Assessing what works
In the ICCR, we aim to find out what helps children and young people and their families, thus what interventions are effective (i.e. achieve their objectives). We do that by conducting RCTs of interventions and systematic reviews reviewing the current evidence.
Randomised controlled Trials
"Randomised controlled trials are the most rigorous way of determining whether a cause-effect relation exists between treatment and outcome and for assessing the cost effectiveness of a treatment. They have several important features:
- Random allocation to intervention groups
- Patients and trialists should remain unaware of which treatment was given until the study is completed-although such double blind studies are not always feasible or appropriate
- All intervention groups are treated identically except for the experimental treatment
- Patients are normally analysed within the group to which they were allocated, irrespective of whether they experienced the intended intervention (intention to treat analysis)
- The analysis is focused on estimating the size of the difference in predefined outcomes between intervention groups." (Sibbald & Roland, 1998)
In the Institute of Child Care Research, two large RCTs are currently being conducted:
- The Ready to Learn study
- The Lifestart study
Systematic Reviews
'A systematic review attempts to identify, appraise and synthesize all the empirical evidence that meets pre-specified eligibility criteria to answer a given research question. Researchers conducting systematic reviews use explicit methods aimed at minimizing bias, in order to produce more reliable findings that can be used to inform decision making'. This is the definition given by the Cochrane Library. For more information on what a Cochrane review is, see their website.
In the ICCR, a range of Cochrane systematic reviews are currently being undertaken. Read their abstracts here.
