The Department of Health and Aged Care (the Department) engaged HMA to undertake an independent evaluation of the National Breastfeeding Helpline and LiveChat service run by the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA). The evaluation aimed to assess to what extent ABA has achieved the intended objectives of the services, with a focus on the appropriateness, sustainability and effectiveness of the services. Further, the evaluation made recommendations to inform the future of breastfeeding support services in Australia.
Key tasks of the project included:
- Completion of a desktop analysis and literature review to summarise relevant policy, literature, and program documentation to inform the evaluation
- Development of a program logic and consultation framework, listing different stakeholder types
- Development of an evaluation framework including key evaluation areas of appropriateness, effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability, indicators, and data sources
- Preparation of an ethics application, including a protocol, participant information and consent form, consumer question guide, and recruitment communications
- Consultation with key stakeholders including the ABA, Government professional and peak bodies, health professionals, representatives of priority populations, and consumer organisations
- Preparation of a preliminary consultation report based on discussions with the ABA to provide background information for the evaluation
- Analysis of data relating to the Helpline, the LiveChat, volunteers, training, financials and consumer experiences
- Analysis of the ABA’s volunteers and consumer surveys using quantitative methods and thematic analysis
- Facilitation of consumer and volunteer focus groups to understand a range of perspectives and provide further information on survey responses
- Synthesis of qualitative and quantitative themes based on consultations and preliminary data into an interim report
- Triangulation of data sources to answer the key evaluation questions in a final report
The evaluation commenced in March 2024 and was completed by December 2024.
