Can linked data shape local early years policy?
Connecting the information gathered when families use local services, such as maternity, health visiting, hospital care and education settings, could revolutionise local decision-making.
Linked data can reveal how wider factors shape maternal health and a child's development over time and provide evidence of which support programmes work best, and for whom, within a specific local context.
To harness this potential, local studies are being set up across England, known as the Born and Bred in (BaBi) Network, linking everyday service records within local areas to generate vital insights for local decision-makers.
But generating evidence is only part of the picture. For linked data projects to shape local policy, researchers also need to understand how decision-makers perceive using these data for research and what support they need put this evidence into practice.
A new qualitative study published in the International Journal of Population Data Science (IJPDS) reveals that while local early years decision-makers see immense value in linked data networks such as BaBi, significant barriers — including lack of time, data quality, and workplace culture — can stand in the way.
Recent government investment in data sharing, alongside a shift toward partnership working across health and social care, has made it easier to connect everyday records for mothers and babies for research. By tracking real-world health and social outcomes, without burdening families with lengthy surveys, linking existing service data offers a powerful tool to understand local needs and protect vital services.
To understand how insights from research using data from the BaBi studies could be turned into real-world policy and practice change, researchers interviewed 15 early years decision-makers in areas where BaBi studies were established.
Participants, including professionals from midwifery, health visiting, primary care, and local authority commissioning, were positive about the potential of linked data to highlight the wider drivers of health and encourage joined-up working across local organisations.
However, they also identified several challenges. Poor-quality data entry can undermine the quality of the research findings, while time pressures can prevent decision-makers from engaging with research. Crucially, many decision-makers noted that research is separate from their core role, limiting their ability to put evidence into action.
To overcome these barriers, the authors recommend using short summary briefs and infographics rather than long reports to communicate linked data research findings. They also recommend establishing regular forums where researchers and decision-makers can connect directly.
The authors call for data capture systems to be co-designed with service providers, policymakers, researchers and families to ensure systems are fit for purpose and capture meaningful information about families, as well as integrating research engagement into the core professional roles of local decision-makers.
"To truly influence policy and practice, we need a fundamental shift in how data systems for local services are designed and how research responsibility is defined within decision-making contexts," stated lead author Dr Hollie Henderson.
"By bringing researchers and decision-makers together and making data recording better at the frontline, we can ensure that routine data becomes a powerful tool for improving the lives of children and families."
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Dr. Hollie Henderson, University of York; Bradford Institute for Health Research; NIHR Health Determinants Research Collaboration: Bradford; Equalise: ESRC Centre for Lifecourse Health Equity