Defining the service – manualised or not?
A defined service means you can describe in detail, what is going to be delivered, when, by who, and to whom. It is essential that this is clearly set out so that evaluation can be undertaken and evidence can be developed that shows what works when supporting families and children (and equally, so that it can be clear to see what may not be working as well). It also helps in keeping contracts understandable, talking to funders, local authorities and partner organisations because you can be clear and concise about what you are offering. It is likely to help when recruiting and engaging with the community being served if it is clear and easy to explain what you are offering.
What is a Manualised Service/Intervention?
Some models for services are manualised. This means that details have been set out for how it is delivered, not just that group sessions will take place with parents, but what the content is, how it is to be delivered and at what stage of a child’s life it can be delivered.
A good example of this is HAPPY, a perinatal education programme that prepares people for becoming parents. If you look at the manual for HAPPY you will see the level of detail and specificity that it contains
If in your selection and service design process you find an appropriate manualised model you can use, then this will speed up the service design process and is likely to make a higher level of evaluation possible.
What if there is no manual?
In some cases, no appropriate model exists and a new service will need to be created, in which case a new manual may need to be written, or the service is defined as much as possible. With or without an existing manual, it is still necessary to carefully define what is being offered, by who, when, to whom[RB1] .
It is not possible to manualise every service in the way that Baby Steps has been because many services are more reactive, client led, or otherwise informal. These services can still be evaluated so long as some aspects can be defined. In these cases, defining as much as possible through the service design process will be sufficient.
Following the chapters in this section will support you to create a detailed service design and prompt you to manualise if possible.