Population and Performance Accountability: There is a Difference

RBA makes an important distinction between population and performance accountability. In population accountability, the entire community, including the public and private sectors shares responsibility for achieving the conditions of well-being for children and families. Performance accountability, by comparison, is held at a program, agency or service level and determines whether the clients or customers of the program or service are better off. This distinction ensures that appropriate responsibility is attached to programs and services and avoids the expectation that one single program can produce large population level results.

Under the RBA framework, Our Kids Network identified seven population results and three performance results.

Population Results (known as the Halton 7):

1. Children are healthy
2. Children are learning
3. Children are positively connected
4. Children are safe
5. Families are strong and stable
6. Schools are connected to the community
7. Neighbourhoods are where we live, work and play

Performance Results:

1. Building towards service integration
2. Supporting children, youth, and families through neighbourhood Hubs
3. Turning research into action

RBA workbook

ResultsAccountability.com

Resources on Results-Based Accountability provided by The Fiscal Policy Studies Institute (FPSI) and Mark Friedman.