Matrix Insight

As a result of poor relationships with family, peer group or statutory agencies, people can become excluded from the mainstreams of society, whether in schools, the workplace or other community institutions.

Addressing the causes of socially exclusion has been a goal of government and third sector organisations for some time. At Matrix we have been deeply engaged in helping shape and evaluate policy in this area throughout the last decade. Our work has touched on numerous areas of social policy, such as:

• Substance abuse, evaluating enforcement strategies, scoping the extent of the drugs market, and developing tools that help local drug partnerships commission services more effectively;
• Sustainable communities, evaluating and developing local schemes for safer communities, healthier neighbourhoods and improved housing support services;
• Children and young people, developing the work of Youth Offending Teams and SureStart to develop protective factors to prevent offending behaviour; and
• The advice sector, conducting independent reviews of national policy and evaluating the offices and drop-in centres of front-line service providers.

We have worked alongside a wide range of clients, including national policy-makers such as the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), the Ministry of Justice, the Department for Children, Families and Schools (DCFS), Youth Justice Board for England & Wales (YJB) and those at a local level who develop strategy and commission services, such as Drug Action Teams and Supporting People teams.

In all cases, we have brought to bear a high degree of subject knowledge, combined with skills in social research, operational research, strategic consultancy and economics. You can find out more about how we can help by reading our client case studies or downloading our social welfare publications.