Independent evaluation shows Ygam training is ‘highly effective’ for practitioners

Health and Social Care practitioners saw a 72% increase in their ability to recognise gaming and gambling harms in children and young people after completing Ygam’s training, an independent evaluation has revealed.

The independent evaluation, conducted by Rocket Science, highlights the ‘vital role’ of Ygam’s programme in equipping practitioners with the knowledge and tools to recognise, support, and signpost those at risk. It emphasises the importance of Ygam’s work as many practitioners initially have limited awareness of the risks that gaming and gambling can pose to children and young people.

The report reveals data that shows that, in 2024, Ygam not only frequently met, but also exceeded, its monthly targets in relation to the children and young people reach of trained delegates, achieving an overall reach of 166% of the intended target. Ygam trained 1,957 practitioners reaching an estimated 199,467 children and young people. Key deliveries of the training included clinical and non-clinical staff at Alder Hey Children’s and frontline teams at the children’s mental health charity Place2Be.

The evaluation provides strong evidence that Ygam’s training is highly effective and well-suited for Health and Social Care practitioners. Participants reported significantly increased knowledge of gaming and gambling harms after completing the training. The findings also indicate that the programme enhances practitioners’ ability to recognise the signs of harm in children and young people, as well as their confidence in signposting and offering appropriate support when concerns arise.

Data collect from pre, and post workshop surveys showed their knowledge of gaming and gambling harms increased from 14.8% to 95.1%. There was also strong evidence to suggest their confidence in communicating with children and young people about gaming and gambling had increased (from 20.4% to 91.9%), as well as their ability to signpost and support those who may be experiencing harm (from 18.5% to 92.8%).

The evidence also suggests that the increase in knowledge is enduring insofar as most respondents reported high levels of knowledge regarding gambling and gaming in children and young people at both three months (57.8%) and six months (75.0%) following the workshop.

The evaluation also presented Ygam with some recommendations to enhance the reach and effectiveness of the programme. These include expanding training access to a wider range of frontline professionals, integrating content into existing safeguarding and mental health frameworks, and developing tailored resources for specific practitioner groups.

Sandy Thompson, Programme Lead for Health and Social care at Ygam, said:

“Being evidence-led is at the heart of everything we do. This evaluation does not just depict our impact but emphasises our heightened focus on reflection and improvement. Over the past year, we’ve embedded rigorous evaluation into every stage of programme delivery to ensure our work is both effective and responsive to the needs of health care practitioners and the young people they support.

“These insights have shaped our approach, informed our partnerships, and strengthened our commitment to continuous growth. As we look ahead, this evidence base will continue to guide our efforts to scale impact and drive meaningful change in the prevention of gaming and gambling harms.”