Partners for Change Outcome Management System
(PCOMS)
QCOSS Trial 2016-2017
About QCOSS
The Queensland Council of Social Service (QCOSS) is the state-wide peak body for individuals and
organisations working in the social and community service sector.
For more than 50 years, QCOSS has been a leading force for social change to build social and
economic wellbeing for all. With almost 600 members, QCOSS supports a strong community service
sector.
QCOSS, together with our members continues to play a crucial lobbying and advocacy role in a broad
number of areas including:
 sector capacity building and support
 homelessness and housing issues
 early intervention and prevention
 cost of living pressures including low income energy concessions and improved consumer
protections in the electricity, gas and water markets
 energy efficiency support for culturally and linguistically diverse people
 early childhood support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and culturally and linguistically
diverse peoples.
QCOSS is part of the national network of Councils of Social Service lending support and gaining
essential insight to national and other state issues.
QCOSS is supported by the vice-regal patronage of His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey
AC, Governor of Queensland.
Lend your voice and your organisation’s voice to this vision by joining QCOSS. To join visit
www.QCOSS.org.au.
Outcomes Trial (2016)
What is the purpose of this work?
The purpose of the pilot is to test the tool with a selection of government and non-government
providers to:
• systematically capture evidence of outcomes in alignment with the principles outlined in the
QCOSS Outcomes paper: Co-design 2015
• strengthen person-centred/goal focused practice
• provide a mechanism for individual needs/goals to inform support provided
Page 1
Partners for Change Outcome Management System (PCOMS)
Why is this work important?
The benefits from measuring outcomes for organisations have been identified as including:
•
informing service delivery to individual clients
•
building understanding of the effectiveness of a program or service
•
supporting program evaluation, to inform change and improvement
•
providing evidence to inform new investment decisions and justify ongoing funding, and
•
contributing to research, knowledge development and innovation.
Outcomes – definition
For the purposes this work, the following definitions have been used, with acknowledgement to Robert Penna
(2014).
•
Outcome: the direct, intended beneficial effect on the stakeholders or interests our work exists to serve.
Outcomes may be hard or soft but all require measurement using appropriate tools and processes.
•
Measure: the tool or means of tracking progress toward the outcome over time.
Partners for Change Outcomes Management System
•
Quality and efficiency improvement
•
Greater empowerment and accountability
•
Consumer driven outcomes management
•
Evidence based
Outcome Rating Scale (ORS)
Page 2
Partners for Change Outcome Management System (PCOMS)
Session Rating Scale (SRS)
6 Rationales for PCOMS
1. Solves the bad and ugly via identification of non-responding clients
2. Supported by 5 RCTs conducted by the Heart and Soul of Change Project
3. A proven quality improvement strategy
4. Enhances the factors related to success
5. Incorporates the known predictors of success (early change and the alliance)
6. Operationalizes Client Privilege and Social Justice
PCOMS Process Evaluation
•
Focused on understanding the effectiveness of implementing PCOMS and identifying the early
experiences of using PCOMS in service delivery
•
Three approaches
Page 3
–
Online survey
–
Interviews with trainers/managers
–
Interviews with practitioners
Partners for Change Outcome Management System (PCOMS)