We were commissioned by East Sussex County Council to undertake an independent evaluation of the East Sussex Floating Support Service (FSS).

The evaluation sought to determine the effectiveness of the Floating Support Service after two years of delivery whilst identifying areas for further evolution and development. The service is currently delivered by Brighton Housing Trust, using a holistic approach, we gathered feedback from service users, BHT staff and referring partners and organisations.

We developed a tailored approach to each cohort. Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative questions, we were able to better understand user, staff and referrer experiences.

Quantitative questions were asked to provide a more comparable and holistic view on the FSS. Semi-structured, mixed method interviews were conducted with all participants on a one-to-one basis. All participants were given the option of having either an in-person interview or a virtual one (either on the phone or using a digital platform). We worked to ensure participants felt safe and supported, giving them space to feed back in a way that worked for them, whilst protecting anonymity.

Drawing together the findings, we produced a report with recommendations on which ESCC and BHT can work to continue to develop and improve the service, ultimately providing better experience and outcomes for the service users.