LENS PROGRAMME: LEARNING WHAT WORKS
Why this project matters
The Landscape of Evidence Needs for the Sector (LENS) Programme is a UK-wide engagement and research programme led by the SCiP Alliance Impact Centre.
Working alongside practitioners, researchers, policymakers and funders, we’re building a clearer understanding of how evidence is used across the Service children's sector, where the biggest evidence gaps exist and what support organisations need to strengthen evidence-informed practice.
Through a nationwide programme of engagement activities, the LENS will help ensure future research, policy and practice are shaped by the experiences of those working directly with Service children and their families.
Project timeline: 2026 - 2027
What we’re aiming to achieve
The programme aims to:
- Develop a sector-wide understanding of evidence needs across the Service children's community
- Explore awareness and use of existing evidence
- Understand barriers that prevent organisations from accessing, using or generating evidence
- Identify effective approaches to evidence mobilisation and knowledge sharing
- Support stronger connections between research, policy and practice
What we’re doing
- We’ll bring together perspectives from across the UK through a range of engagement and research activities, including: The SCiP Alliance Impact Centre Listening Tour, with events taking place across the UK.
- Engagement with practitioners working across education, health, wellbeing, youth work, community support and the voluntary sector.
- Interviews with sector leaders, policymakers, funders and researchers.
- Written submissions from individuals and organisations.
- Review and analysis of existing research, consultations and sector evidence.
Together, these activities will help create one of the most comprehensive pictures to date of how evidence is used, where further learning is needed and how we can strengthen support for Service children.
The difference this project will make
The programme will provide a clearer understanding of:
- What evidence is currently being used across the sector
- Where important evidence gaps exist
- How evidence can be communicated and mobilised more effectively.
In the longer term, LENS will help strengthen evidence-informed decision-making, improve collaboration between research and practice, and support more effective services for Service children and their families.
How this supports our strategy
LENS supports the SCiP Alliance Impact Centre's mission to help professionals take evidence-led action.
By listening to the experiences of practitioners, researchers, policymakers and funders, the programme will strengthen how evidence is shared, applied and used to shape future research, policy and practice.
Working together
Funders
- Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT)
- University of Winchester (UoW)
Outputs and resources
The programme will produce:
- A sector-wide evidence needs analysis report.
Get involved
Building a stronger evidence base starts by listening. If you work with Service children and Armed Forced families, we’d love to hear from you. Whether you work in education, health, community support, local government, the voluntary sector, policy or funding, your experience can help us better understand what works, where more support is needed, and how research policy and practice can make the greatest difference for Service children.
Join a Listening Tour event, take part in an online discussion or submit your views in writing.
https://www.scipalliance.org/events/impact-centre-listening-tour