ABSTRACT
The need for effective and efficient program planning takes place against a backdrop of governments of all political persuasions providing services in a time of economic constraint, and an increased concern among communities that money be spent wisely. Policies can be considered the most pervasive form of social intervention. All government departments produce policies: vast amounts of time and energy are expended in their development, and public policy is an essential topic for students of governance and organisational change. Large-scale policy provides direction for interventions that are implemented across a system of providers under the same organisational umbrella. Formal evaluation language speaks of a ‘theory of action’ or a program logic that specifies linkages between various components of implementation, and between them and one or more outcomes. A training policy was developed to provide people with skills to work in the area of intellectual disability.
