The Improvement Service has won the Local Area Research & Intelligence Association (LARIA) Research Impact Award for Best Use of Data for our work with West Lothian Council to identify unmet need.
This project used data to better understand child poverty within West Lothian Council. By combining and analysing publicly available and council held data, we were able to use analytical insights and local knowledge to create a model showing places where support entitlement is not reaching those in need.
The Research Impact Award judges praised the simplicity of our approach, its use of council-held data, and the real impact and actionable insights that it produced.
The project brought together the assets and strengths of the two partners and other organisations to deliver simple, low-cost, actionable insights that will deliver support to those in need within West Lothian.
The analysis has had an immediate impact on informing decision making. West Lothian Council have been able to use the findings to target interventions such as door knocking campaigns, community outreach events, and work with local schools and other partners including the third sector.