Urbis drew on its evaluation expertise to evaluate Newpin (New Parent and Infant Network), Australia’s first Social Benefit Bond (SBB).

Newpin is a child protection program that works with parents whose children have been placed in Out-of-Home Care with the aim of restoring them safely to their families. In 2013, NSW Treasury commissioned Urbis to assess the program’s benefits and outcomes over a three-year period. Our interim evaluation showed that 58 per cent of children in Newpin were restored to their family – more than double the rate of families who didn’t take part in the program.

Urbis’ evaluation involved extensive interviews with parents and other stakeholders. Our team also documented emerging practice learnings and identified critical success factors and future challenges. We found the mix of evidence-based interventions and the intensity and longevity of the program to be key to achieving successful outcomes for families.

The evaluation reports can be found on the Office of Social Impact Investments website.

There is immense interest in this program across Australia and internationally, as it is one of the first SBBs in Australia involving a formal partnership between government and NGOs. It has been a privilege to work on such a ground-breaking study.

– Alison Wallace, Director