From ‘the data exists’ to usable evidence: practical lessons on local administrative data in evaluation

Join the ADR England Community Catalyst: Children at Risk of Poor Outcomes group for their next webinar focused on evaluation using administrative data. Guest speakers Louise Ashwell and Dr Jade Farrell will discuss their experience as Cordis Bright’s applied evaluators.

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Administrative data can offer powerful opportunities to strengthen evaluation, from understanding outcomes over time and across services to reducing reliance on primary data. But the existence of data does not necessarily mean it is appropriate, accessible or usable within a real-world evaluation. 

Drawing on Cordis Bright’s experience as applied evaluators, this webinar explores what it takes to move from “the data exists” to usable evidence. The presentations will consider whether available data meaningfully measures the outcomes we care about, and what is realistically feasible within evaluation timescales and systems using examples of police administrative data.

The ADR England co-funded Community Catalyst: Children at Risk of Poor Outcomes is a growing community of researchers and analysts using administrative data to improve outcomes for children and young people in social care across the UK. Explore the Community Catalyst. 

Book your place now 

This webinar will provide insights and practical lessons on using local administrative data in evaluation, from “the data exists” to usable evidence in research. It is free to attend and open researchers and the public. You'll hear from guest speakers using administrative data to understand and potentially develop interventions to address gaps across health, social welfare, justice and education for children and young people in social care. 

The webinar will take place on zoom and registered participants will receive a joining link within 3 working days of the event start date. If you experience any problems, please email marie.greaves@swansea.ac.uk.

About the speakers

Louise Ashwell is a Senior Consultant at Cordis Bright, specialising in mixed-methods evaluation and research across children and families, public health and domestic abuse. Louise has a particular interest in how routinely collected data can complement primary research to understand service pathways, outcomes and inequalities, as well as the practical conditions needed to make this possible within commissioned evaluations. 

Dr Jade Farrell is a Senior Consultant at Cordis Bright, and an Honorary Visiting Researcher at the University of Bradford. She holds a PhD in Physical Activity and Public Health from Leeds Beckett University and specialises in mixed-methods research and evaluation, spanning qualitative approaches - interviews, focus groups, thematic analysis - and quantitative methods including randomised controlled trials, longitudinal cohort studies and large-scale survey data. 

Event details

When: 12:30 - 1:30, Thursday 22 October 2026

Where: Online, Zoom 

Cost: Free

Registration: Find out more and sign up via ticket source