Being a What Works Centre
What Works Network
As a proud member of the What Works Network, we are part of a national initiative improving public services through better use of evidence about what works.
What Works Centres are independent organisations that provide evidence-based and practical advice to those who design and deliver public services – including policymakers, commissioners, funders and practitioners. Acting at the interface between evidence and service improvement, we bridge the gaps between research, policy and practice so that services achieve better outcomes for children and families.
Every centre in the network:
- generates high-quality evidence on what works to improve outcomes
- translates it into accessible formats for national and local decision-makers, including by producing toolkits
- encourages its adoption and intelligent use in policy and across public services.
Together, What Works Centres are committed to the IMPACT principles, which guide all centres to be:
- Independent
- Methodologically rigorous
- Practical
- Accessible
- Capacity-building
- Transparent
Department of Education funding
As a What Works Centre, we are strategically positioned to connect evidence, policy and practice in ways that drive lasting change for children and families. Our role is not only to generate and share evidence, but also to influence how it is valued, used and embedded across the system.
We work at the intersection of national and local decision-making, shaping policies and practices that improve outcomes for children. We build strong relationships across government, the third sector, funders and local areas – creating the conditions for evidence-informed change.
Our approach combines methodological rigour with a deep understanding of practice realities. We translate complex findings into accessible, actionable insights, and we support others to apply evidence intelligently in their own contexts.
By operating confidently across all three arenas of evidence, policy and practice, we help ensure that high-quality evidence leads to meaningful and sustained improvements in children’s lives.
Our role as a What Works Centre
Foundations is primarily funded through a grant from the Department for Education (DfE), which supports our mission to build the evidence base for what works in early intervention and children’s social care and ensure this evidence shapes policy and practice. We achieve the greatest impact when our work aligns with the DfE’s strategic priorities.
While we work closely with the DfE as a strategic partner, our independence is essential. It allows us to report research findings objectively and initiate work that is important for improving outcomes for children but may not be a focus for government.
In addition to our core funding, we receive support from other government departments and external funders for specific projects. We are committed to transparency in all our work, and we clearly acknowledge project funding in our publications and reports.
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES