Impact case study database

Irwin-Rogers has supported the Youth Violence Commission as lead academic, playing a central role in each component of its research, outputs, and impact and engagement activities [C1]. YVC research and reports have played a pivotal role in shaping public, private and third sector policy and practice through numerous channels.

Impact at a National Level

Through a series of meetings with key Government Ministers and other senior officials and debates and questions in the House of Commons, and the YVC has played a central role in shaping national Government policy on reducing violence between young people.

On 4^th May 2018, Irwin-Rogers met with the Prime Minister’s Special Advisor on Home Affairs and Justice at Number 10 Downing Street to discuss the YVC’s interim findings and recommendations [C2]. Among other things, Irwin-Rogers made the case for tackling high rates of school exclusion and adopting a holistic public health approach to reducing youth violence, overseen and coordinated by regional Violence Reduction Units. In the House of Commons on 16^th July 2018, the Home Secretary responded to a question from the Chair of the YVC, stating that he would make “ a commitment to work with the all-party Parliamentary group” [C3]. Within three months, the Home Secretary announced ‘ new measures’ to build on the Government’s Serious Violence Strategy, pledging his support for a public health approach to tackling youth violence [C4].

Subsequently, the Chair of the YVC and Irwin-Rogers met with senior government officials including the Minister for London and Policing (18^th March 2019), the Prime Minister (28^th March 2019), the Home Office Minister (10^th January 2019), and the Minister for Schools (10^th July 2019) to obtain high-level commitment to implementing the YVC’s recommendations [C1]. In June 2019 the Home Secretary announced GBP35,000,000 funding for the establishment of 18 regional Violence Reduction Units [C5].

MPs and Lords have formally recognised the work of the YVC and Irwin-Rogers’ research 72 times in the two Houses of Parliament [C6].

Impact at a Regional Level

The YVC negotiated an exclusive campaign with the London Evening Standard to promote the recommendations of its interim report. Describing the publication as a ‘ landmark report’, the paper ran a front-page article on 18^th July 2018 aimed at persuading the London Mayor to adopt a holistic public health approach to reducing serious youth violence [C7]. In the same article, the Chair of the YVC called on the Mayor of London to create a London VRU to oversee the proposed public health approach. In response, the Mayor of London arranged a meeting with the Chair of the YVC on 30^th August 2018 [C8a], before releasing a press release on 19^th September 2018 announcing his plans to develop and implement an “ innovative public health approach to tackling violent crime” [C8b]. In September 2020, in his 44^th Report to the London Assembly, the Mayor of London welcomed the “ many compelling recommendations” of the YVC final report, and acknowledged that along with the then Home Secretary, he had endorsed and acted on the YVC’s recommended public health approach by establishing the London VRU [C9]. The YVC has worked closely with the London VRU since its inception and shaped its ongoing work and priorities. The Director of the London VRU said “ the evidence of the report galvanised the policy agenda around the key wider issues from the role of schools to the importance of the health sector in playing its part. One of the key policies asked from the report was the establishment and long term support for violence reduction units across England and Wales; the Commission was a powerful advocate and used the parliamentary process to argue strongly and successfully” [C10].

Impact on private and third sector policies and practices

Following the publication of a research report on social media and serious violence [O4], Irwin-Rogers has participated in numerous private meetings with Facebook (online) and Google/YouTube (London Headquarters) during the period 2018-2020 [C11]. During these meetings, Irwin-Rogers advised on the development and refinement of the platforms’ monitoring and safeguarding policies. Irwin-Rogers also recommended that Google/YouTube should take the lead in establishing social media safeguarding training for professionals working with young people.

In December 2018, based on these meetings and Irwin-Rogers’ research, Google announced a grant of GBP600,000 to fund the Social Switch Project [C11]. Irwin-Rogers was invited to act as an Advisory Board member for the project and in this capacity has continued to inform its content and delivery [C11]. The project has three main strands: a series of social media training workshops for frontline professionals working with young people; a programme of work experience in the digital sector for disadvantaged young people; and direct funding to grassroots organisations working with young people. Interim evaluations have shown that the project has delivered highly-rated social media safeguarding workshops to over 500 practitioners and provided digital skills training and work experience to over 40 young people [C12]. Among some of the most encouraging findings from an interim evaluation of the project, three young people have subsequently gained employment, two have secured apprenticeships, two have completed internships, seven have completed work experience placements, and another seven have set up their own social media platforms. As a consequence of its positive impact, the London Violence Reduction Unit has allocated an additional GBP200,000 to further support and extend the work of the Social Switch Project [C11].

In October 2018, the then Home Secretary, announced the creation of a new ten-year, GBP200,000,000 initiative known as the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF), the purpose of which is build up an evidence base for effective early interventions, and to fund programmes to steer young people away from crime and violence. The YVC has exerted a significant influence over the YEF’s work since its inception, with the YEF’s Executive Director acknowledging three specific forms of YVC influence and support: i) the building up of a strong coalition of delivery organisations and politicians with whom the YEF will engage throughout its life cycle; ii) the identification of key priority areas such as schooling, which will now receive GBP5-GBP10million of YEF funding; and iii) the development of a research and practice model that will “ impact the spend of our entire GBP200m endowment”. The YEF Executive Director acknowledged the wider impact of the YVC with “ thanks and acknowledgement of the work that has been done, the direct impact it has on wider society, the youth violence sector, government and the lives of young people” [C13].

A new consortium was created to build on the research (Dialogue Workshop - G2, My Body My Life - G3) which includes abortion providers (British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), Marie Stopes United Kingdom (MSUK), as well as national advisory services and policy makers (Public Health England, Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, British Society of Abortion Care Providers), and providers of sexual health and contraception (Brook, Family Planning Association). A key pathway to impact is through an interactive abortion story-telling initiative – My Body My Life ( MBML). MBML is a travelling exhibition, website, and booklet **[**evaluation C1]. The consortium has undertaken a programme of public engagement, based on the research, which has challenged abortion stigma with beneficial effects for service providers, practitioners, people who have had an abortion and the wider public.

Impact on information provided to women at the time of their abortion

The two main abortion providers in the UK (BPAS and MSUK) have developed and adopted stigma-challenging initiatives to improve women’s abortion experiences as a direct result of recommendations from Hoggart and Newton’s research [O3]. BPAS worked with Hoggart on an abortion story-telling booklet MBML: real stories of abortion [C2]. This initiative has been positively evaluated in an independent evaluation [C1] which illustrates the meaningfulness of the booklet for practitioners and their end-clients. The report recommended that booklets should be made available electronically for women when they first contact BPAS (approximately 90,000 women per year), and that BPAS make hard copies of the booklet available in all their clinics. BPAS reached the decision that the booklet “ helps to reassure them [women] their lives will be okay” [C3], and actioned both these recommendations ordering a further 500 booklets to retain in their waiting rooms, and placing the electronic booklet prominently in information sent to women [C2]. The booklet is available in all BPAS clinic waiting rooms (over 40 clinics) and online on the BPAS website. In addition, the second largest abortion provider, MSUK (who commissioned the original research), responded by developing a women’s story-telling section on their website and stocking the MBML booklet, noting that “ a booklet of women’s experiences was invaluable in prompting questions clients might have about their own abortions” [C4]. It is estimated that since 2018 over 400,000 women have had direct access to the booklet through abortion providers.

Impact on service providers

The research led to increased awareness that abortion providers need to provide sensitive, compassionate and – above all – non-judgmental care to women who use their services. The evaluation report noted clinic staff “ felt the booklet has potential to raise awareness and understanding of the different circumstances that lead to an abortion and that this knowledge can help clients feel comforted and less isolated” [C1, p.12 ]. The research has also changed counselling practice at BPAS. The lead counsellor at BPAS recommends that all counsellors read the booklet and promote it to clients: “ I use it in my own face-to-face counselling with clients and in my supervisorial role as lead counsellor I have recommended that other counsellors also use it” [C3]. The MBML exhibition has been invited to large national and international medical conferences. The exhibition was showcased at the British Society of Abortion Care Providers conference and two significant and influential international conferences (FIAPAC international conference of abortion and contraception providers [456 participants] and 2019 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Global Congress [over 4,000 attendees]). An evaluation [C1, p. 23 ] of the impact of the exhibition at FIAPAC showed that a high proportion of practitioner respondents agreed the exhibition is useful for their work (83%) and 76% thought that ‘ visiting the MBML exhibition helped to increase my understanding of women’s experiences of abortion’ [C1, p.23 ]. Some of the written comments indicated that respondents had become more reflexive in their practice “ I believe it helps us as practitioners to understand the experience from a woman’s perspective” [C1, p. 22 ]. Following its success at FIAPAC, the exhibition was invited to the European Society of Contraception and Reproductive Health Conference in Dublin, May 2020, the largest international conference of relevant practitioners (re-scheduled for October 2021).

Impact on public awareness of the normality of abortionThe MBML public engagement exhibition has had considerable reach [C1], having been open to the general public in six venues in Edinburgh, Oxford, Belfast, and London. By the final public exhibition in London 2018 MBML had achieved: over 1,200 exhibition visitors; over 140 stories submitted (online and hard copy); 13,726 website views; 691 Twitter followers and >300,000 impressions between July 2017 and February 2018; over 350 attendees at speaker events; and, circa 1,000 views on YouTube [C5]. The exhibition also enjoyed substantial reach through media coverage, including pieces in The Independent and Metro. A BuzzFeed social media piece that led with the headline, Women Are Sharing Their Abortion Stories To Try To Tackle The Stigma Of Ending A Pregnancy, was highly visual showing many images from the exhibition and was visited 1,628,000 times [C5].The MBML exhibition has also had a significant and meaningful impact on people who have visited it [C1] demonstrated through stories submitted on the website. Of 345 responses, the quantitative data is overwhelmingly positive, and written responses show how the exhibition raised visitor awareness about the incidence of abortion and the range of circumstances leading to an abortion: “ I found the experience eye-opening. Got me to consider issues I wouldn’t usually”; “I had never thought about how abortions could happen as a result of medical issues and finance. Before this I assumed it was young girls who had made a mistake, I didn't think it was as common in older people who already have children” [C1, p.14 ].

Using the research MSUK launched their own #SmashAbortionStigma campaign which also involves collecting women’s abortion stories for the MSUK website. The collaboration continued with the advocacy and public affairs advisor noting “the My Body My Life website was an important resource for MSUK because it collected testimonies of women’s past experiences of abortion to augment the recent testimonies of clients that were coming through the MSUK website” [C4].

Impact on women who have had abortion Perhaps the most profound impact has been on women who have had an abortion. The exhibition had a powerful effect on visitors, especially those who had experienced an abortion or supported someone close to them through abortion. Many comments reflected this: “It made me feel less alone, that so many other women go through this.” Over 140 women contributed their own abortion stories on a public storyboard and testified to the power of the project. One of the visitors who had experienced an abortion later submitted her story to the website: “I am grateful to the exhibition and this portal which has helped me heal. It made me feel I am not the only one. It made me feel connected to strangers who have had this experience and I am ever grateful to you for this” [C1, p.21 ]. The report on booklet use in abortion clinics also noted the positive impact the booklet has had on women attending BPAS clinics, with high levels of agreement with the statement: “the booklet helped me to understand how common it is for women to have an abortion”; and comments, such as: “ it has put me at ease knowing that a lot of other women have or are going through the same as me. I feel more comfortable and openminded, not under pressure”; “It made me feel less alone and that so many other women go through this” [C1, p.11 ].

Impact on change in law in Northern Ireland

The research supported campaigning activities in Northern Ireland that contributed to a change in the abortion law in October 2019 [C6]. Hoggart has twice presented the abortion research at the Northern Ireland Assembly Knowledge Exchange Seminars; and has worked closely with Alliance for Choice (AFC), a civil movement in Northern Ireland which campaigned for the decriminalisation of abortion and continues to campaign to end abortion discrimination. The co-convenor of AFC confirmed “ My Body My Life contributed to the campaign to end abortion criminalisation in Northern Ireland and continues to contribute to the campaign to end abortion stigmatisation and discrimination” [C6]. As part of AFC’s activities to normalise abortion, MBML visited Belfast in December 2017 achieving over 1,000 visitors (exhibition and associated events) [C6]. The MBML booklet has been used in community workshops and by AFC for their campaigning and advocacy in briefings to Westminster MPs and peers and in a submission to the Women and Equalities Committee Inquiry on Abortion in Northern Ireland [C6]. AFC’s report on the community workshops describes MBML overall as “ an essential tool in tackling abortion stigma, breaking the silence and normalising abortion as part of reproductive healthcare” a change that was an essential prerequisite for legal reform [C7].

Influencing relationships and sex education in schools Hoggart and Newton’s research had noted that it was important to include material that helped young people understand about the commonality of abortion in Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) [O3]. As a result, the OU developed a course on abortion with Brook Learn, for teachers delivering RSE. This course is non-moralistic and offers a radical change to the tone and nature of abortion information designed for school students: “The e-learning module on abortion was designed to give secondary school teachers a training on teaching abortion in a way that prompted them to question their own values” [C8a]. Material from the abortion research, from the booklet, and from the MBML exhibition (including stories) is embedded in the course [C8b].

The Brook Learn abortion course was launched in March 2020 [C8b]. Brook Learn courses are currently taken up by an average of around 900 teachers/trainers but due to COVID this has been delayed. Evaluation of a pilot noted: “ the [MBML] videos added to the learning experience providing real stories told by actors that helped personalise what otherwise could be quite an abstract subject. The videos helped teachers feel more prepared to teach RSE, and not only helped them to be more aware of the different circumstances young people faced with an unplanned pregnancy, but also highlighted examples and scenarios that they could use in class” [C9, p.14 ].

A new charity

The research was foundational to the formation of a new UK abortion charity (number 297667), named Abortion Talk. The primary objectives of the charity are to develop online resources which challenge abortion stigma in society and offer information and support; provide a helpline and tailored discussion space and support for people affected by abortion; present provider workshops to share information, resources and support; provide safe spaces for people emotionally affected by abortion to talk, and seek support, around their experiences; and, provide a social media platform for talking about these experiences. The charity is supported by the British Society for Abortion Care Providers, BPAS, Brook Young People and Doctors for Choice; and will start the helpline and workshops early in 2021. MBML is a core element of the charity, as noted by one of the founder members: “ MBML has been central to the setting up of this new charity which will challenge the stigma and accepted secrecy around abortion by providing a helpline and workshops where people can discuss their experiences, including the emotional impact, of having/providing abortions” [C10].

There are four areas of impact in this case, demonstrating change to: 1. public attitudes; 2. relationship education and guidance; 3. therapeutic approaches and relationship support services; 4. improving relationships through (Paired) app interventions.

1. Public attitudes

The scale of engagement with research findings has changed public perception of everyday relationship maintenance behaviours and shaped cultural narratives on how long-term relationships are sustained over lifecourse [C1, C2]. The launch of the study findings (14/01/2014) generated extensive media engagement. Broadcast features included live interviews on BBC TV News Channel, and multiple national and international radio stations. Published items featured in 135 articles, reaching a global audience reach of 72.2 million people. The most prolific driver of social media coverage was @guardian, whose tweets reached a potential audience of over 3.6 million users [C1]. Stories focused on three key findings from the research which indicated the constituents of a lasting relationship:

“What matters is good communication and thoughtful gestures; a cup of tea in bed in the mornings”, The Guardian (15/06/2014, readership 614,000) [C2]; “ Childless couples have happier marriages”, The Telegraph (13/01/2014, readership 360,345) [C1]; “ British women prefer tea to sex”, South China Morning Post (19/01/2014, readership 396,000) [C1].

Sustained coverage of and engagement with findings over the subsequent six years (2014-2020) demonstrate the long-lasting influence in shaping public debate and changing public attitudes, focussing on:

“Sex isn’t the be-all and end-all to a happy ending”, Stylist Magazine (10/06/2019, readership 404,392) [C2]; “ Childless couples were happier with their relationships and their partners than parents were”, CNN (07/12/2016, 95 million online circulation) [C2]; “ Simple acts of kindness are more appreciated than big gestures […] bring your significant other breakfast in bed […] everyday, a cup of tea and a biscuit”, Steve Wright in the Afternoon, BBC Radio 2 (29/08/2019, 8.1m listeners) [C2].

Levels of public interest resulted in a co-authored self-help book, “ The Secrets of Enduring Love” (2016) commissioned by leading market publisher Vermillion Random House. Marketed as “the only relationship book based on extensive interviews and surveys”, this book has sold 2,442 copies [C3] and was serialized by The Daily Mail over a week (1-5/02/2016). The Mail Online (53 million online circulation) [C2] was shared over 1,000 times and generated 275 comments focusing on the value and meanings of sex and everyday relationship work:

“Great advice. I’m actually in the process of learning this right now” [C2].

“*Oh hallelujah! All of those top ten are MUCH more important than sex!*” [C2].

2. Relationship education and guidance

The success of online teaching resources based on the research has changed the strategic priorities of Brook to focus on eLearning modules [C4, C5]. In collaboration with Brook, the UK’s only charity to offer clinical and sexual health education and wellbeing services to young people, the research was used to pioneer an eLearning module for teachers to use in schools. The success of these resources, in terms of levels of engagement and learning outcomes, led to a new suite of Brook eLearning modules on other topics [C4].

The development of these evidence-based teaching materials has changed teaching practice and enhanced the relationships and sex education (RSE) curriculum. Brook has trained 8,541 professionals to deliver evidence-based RSE and in 2019/20 helped 1.4m young people through their education and wellbeing work [C6, p.9 ]. Brook Learn had 2,983 registered users in 2019, and nearly half of these (1,133) are for the Relationships & Enduring Love module [C5, p.5 ]. At the launch of the eLearning module (House of Commons, 09/13/2016), MPs commended the initiative and the application of research evidence in the development of RSE materials [C5].

Teachers using the module reported feeling “ better informed” and more able to deliver the RSE curriculum effectively:

“The resources are fantastic for discussing consent, friendship and the importance of emotions in relationships” (school nurse) [C5, p.5 ].

“I have achieved a better understanding of what young people may be thinking and about the myths that we need to dispel through RSE” (Head of PSHE) [C5, pp.5-6 ].

“I have learnt to explore all aspects of relationships with young people and to encourage them to unpick love stereotypes enforced by the media” (education specialist) [C5, p.6 ].

80% of users who completed the feedback rated the course good or excellent and 82% said they agreed or strongly agreed that they plan to use resources and deliver education to young people as a result [C5].

Engaging evidence-based RSE curriculum and online resources have changed young people’s understandings of how relationships are sustained over lifecourse [C6, pp.7-11 ]. In their evaluation of the eLearning module in schools, Brook reported that young people had gained insight into how relationships are maintained and so are better equipped to develop positive intimate relationships [C5]. Brook also works directly with more than 235,000 young people every year [C5]. Research findings have been translated into freely accessible online materials for these young people and frontline workers. These resources received 42,000-page views from young people and have received resoundingly positive feedback [C5].

3. Therapeutic approaches and relationship support services

Findings have improved training for and delivery of relationship support services. Notably they have been adopted by Relate [C7], the UK’s largest provider of relationship support, with more than 600 regional sites reaching over two million people per year across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. This research on relationships between couples has also directly benefitted Relate in their advocacy work with policy-makers [C7].

Findings from the research have changed the training priorities of Relate and enhanced the experience of same-sex couples who engage with Relate counselling [C7]. Relate employs more than 1,500 counsellors, mediators, and educationalists. As a result of the research, Relate co-funded a PhD studentship on same-sex partnerships, supervised by Gabb and Fink [Funding.3b] Findings from this doctoral research have led to diversity awareness training for Relate counsellors and changes in Relate clinical practice to better support LGBT+ couples [C7].

Media coverage of the lasting significance of everyday routine relationship care practices has entered clinical settings and resulted in changes in therapeutic practice:

“*The global and ongoing media coverage of study findings has shifted public debate on the ordinary practices that are valued and help to sustain a partnership over the course of adult life. I see evidence of this in my clinical practice, as couples are familiar with key findings such as the value of kind gestures in sustaining their relationships – often citing the ‘cup of tea’ research!*” [C8].

Research techniques have also changed clinical practice methods. In collaboration with family systemic psychotherapists, the emotion map research tool has been adapted for use as part of their clinical assessment toolkit. This has had positive results published in a leading clinical practice journal [C9] resulting in regular requests from practitioners for emoticon stickers. Counsellors are using the technique to gain insight into where and when issues arise at home. For example, doorways often frame arguments, literally and metaphorically, as teenagers guard their privacy and viewpoints or parents endeavour to usher young children out of the house in a timely manner with relevant belongings assembled. Focussing attention onto these ‘hotspots’ has proven particularly useful in family therapy, as it opens up the intergenerational dynamic and provides a means of listening to the perspectives of children [C9].

4. Improving relationships through (Paired) app interventions

As a result of the reach and significance of the Enduring Love? study and her ‘reputational standing’, Gabb has been appointed as Chief Relationships Officer at Paired [C10], working on a new app that is designed to improve relationship quality through daily prompts that will establish positive behavioural change [C11].

The app is underpinned by Gabb’s research and Gabb has contributed to the design of app content and produced a series of articles, quizzes, and daily tips, drawing on Enduring Love? research findings [C10, C11]. Topics include partnerships in the pandemic, TV-time with your partner, sharing domestic chores, relationships and mental health [C11].

Launched globally on 03/10/2020, the app received significant media coverage over the first three months, featuring in 261 pieces, including direct quotation and commentary, reaching a global audience of 801m (taking the total media audience for the research to over 170,000,000) [C12]. Highlights included Tech Crunch, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, The Sun, and The Daily Mail online, and personal interviews by Gabb on Talk Radio, LBC, Times Radio, and The Huffington Post podcast. Coverage included a front page and a 6-page feature in The Times magazine on a Saturday (08/10/20) with the reporter summarising after trailing the app “ I am persuaded that small acts, rather than grand gestures, are the secret to enduring love” [C12].

In the first three months (Oct-Dec 2020), Paired achieved 100,000 downloads, with over 8,000 daily users [C10]. It has achieved critical acclaim, winning the ‘personal growth’ category in the 2020 Google Play award and Apple ‘apps we love’ [C11]. Individual endorsement of the app and the ways it has changed relationship maintenance behaviours and improved couple relationship quality is captured in user feedback:

“It's become part of our waking ritual and helped us connect early in the day” [C10]. “ Really grateful for this app! The course material and quizzes answered a lot of questions I have always needed answers for and gave me the tools to better myself and my relationship” (Google store) [C11] “ The courses […] are backed up by relationship research, and I have really enjoyed listening and reflecting on them, and I think it has definitely made me a better partner” (Apple store) [C11].

To evaluate the effectiveness of Paired, an evaluation study was completed by the OU and the University of Brighton, including three in-app monthly quizzes and linked app usage data (Oct-Dec 2020, n= 2,671), an online survey (n= 746), and 20 interviews. Statistical analysis evidenced that the app has a significant positive impact for couples, particularly on their communication. Overall relationship quality improves the longer people engage with the app, with the greatest improvements for people using the app one to two hours a week. Analysis of the in-app quizzes shows that satisfaction with communication rose from 74% to 98%. Satisfactory conflict management rose from 78% to 93%, and couples’ sense of connection increased from 96% to 99%. In the online survey, 72% of users reported that they remember to do something for their relationship on days when they engage with the app, demonstrating that Paired’s daily tips, based on Gabb’s research, are working to change relationship maintenance behaviour [C10].

A partnership between Paired and Relate has been agreed: “ Gabb’s wisdom and insight into relationships and relationship support has been instrumental in progressing these conversations*” [C7]. This partnership delivers a unique combined package of relationship care, education, intervention and support [C7, C10]. Relate has over five million website visitors and 65,000 couple counselling referrals per year.

Key impacts include influencing the College of Policing’s first ever Code of Ethics in 2014 [C1] , which explicitly addresses the ‘blue code’ of silence via legal statute, including the ensuing important changes to police disciplinary procedures, and impact through membership of the NCA Ethics Committee which addresses how complex crime is dealt with by the police.

Westmarland’s research has influenced ethical practices in policing across the UK. Her work has been used for training and education of officers at all levels from street policing to Chief Constables. This has been achieved by a programme of engagement across policy and practice fora. Her first paper [O1] is the fourth most popular read article at >9,467 views, of the leading international academic policing journal, Policing and Society. This is as it is regarded as a ‘go-to’ journal for police training courses, police studies, and by officers preparing for internal police exams and promotion processes. She has also contributed to senior officers’ discussions and the Stevens’ Commission, which aimed to investigate how to change policing ‘for a better Britain’.

Influencing Policing Code of EthicsThe College of Policing’s 2014 Code of Ethics, is the first ever imposed on policing in England and Wales. It contains standards of professional conduct which in one key aspect is “ […] influenced by Professor Westmarland’s work on the ‘blue code’ of silence, this is an excellent example of Academia having a positive and practical influence on policing […]” confirmed by former Association of Chief Constables’ Lead for Police Ethics [C2]. The Code of Ethics sets and defines the exemplary standards of behaviour for everyone who works in policing as well as bolstering trust by the public. Westmarland’s work has influenced police policy makers – including the Home Office, via the College of Policing – to introduce this Code of Ethics. This document includes, as its only statutory (i.e. enforceable by law) requirement, that officers must report colleagues’ unethical behaviour [C1].

This change in the law and police practice came about came about through a programme of engagement. At a Select Committee Conference at the House of Commons, Westmarland was an invited Keynote Speaker on a panel comprising two Senior Police Officers, the Chair of HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, and the Chair of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and she was the only academic speaker invited. There was an audience of 300 police, academics and press [C3a, p. 2 ]. The event was reported in the media on 15 January 2013, including The Daily Telegraph, Independent, The Daily Mail, and The Daily Mirror, with headlines including: “ Half of officers would not report attack on suspect”, “ A blue wall of silence”, and “ Half of police would turn a blind eye to punching a suspect” [C4]. The problems were then outlined in Parliament by then Home Secretary in a statement to the House on 12 February 2013 [C5]. These comments mirrored Westmarland’s presentation to the Select Committee conference a month earlier. Her shadow MP responded that some research was being commissioned ( Westmarland’s) and noted the contribution, on ethics, with regard to the Stevens’ Commission. Westmarland was the only academic who had contributed on ethics to the Stevens’ Commission [C6]. Her work was also mentioned in a written submission to the Home Affairs Select Committee [C3b].

In the course of the following year, Westmarland gave a large number of talks, public lectures, and conference presentations on the topic of her research [C7]. These included talks at the National Police Chiefs’ annual conference on ethics, the College of Policing’s national command course, and a conference organized at The Open University where the CEO of the College of Policing presented the opening speech. One of the ways in which research influence was most directly exerted was in the period when the Code was being drafted Westmarland was invited to speak to a group of Home Office officials concerned with developing the new code of ethics [C2], which directly influenced the new code. The Chief Operating Officer of the College of Policing at the time noted: “ As part of the process she [ Westmarland] was consulted by the senior team who were devising the code. Her studies of the so-called ‘blue code of silence’ and the way police cultures have been shown to operate were influential on the code’s development” [C8].

Subsequently, in 2014, the first Code of Ethics relating to policing in England and Wales was published. The influence of this document is extensive because it is the formal guidance document issued to all serving police officers regarding their behaviour and actions, particularly in ‘heat of the moment’ situations. It has ten ‘standards’ of professional behaviour, the final being, “Challenging and reporting improper conduct’ and the first point of which is that ‘According to this standard you must never ignore unethical or unprofessional behaviour by a policing colleague, irrespective of the person’s rank, grade or role” [C1, p. 15 ]. For the first time in the history of this country’s policing, officers are now required to report any colleagues’ misdemeanours that they observe. This is shaped by Westmarland’s main finding, that the ‘blue code’ of silence prevents law-breaking by police being reported, and subsequently either punished or prevented (as the Chief Constable confirmed **[C8]**). Section 10 of the Code of Ethics now states that Officers are required to report any rule breaking or criminal activity they observe and failure to do so can result in a charge of gross misconduct leading to dismissal [C1, p.15 ].

Effects of the Code of EthicsCases of gross misconduct have already been pursued under the new statutory regulation contained in the Code, with officers being disciplined, threatened with dismissal, or required to resign [C9a-d]. For example, in 2016 in the north of England, a police sergeant failed to report an allegation of excessive force by a constable he was accompanying to a disturbance in a bar. The misconduct case was taken up in the light of the new enforceable element of the Code of Ethics [C1, C9a]. Collated statistics on these cases do not currently exist but research on individual forces shows that officers have been disciplined and dismissed for not reporting unethical or illegal actions **[**for examples see C9a-d]. The College’s Code of Ethics has concentrated on the ‘blue code’ of silence, in terms of statutory requirements of conduct, which in turn may have influenced the results of Westmarland and Conway’s [O6] more recent findings, showing an increased likelihood, by police, to report colleagues’ misdeeds.

Influence on police ethics regionallyWestmarland’s research process included surveys conducted with police forces across the UK. This also served to raise this important issue in practice. One example of the effect of this is with West Yorkshire Police. The research work with the force resulted in actions around ethics and integrity being changed by the force’s senior management team. For example, changing the anonymous message system where officers can report colleagues, to improve trust in it [C10]. In addition, Westmarland and Conway’s research [O6] was used to influence national questions around the Code of Ethics by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) [C10] which assesses how far forces are showing progression on ethical issues. As the Detective Superintendent of West Yorkshire Police stated; “ Her [ Westmarland’s] work on the Code of Ethics and the ‘blue code’ of ethics has been read and used in our discussions and informed our training and disciplinary processes. It has had a significant impact on the ways in which we think about these issues and have found her research extremely useful in shaping these local, and potentially national, policies” [C10].

Impact through the NCA Ethics Committee

“Using her experience and research” [C11a] Westmarland has influenced the activities of the NCA’s Ethics Committee since her appointment at its formation in 2017. The NCA is the UK equivalent of the USA’s FBI and deals exclusively with high level policing issues of national and international importance. There are only five external members of the Ethics Committee known as the Independent Advisory Group on Ethics (IAGE) and Westmarland is the policing expert on this group. Her role is to advise on and help shape the NCA’s policies and processes, including in ongoing cases where the police are confronted with challenging ethical dilemmas and is tasked with advising on particular courses of action in the light of ethical concerns. The specifics of these issues are highly confidential, but they include child abuse, high value fraud, illegal drugs, and the use of undercover agents, including those who act on behalf of the UK Government to uncover crimes across the world. Westmarland’s role as a policing expert has seen her comment on cases where her knowledge of police research is pertinent, including where her own experiences of researching and observing serving police officers is the key information. The NCA Director General Operations noted that, “ *as an independent advisor to the NCA, as a member of the IAGE, Professor Westmarland has had an impact on strategies and policies as well as day to day activities where officers find themselves in situations facing ethical dilemmas” [C11a]**. Westmarland’s contributions have “ led to new ways of thinking about these difficult and complex problems” [C11a].

The Chair of the Committee outlined, Westmarland’s contributions regarding; informing the operations of the group in terms of advising on methods used by police and others in the NCA to carry out work, making the group more effective in terms of assessing ethics, informing them about the effect of the ‘blue code’ of silence and police culture more broadly [C11b]. However, he also identified specific contribution in terms of the NCA’s own code of ethics, published in September 2020. “ Professor Westmarland’s contributions have had a direct impact on the Code in terms of wording and implementation*” [C11b], specifically in the way it can take police cultural ideas and behaviours into account. These contributions “directly impacted upon decisions which are fed back to officers and agents in the front line” [C11b].

Overall therefore, as the former Chief Operating Officer of the College of Policing concludes: “ Her work and the way she has communicated and shared it with policing colleagues has contributed to an important development in policing, a development that has resulted, ultimately, in a more professional, accountable and ethical policing service” [C8].

The research has led to improved safety for refugees, changed international practice in communicating about and with migrants, changed public perceptions to generate solidarity and mobilise compassion, and changed curatorial practices to improve representation of and engagement with excluded communities.

4.1. Impact on refugee safety through reliable news and information provisionResearch on Syrian refugees’ use of smartphones [O4] and on the BBC’s diasporas [O3], led to the European Commission funding www.InfoMigrants.net [C1a] run by a consortium of European international broadcasters (value: EUR15,000,000). The OU “Mapping Refugee Media Journeys” report “ provided the evidence base on which the decision to set up a new online information and news platform for migrants was made. InfoMigrants was launched in 2017 to serve the needs of migrants. […]. The main problem that OU research helped to resolve was that of how the EC and InfoMigrants consortium could best provide reliable, timely, accurate news and information that would contest smugglers narratives and that would protect vulnerable groups and prevent deaths and dangerous journeys to Europe” [C2a]. The OU undertook the research and development of InfoMigrants in its first three years (current reach 54.3 million unique users on Facebook alone in five languages) [C1b]. InfoMigrants reduced the dangerous dependency of migrants on misinformation and fake news by smugglers on social media. Our co-researcher in Ghana reported: “As a result of reading InfoMigrants, several interviewees told me they decided not to take the Libya route in their lives; that they will never try again” [C3]. The project has been welcomed by Pope Francis as an important initiative, and by German Chancellor Angela Merkel [C1c].

4.2. Impact on international practice in communicating with and about migrants The research inspired European media organisations to collaborate to improve the quality of their news for migrants. Director of Research at France Medias Monde stated “ OU research led to new ways of thinking and working, new tools for researching online and social media engagement” [C2a]. Editor of InfoMigrants, Deutsche Welle reported “ your research and insights have helped us become more refined, more tailored to our audience and more sensible to the vastly diverse migrants' background/migration stories” [C2c]. Head of Communications Sector at DG Home/Migration at the European Commission, stated our research “ helped to change how we think about anti-smuggling campaigns, ways of evaluating them and communicating with refugees more effectively […]. The research helped […] better understand the needs of the migrants and in so doing helped the EC policy-makers involved in their management of migration from 2016-20” [C2d]. The significance for international organisations of the Value Analysis Framework [O1, O4] underpinning all this research and impact is evidenced by the Head of Evidence (Arts) at the British Council who stated “ The Open University’s research using the Cultural Value Framework on a dozen or so case studies of our international programmes since 2014 has led to a rethinking of approaches to and practices of evaluation […]. It has helped us understand how the goals of funders, delivery teams and audiences/users differ but can be better aligned to achieve a greater level of all-round success of our programmes aimed at improving international understanding and intercultural dialogue” [C2e].

A collaboration between OU and UN Women in Jordan including focus group interviews with some 500 Syrian refugee women in Za’atari and Azraq camps has led to changes in policy and practice on digital access, use and inclusion for civic participation and community engagement before and after Covid 19. UN Women stated OU research “assisted UNW to meet the challenge of using digital technologies to empower women for work, education and training, community engagement, civic participation and tackling gender based violence […] and better understand how poverty, privacy and security concerns powerfully shape women’s uses of technology [...]. These changes in understanding and practice feed into revising and developing our evolving strategic goals and decision-making about how best to implement new technologies and how they can best be used to meet our overall aims” [C4]. 4.3. Changing public perceptions of migrants and migrationOU researchers Gillespie, Erel and Canning contributed knowledge, fact checking, ethical advice and feedback to the production team of Exodus: Our Journey to Europe [C5a] . Production company Keo Films drew on their research as they invited refugees to film their journeys on smartphones. In regular meetings with the production crew at the height of the ‘migration crisis’, Gillespie and Erel shed light on various issues, including the ethics of working with and representing refugees which helped them to avoid the pitfalls of portraying them simply as victims. As the testimony provided by Keo confirms, OU input ensured that the films offered unique and alternative insights into refugee journeys through mobilizing refugee creativity and self-representation. The BBC series changed audience perceptions: “The heroes of the documentary are Akkad and the other refugees […] their bravery has helped create the most powerful and moving account of the refugee crisis to date” [C5b]. The impact on the public has been profound, and many reviewers described the extent of their emotional engagement, calling the documentary “essential” (Prix Italia) [C5f]. 4,390,000 viewed it in the UK in 2016 [C5d] and scores of millions across the world [C5e]. It has won eight major awards including an Emmy and two BAFTAs [C5f]. 14,473 viewers visited the OU’s Open Learn educational resource [C6a], many leaving comments that the documentary generated a feeling of solidarity with refugees and prompted them into action to support refugees as a result, e.g.: “ Registered with a couple of charities to campaign and make small donations [...] including an on-line petition to […] help unaccompanied children” [C6b].

4.4. Making refugee voices heard, changing curatorial practicesThe OU’s contributions to the Who Are We? Tate Exchange programme [C7a] (2016-20) are based on the concept of ‘cultural citizenship’. The project attracted a high proportion of young, migrant, and black and ethnic minority audiences [C8] among 11,500 in-person and 117,000 online visitors [C7b]. The programme changed audience’s views of refugees. Visitor feedback to exhibition, workshops, and symposia showed how visitors learned more about the situation of refugees and migrants and felt more keenly that they were personally connected to the challenges of migration. “ That exhibition gave me so much stimulus, hints and ideas. So, then, I did something else after the exhibition […]. Having much more clues about what refugees are experiencing obviously pushed me to take the decision to volunteer, to be much more involved” reported one visitor [C7c]. Another: “definitely broadened my understanding and deepened my compassion for people displaced by war” [C7d]. Audiences spoke to researchers, artists, and others, who discussed and engaged in participatory activities, such as co-creating poetry with refugee poets who joined over Skype from refugee camps in France and Germany.

Who Are We? was one of the most successful of the various Tate Exchange programmes. Its success contributed to a change in culture and practice at Tate Exchange with an intention to continue the participatory programme. Our training of Tate staff in participatory methods changed curatorial practices, inspiring them to “ think about […] participatory research” with different audiences [C7e]. It resulted in the Tate Neighbours project, “ one of the central programmes by which Tate Exchange and Tate opened its doors to artistic and cultural expression from marginalised and diverse migrant audiences” [C7f]. As part of the OU’s contribution to Who Are We? a travelling exhibition and book were produced Communities of Solidarity: the Story of Pikpa refugee camp. 1,000 copies of the book were disseminated in UK, Greece and Norway generating donations of approximately EUR10,000 to support Pikpa and migrant solidarity [C9].

A digital map of refugees’ journeys discovered during the research [C10a] was the focus of a BBC Radio 4 online feature [C10b], and the first object acquired by the Royal Museums Greenwich as part of their permanent collection on ‘Europe’s migration crisis’. The Director of Acquisitions said the report “sensitized museum audiences and educators to the role of communications technologies and border regimes in refugee journeys in the contemporary world. In influencing the permanent collection of a national museum, the research will continue to reach museum publics for generations to come” [C11]. It was part of a Maritime Museum Facebook webinar discussion on Navigation, Twitter and You Tube [C10c].

The pandemic has created new problems and opportunities for migrants, as explored in the OU digital resource Covid Chronicles from the Margins [C12a] and associated digital exhibition Unlocked Archive [C12b]. The exhibition launch in December 2020 attracted 174 people from UK, USA, Greece, Netherlands and Ghana and engendered numerous positive comments confirming improved understanding of the issues, motivating some to donate to support refugees, particularly those living in dire circumstances on Lesvos in Greece [C12c]. The Covid Chronicles website tracks the unfolding of the impacts of the pandemic over time, particularly on inequalities and solidarities. A digital space for encounters, it hosts contributions from over 200 migrants. User analytics data [C12d] are impressive given the website’s short life (since April 2020). Its impact can be felt most acutely in the quality of the engagement it inspires in bringing together diverse groups of people, leading them to a better understanding and motivating them to participate, to represent themselves, and to contribute to policy debates [C12b]. Prominent asylum-seeker support group representatives commented: “ It is rare for refugees to find such a platform […]. It is a living archive of this extraordinary moment” and “It will last forever as piece of oral history that promoted the rights of asylum-seekers […] a very important project in enabling participation” [C13]. These digital resources bring together a global community of migrants, artists, academics and community organisations to debate matters of collective concern, represent their lives under the pandemic, enabling greater social solidarity with migrants and contributing to policy change.