16 Jul WLA Commissioning Manager invited to take part in University of Oxford study

West London Alliance’s Commissioning Manager has been invited to participate in a study that aims to strengthen the evidence base on specialist and therapeutic care and effectiveness of care for adolescents.

Matt Utley is the only Commissioner in the country invited to take part in the Hazel Project, a partnership between The Rees Centre at the University of Oxford and Diverse Care, and will be providing specialist advice on therapeutic childcare delivery and shifting social care to a strengths and resilience model, using evidence-based approaches to care delivery.

The project will develop and build on existing research at the Rees Centre on teenagers in foster care and is being led by Dr Lisa Holmes, Rees Centre Director, and Dr Caroline Cresswell, a research officer leading the systematic review. It ultimately aims to strengthen the evidence base on specialist and therapeutic care and effectiveness of care for adolescents, an area in which further understanding and research is required.

Mr Utley will be part of a select group of children’s social care managers, policy experts and academic specialists in the area of care of looked after children, adolescent care and therapeutic intervention, to build a stimulating forum for discussion and debate and a solid foundation for further collaboration in the area (including, involvement in policy-practice events and future research).

The project will also develop a defined approach to recognising “therapeutic childcare” and what needs to be involved to set national standards.