Children’s Social Care Needs Analysis : Understanding Service User Need using Cluster Analysis

About This Report:

In order to identify and understand the key service users groups for Children's Social Care Services in Leicestershire cluster analysis was undertaken using Children's Social Care Assessments data completed between 01/04/2014 and 17/09/2014 for the Children and Family Services department, Leicestershire County Council.. Cluster analysis or clustering is a statistical technique used to create groupings of a set of objects in such a way that objects in the same group (called a cluster) are more similar (in some sense or another) to each other than to those in other groups (clusters). Clusters of assessments have been created based on the factors identified on each assessment. As a result of this analysis 8 distinct clusters which represent distinct groups of potential service users of Children's Social Care Services, based on the factors identified on the assessment. This has allowed greater understanding of the families that are referred to Children Social Care Services and the varying number and complexity of factors that need to be considered when determining their most appropriate service pathway. It will help to inform any future Commissioning Strategy and the resulting service delivery.