Social Outcomes Conference 2019: Call for Papers (CLOSED)

In pursuit of social outcomes: the international conference on impact bonds, outcomes contracts, and beyond

Date: 5-6th September 2019

Location: Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford

Hosted by the Government Outcomes Lab at the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford, in partnership with the Policy Innovation and Evaluation Research Unit at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Newcastle University Business School

Update: Please note the call for papers is now closed. We will publish the provisional programme of the conference in June 2019.

Governments and international donor agencies around the world have become increasingly focused on outcomes – the positive results that programmes produce in the lives of service users and citizens – rather than the volume or quality of activity. This ‘outcomes-based’ model encompasses a range of approaches. This conference will focus on models that encourage collaboration across sectors, such as outcomes-based commissioning, social impact bonds, outcomes funds, and place-based approaches. 

We are interested in exploring how well these approaches work in practice. We want to strengthen the understanding of when and how this focus on outcomes can be effective for delivering public services, and whether it can be more effective than other options. We aim to ensure that this emerging knowledge is used to equip government policy-makers with more and better tools to tackle complex social issues. 

We are delighted to invite the submission of both original research abstracts and proposals for practice-focused presentations. Submissions may be made by:

• researchers
  
• policy-makers
  
• contracting bodies / commissioners
  
• providers of social services
  
• social investors
  
• other stakeholders in the field of social outcomes

In keeping with the 2018 edition, the conference will bring together the rigour of cutting-edge academic research with an applied, real-world focus. Our ambition is for a vibrant exchange between researchers and practitioners to enhance both research and implementation. Central to this ambition is our commitment to enabling and inspiring more ‘engaged research’ across the field.  

We want to ensure that research addresses effectively the most pressing matters in the field, and that governments and other practitioners are engaged with researchers across disciplines and sectors to share knowledge, exchange ideas and create solutions. As such we encourage all those interested in presenting their research findings or practice-based reflections to consider how to best share their insights in a way that is engaging both for practitioner and academic audiences.

As more public funding shifts towards outcomes-based tools, we want to reflect on the insights from emerging practice and empirically informed research across different geographies, disciplines and policy areas. Our aim is to improve future practice and contribute to evidence-based policy making globally. The conference will explore a number of core themes across multiple disciplines, including:

• The application of ‘impact bonds’ and how the mechanism is evolving. Since the initial application of the SIB approach at HMP Peterborough and Rikers Island, the mechanism is seen to have evolved considerably. What are the justifications for these shifts? Where is the impact bond approach being used now, and why? How might these developments inform future analysis?
  
• The development and evaluation of ‘outcomes funds’. The UK government has been a pioneer in the use of ‘outcomes funds’ as a tool for stimulating the adoption of outcomes contracts. Where and how is the ‘outcomes fund’ approach being adopted? What does research tell us about the benefits and pitfalls of this approach?
• The use of data and evidence to inform decision making, particularly in outcomes contracts. How is data used in outcomes-based contracts to help drive better performance? How can we make best use of existing data and evidence to improve the implementation of outcomes-based approaches? What are the constraints and opportunities for more transparency and data sharing across the field?
• The role and function of social investment in the implementation of outcomes-based provision. What are the additional skills and competences that the involvement of investors can bring to an outcomes-based approach? How does the role that investors play in a SIB vary across different projects and geographies? 
• New modes of accountability and governance, including collaborative approaches. What innovative forms of collaboration are forming between public sector authorities, the voluntary sector, businesses and local people in communities?  How are these partnerships governed in a way that fosters trust and increases accountability? 
• Whether, where, and how ‘outcomes’ led approaches are connecting with the voice and choice of service users and citizens. How can outcomes-based approaches effectively capture the voice of the service users? What is the emerging evidence around how to do so successfully? 

For academic papers, we recommend that abstracts take the following structure:

1. Central question and main issue analysed in the paper
   
2. Methodology and sources of data/information used for the analysis
   
3. Main findings 
   
4. Research and policy implications 

For practice-focused presentations, we recommend that abstracts take the following structure:

1. Overview of the project or approach to be discussed in the presentation and how it relates to the core conference themes
   
2. Main reflections and insights from the work to date
   
3. Research and policy implications

The call for papers closed on 07th May. Authors of successful papers will be informed by the end of May if they have been selected to present at the conference.

The participation fee is £200 (2-day full fee), £100 (1-day full fee) or £50 (student fee), and includes lunch on both days as well as a conference dinner in Oxford on the evening of 05th September. The GO Lab offers a limited number of free places for UK public sector commissioners. If you are a public sector commissioner working in the UK and would like to attend the conference, please get in touch with us at golab@bsg.ox.ac.uk.  

For any questions regarding academic papers submissions, please contact Dr Eleanor Carter, Research Fellow at the GO Lab. To discuss your proposals for practice-focused presentations, please contact Andreea Anastasiu, Senior Policy Engagement Officer at the GO Lab.