Project ADDER evaluation: Report for practitioners
The report presents findings from the Project ADDER process evaluation, including examples of best practice from, and challenges faced by, local area projects.
Applies to England and Wales
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Project ADDER aims to promote an intensive whole systems approach (WSA) to tackling drug use and its consequences. The Home Office commissioned Verian to conduct an independent evaluation of Project ADDER involving a scoping phase to develop theories of change and an evaluation framework; a process evaluation, to understand the facilitators of and barriers to implementation; and an impact evaluation, to measure whether the intended effects have been achieved.
This report presents the findings from the scoping and process evaluation and shares examples of best practice and challenges faced by Project ADDER sites. The process evaluation identified several elements of good practice. Police and treatment practitioners across the programme spoke positively about the benefits of the WSA and how it drives better outcomes. The evaluation also pointed to the benefits of smaller treatment caseloads allowing staff to devote time to valuable activities like assertive outreach. Users of drug treatment services themselves said they had noticed better access to support.