The What Works Centres: Lessons and Insights from an Evidence Movement

The last decade has seen a growing focus on producing evidence-based policy and practice in governments around the world – with a specific focus on causal evidence of the impacts of a particular policy on outcomes for citizens. The UK is a key example of this, with the establishment of 14 What Works Centres which collate, create and translate evidence in different policy and practice domains.

In this book, leaders, researchers and practitioners from these institutions share insights to help understand what has worked so far in the Centres, and what could be done better in future. It offers guidance to policy makers and funders looking to establish new centres, and for academics looking to create similar institutions that can have a practical impact on the improvement of the world around us.

Michael Sanders is Professor of Public Policy at King’s College London. He has worked with or for the majority of the UK’s What Works Centres including as Head of Evidence at What Works for Wellbeing, Academic Lead of the Centre for Transforming Access and Student Outcomes, and as Chief Executive of What Works for Children’s Social Care.

Jonathan Breckon is a researcher and advocate for evidence, and a visiting senior research fellow at King’s College London. He was previously the Director of the Alliance for Useful Evidence at Nesta, and a trustee of What Works for Children’s Social Care.