parts of the organisation. The plan for
implementation was kept ‘live’ across many streams of activity, always in the context of the
outcomes being sought for children.
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4.10 Involving stakeholders
The importance of involving and empowering stakeholders is well flagged in the literature as
a key feature of effective change management processes, and is generally considered to be
a fundamental part of practice in service providing organisations.
There is a vast literature about meaningful ways of engaging stakeholders in decisions that
affect them. In planning a change strategy, the literature offers the idea of a stakeholder
map that seeks to analyse stakeholders in terms of their interest and their influence, and
which proposes that the strategy should match the interest/influence level of any
stakeholder group.
While Barnardos may not have begun with a formal stakeholder mapping process, linked to
a strategy for engagement with each stakeholder group, there was an explicit and implicit
commitment to the involvement of a wide range of stakeholders, both internal and external
to Barnardos. Staff and managers as stakeholders were recognised as people with a high
level of interest and influence, and the approach to change respected and reflected that
position. Consultation and engagement took place with the core funder, the HSE, and the
relationship with philanthropic funders was actively managed throughout the process.
Parents and children were involved in consultations as part of evaluations; one of the areas
of learning from the change process was the need to recognise that this particular
stakeholder group needs active support in order to participate in consultation or decision–
making or to give permission for children to engage. This experience underlines the
extensive literature about involvement of service users, and the impact of power
imbalances, especially in the case of vulnerable parents or children. Barnardos responded to
this experience and challenge by initiating a capacity development programme explicitly
aimed at strengthening the voice and influence of children, with the aim of building
sustainable capacity within this group, and, by extension, within the organisation and the
wider field.
4.11 The grantee/funder relationship
The capacity development literature examines the relationship between grantee and
funder, the role of funder as change agent and how funders exercise that role. The literature
focuses strongly on what happens when funders take up an active change management role
as organisation development professionals themselves – a role not taken up by the Atlantic
Philanthropies in this case. The literature points to the power imbalance between funder
and grantee, and the challenge this presents for engagement, in terms of openness, trust
and reciprocity when funders take up such a direct and active role in in capacity
development.
While the Atlantic Philanthropies did not adopt such a proactive position in the Barnardos
change process, and adopted a more ‘hands-off’ facilitative role, matters of trust and
openness were hugely important; the level of trust and openness between the parties
helped to create the conditions under which Atlantic Philanthropies could make a significant
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investment in Barnardos. The AP belief in the Barnardos organisation, based on a well-
developed relationship over a period of time contributed to the decision to invest. The
relationship went beyond funding to offering advice and support. AP, in the view of
Barnardos managers, appears to have struck a good balance between challenge and support
and between encouragement and a strongly articulated expectation of accountability and
results. The consistency of key personnel at meetings was particularly helpful.
Perhaps one of the significant features of the relationship, from the point of view of capacity
development, is that of time; the relationship developed and evolved over time, and it is
this commitment to giving time to enable change to develop at an appropriate pace that is
one of the most important features of an organisation development approach to building
sustainable capacity.
4.12 Barnardos and the field of children’s services
While there is an absence of a rigorous definition of ‘field’ in the capacity development
literature, field building occupies a unique place in the work of philanthropic funders who
want to bring about positive and lasting social change in some aspect of people’s lives. The
literature suggests that Foundations are uniquely positioned for a role in developing
capacity at field level as a change strategy that goes beyond the potential of working with
individual grantee organisations.
Barnardos focus on Advocacy as a key link between policy and practice has led to the
development of significant capacity in relation to advocacy. This focus has significant
influence inside the organisation and has also shaped the context of children’s services in
Ireland. The literature on capacity development in social and organisational fields explores
the complex interplay between individual organisations and social fields. Field building as a
process is described as one that involves working with an ecosystem of organisations,
emphasising work at the boundaries and the intersection of organisations. The funder
interested in field building must look not only at the individual organisation but at the web
of activity and relationships in the field. A network or field orientation may differ from an
organisation orientation in terms of mindset, strategy, behaviour and structure. For
example, a mindset of collaboration over competition will predominate in organisations
with a strong field identity and positioning; knowledge will be shared rather than protected;
collective skills will be prioritised over competitive advantage, players will be more likely to
act collectively than alone.
The literature also suggests that investment in the capacity of an individual organisation
requires an understanding and appreciation of the dynamic of relationships in that field, in
particular the power and influence dynamic among large and small organisations, or
organisations with stronger influence and resources compared to weaker organisations.
Barnardos has demonstrated a clear view of itself as having a role in field building, and sees
its work as part of a network of organisations or a field aiming to improve outcomes for
children. This view and understanding is evidenced by the fact that a programme of field
building is a core strand of the organisation’s strategy. The commitment to sharing
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knowledge and learning from new developments with smaller community organisations has
been part of the organisation’s effort to contribute to disseminating evidence-based
practice; collaboration with statutory authorities (HSE in particular) in order to maximise
and optimise the potential of tools such as the Barnardos Assessment Framework has been
a further dimension of contributing to the field. While most effort and attention was taken
up with the internal change, from 2011 onwards the Director of Children’s Services began a
conscious dissemination of information about both the Needs Led Outcomes Focused model
and also about the process of organisational change itself. This elicited strong interest,
suggesting that the experience of significant organisational change is also an important and
valued resource for this field.
The Atlantic Philanthropies recognises the difficulty for Barnardos or any organisation in
trying to maintain a stance of collaboration in an environment where diminishing resources
may promote competition rather than collaboration. The impact on collaboration of
inequalities of power is noted in the literature and Barnardos’ experience points to a similar
challenge from being perceived as having greater expertise:
the better you are at doing something … the less people are likely to
want to do it with you.
This has raised a fascinating question as to how Barnardos can or should position itself in
the field of children’s services, as it builds capacity and expertise in key areas of outcome
focused and evidence based services for children; can the organisation ‘market’ that
expertise and also collaborate?
As Barnardos again has got stronger I think its capacity to be genuinely
collaborative has weakened. …and yet what they’re doing and the way
they are thinking, the outcomes focus, actually puts them much more in
the space of working with others. So is it possible for them to be doing
both at the one time? I guess so.
This is a question for others in the field, and for funders as much as for Barnardos.
Questions about collaboration and integration around field-level resources (like service
development and advocacy) could be usefully explored between organisations in the field.
There may be value for the organisation, the funder, statutory authorities and others in the
field to explicitly map the field over the next number of critical years. This could generate a
strategy for the role of Barnardos as a ‘cornerstone’ organisation, and identify other
organisational roles, in order to optimise the capacity of Barnardos as well as seeing the
scope for developing other capacities within the field of children’s services in a planned way.
4.13 Summary and overview
The Barnardos case study fits with and reinforces the literature on capacity development,
and enriches it with insights from a particular case. It adds depth to the literature, and there
is useful learning to be gained from noticing where Barnardos experience is different from
or gives special emphasis to an aspect of the literature.
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The case study is of course context specific, and represents an experience of capacity
development as part of a significant and large scale organisational change process, as
distinct from on-going day to day investment in capacity, or short term projects dealing in a
focused way with building a specific capacity.
This case study reinforces the need for multiple capacities at every level in an organisation,
as well as cross-organisationally; the priorities to be assigned to particular capacities, and
the sequences in which they are developed matters, and can impact significantly on the
success of a change strategy.
It seems that a key success factor in a process of change involving the design and
development of new services is to blend capacities, to ensure that research, service design,
service management, communications and evaluation expertise are brought together in an
integrated way, and not allowed to operate in separate silos. This multi-disciplinary and
interdisciplinary mix of capacities located appropriately within an organisational system is
significant when designing the capacity to initiate and manage change.
Hidden capacities that form part of organisational culture clearly have the potential to make
or break an organisational change process; it goes without saying that a supportive culture
does not simply happen, but is the product and outcome of good leadership, effective
systems and processes, and the tone and culture of relationships within an organisation.
The skill in a capacity development process will be to recognise the importance of this
culture, assess its strengths and weaknesses, build it where necessary and utilise it where
possible.
The importance of securing and managing the appropriate mix of internal and external
supports is also evident from this case study as a critical feature of effective change process.
An essential focus in utilising external support is to match organisational need with external
expertise, to ensure, in the interests of sustainability, that internal capacity is built and
embedded for the future, and has the skills and capacity to direct and manage external
resources with confidence.
A key capacity emerging from this case study is the capacity for vision and clarity about both
the outcome expected from a change programme, and the technical or professional
approach to be used in the process. In this case study, the clarity of vision about the
outcomes served as a strong motivator throughout a challenging process. When people
throughout an organisation can identify strongly with the expected outcome, this can
strengthen the organisational capacity to achieve it. Although in this case there was
significant work and time involved in achieving clarity about the outcomes sought for
children, this investment led to better ways of communicating it, openness to the ideas of
evidence based practice and eventually to the new Needs Led Outcomes Focused model of
practice.
Capturing and managing organisational learning also emerges as a critical enabler of
effective change: organisations need to work out what systems and approaches will work
Chapter3: Designing and managing the strategic development
Page 40 of 48
and make sure that the time, opportunities, processes and most importantly the
management capacity to listen and apply learning, is in place.
The issue of time was interwoven with all other aspects of change. The capacity to manage
time is not just a skill of project management: in the extensive change described here,
managers had to develop understandings and models of time that were a good fit for
different purposes. Time, timing and sequencing interacted with expertise and experience,
communication and negotiation and evidence related to implementation and sustainability.
The differences in perceptions of time from the inside and outside had to be managed.
The quality of relationships with all stakeholders in a change process evidently matters
greatly: as the literature highlights, each stakeholder group needs to be involved in ways
that reflect and respect their role, the importance of this development to their lives, and
their capacity to engage. The relationship with the funder as stakeholder has a particular
significance, as a partner who can determine if and whether the work can happen, and can
offer unique inputs of support, challenge, advice, expectations of outcomes, and investment
of belief with constructive questioning.
In the course of this work Barnardos has amassed important practice knowledge about
service design, development and implementation, which it plans to share with the field of
children’s services as part of the strategy for the future. It has also learned a great deal
about managing a major programme and confirmed and challenged learning and knowledge
that was already in use the organisation. The challenge and opportunity for Barnardos and
for their funders is to continue to add this learning to the bank of organisational capacity by
capturing it in a systematic way, building it into organisational routines, making it available
for future change work and sharing it with the wider world.
References and bibliography
Page 41 of 48
References and bibliography
Barnardos Proposals, Reports and Evaluations
Progress report May 2011 on grant 14376 - to produce better outcomes for children by
supporting Barnardos to demonstrate and evaluate its new portfolio of services
Progress report May 2009 on grant 14376
Progress report May 2008 on grant 14376
Progress report March 2007 on grant 14376
December 2006 Progress Report Grant 8544 - to support implementation of the initiatives
identified in strategic review,
Final Report Grant 8544 - to support implementation of the initiatives identified in strategic
review (date?)
September 2005 - Progress Report Grant 13326 - Implementation of Strategic Plan
March 2010: The Friendship Group Programme Evaluation Report
March 2010: The Friendship Group Programme Evaluation Report Executive Summary
December 2010: Tús Máith Evaluation Report
December 2010: Tús Máith Evaluation Report Executive Summary
July 2009: WoW Process Study Evaluation year one
December 2010: WoW Process Study year two
Proposal to AP September 2010 - Building and Amplifying the Voices of Children and Young
People in Three Communities of Disadvantage in Ireland
October 2010 19050 Grant Summary Proposal - Amplifying the Voices of Children and Young
People
April 2011 - invitation to tender for evaluation of Barnardos national early years service
April 2011 - Barnardos Ireland Strategic Plan 2011-2016 Draft for Review
April 2011 - Barnardos Ireland Strategic Plan 2011-2016 Appendices
Materials and resources from Capacity Development Study
Whittle, S., Colgan, A., Rafferty, M. (2011) CAPACITY BUILDING: What the literature tells us
Colgan, A., Rafferty, M., Whittle, S. (2012) Capacity Building; Workbook for practitioners
Colgan, A., Rafferty, M. (2012) Capacity Building: Tools for evaluators
Other materials cited
Centre For Effective Services (2012) Draft Implementation Paper
Whittle, Susan Rosina (2012, (in Press) Quick, Quick, Slow: Time and Timing in Organisational
Change
www.effectiveservices.org/our-work/promoting-capacity-building-in-ireland For more information about this project, please visit
The Centre for Effective Services is anindependent, not-for-profit organisationfunded jointly by The Atlantic Philanthropies(AP), the Department of Children and YouthAffairs, and the Department of Environment,Community and Local Government.
www.effectiveservices.orgemail: [email protected]