Selecting and validating outcome measures for the Domestic Violence and Abuse Core Outcome Set (DVA-COS)

• The Children and Families Against Domestic Abuse (CAFADA) Wellbeing and Safety Scale was selected as the preferred measurement tool to assess two core outcomes: family relationships and feelings of safety.
• No agreement was reached for an OMI capturing freedom to go about daily life.
• The work to validate the SWEMWBS and WEMWBS demonstrated the validity and acceptability of the tools for use with in domestic abuse experienced child and adult populations, respectively.

Recommendations

• A provisional recommendation is made for use of CAFADA Wellbeing and Safety Scale to measure child and adult reports of family relationships and feelings of safety. It is strongly recommended that before widespread use this OMI is subject to further adaptation and evaluation by (or in collaboration with) the tool developers.
• We recommend that the SWEMWBS (for children aged 11+) and WEMWBS (for adults) should be used to measure wellbeing in the context of evaluation studies (of any quantitative design) seeking to assess the impact of child or family focussed domestic abuse interventions.
  • We suggest minor adaptations to the (S)WEMWBS for use in the domestic abuse context to enhance the acceptability of the measure to children and adults.
• Further work on measure identification, development and evaluation is required to support use of the DVA-COS. Specifically to:
  • Develop and evaluate a measure of freedom to go about daily life for children and young people and adults.
  • Identify an alternative OMI or adapt the SWEMWBS for use to measure the wellbeing of children under the age of 11.
• We recommend the development of guidelines for practitioners and researchers about how to use the tools in a ‘care first’ way and how to guard against the tools being used for screening or triaging, or rationing care, as well as guidance for commissioners on how to interpret and use evidence, generated by the completion of OMIs, for the basis of decision making:
  • This guidance needs to reflect the balance between the benefits of data driven decision making and the risk of unduly narrowing the breadth of services or thwarting innovation in the sector.
  • The OMIs’ implementation (including the use of guidance) should be closely monitored and evaluated, to inform any associated refinements and to develop an in-depth understanding of the process and outcomes associated with embedding routine measurement in practice.