Conceptualising and developing a measure of 'freedom to go about daily life' following experience of domestic violence and abuse
This PhD proposal sets out a programme of work to develop an outcome measure of 'freedom to go about daily life', following an experience of domestic violence and abuse (DVA). The purpose is to improve outcome measurement in the context of child and family-focused DVA interventions, and therefore it aligns to the SEDarc thematic pathway 'Healthy Thriving Communities’. It builds on previous research to develop and implement a DVA Core Outcome Set (COS), which seeks to address the challenge of inconsistent evidence, by harmonising outcome measurement across evaluation of family-focused interventions. Current research is seeking to identify measurement instruments that map against the five outcomes comprising the DVA-COS: 'family relationships', 'feelings of safety', 'child emotional health and wellbeing', 'caregiver emotional health and wellbeing' and finally, 'freedom to go about daily life'. Despite extensive reviews of the literature and stakeholder consultation, no tools have been identified to measure 'freedom to go about daily life'. I propose a series of four linked studies, drawing on diverse methodologies taken from multiple disciplines, to conceptualise 'freedom to go about daily life' and to develop an outcome measurement tool that could be used for research and evaluation purposes. There has been considerable national and international interest in implementing the DVA-COS, meaning the work proposed here is likely to generate significant impact through mechanisms established through previous studies. The ultimate aim of this work is to facilitate a more robust evidence base, leading to improved services to support those affected by DVA.