Module 9: Wellbeing policy impact assessment
What are policy impact assessments?
When designing public policy, policymakers need to constantly be mindful that what appears to be a solution in one area may inadvertently cause problems or lead to changes in another area. Policy impact assessments are evidence-informed procedures that governments use to assess the impacts of specific policies.
Impact assessments can occur before, during or after implementing a project or programme. This module focuses on impact assessments that take place before a public policy or programme is being implemented. This prospective analysis helps to inform more robust policy design, while retrospective analysis serves purposes of accountability and learning.
Wellbeing frameworks (Module 6) are a valuable tool to provide an overarching picture of the web of outcomes that need to be taken into account during policy development. Using a wellbeing framework to assess the potential impacts of policies across wellbeing outcomes, can help make policy impact assessments:
more holistic - by specifying a comprehensive range of wellbeing outcomes that matter for society and that policy development needs to take into account.
more systematic – by ensuring that there is consistency in the wellbeing outcomes that are considered across different government agencies.
more democratic – by assessing policies against the outcomes that matter most to people in society, as defined by a wellbeing framework that was developed in an inclusive and participatory way (Module 5).
There are many existing types of policy impact assessments that governments carry out. They often focus on specific types of impacts, such as environmental impacts, social impacts, impacts on gender equality or child wellbeing. Sometimes, several of these impact assessments are combined or integrated into an overarching assessment framework, such as environmental and social impact assessments (ESIA) and sustainability impact assessments.
Share your thoughts on the discussion board: What kinds of prospective impact assessments are currently carried out in your government department or unit?
Image source:
Virpi Oinonen, www.businessillustrator.com