It is crucial to decide at the outset what outcome you are trying to achieve and exactly how you are planning to measure it.
This is important in part because it challenges you to think through whether and how you can actually collect the outcome data. It also protects the integrity of your trial. If you have decided on an outcome at the beginning, it can help with the temptation to look at several different outcomes and pick the one that looks most promising.
When conducting trials that test ways to improve childcare take-up, there are likely to be two options for your main outcome measure:
- Applications: Did a parent in the trial apply for a funded childcare place or not?
- Take-up: Did a parent in the trial actually take up a funded childcare place for their child or not?
Which outcome you choose will depend on the specific trial, your objectives and the data that is available.
