The indicator’s value can be determined by using the following methodology:
1) Define what an “effective referral” means in the context of your intervention. When defining “effective referral”, try to go for the most comprehensive referral (see below); however, consider also its feasibility, especially related to the capacity and willingness of the relevant service providers. Among the most common types of referral are:
- Most Basic Referral: An aid worker informs a person who needs a certain service about the service (what it is, who provides it, how it can be accessed, etc.) and recommends her/him to use it. S/he ensures that this referral is recorded onto her/his organization’s Referral Registry. This most basic referral should only be used if the service providers are not able to contact the person needing their service by themselves (see below).
- Good Practice Referral: The process is the same as above; however, the aid worker, with the consent of the referred person, contacts the service provider (e.g. by text message, e-mail, personal visit or in another way) and gives basic information about the referred person so that the service provider can approach her/him directly. The referral is recorded as “effective referral” in the Referral Registry only if the service provider confirms that it will contact the person who needs its service(s).
- Ideal Referral: The process is the same as in the case of the “good practice referral”; however, the referral is recorded in the Referral Registry as an “effective referral” only after the service provider confirms that the referred person received the required service (i.e. either the service provider is willing to inform the organization by itself or the organization itself follows-up with the provider to ask whether the service was provided). Before you choose this option, verify whether the relevant service providers are willing and able to provide such information (e.g. whether they are limited by client protection rules etc.).
2) Count the number of effective referrals, according to the definition made in the previous point. The information on referrals (e.g. what cases were referred, to whom, whether it was acknowledged and what follow up it requires) should be tracked in a referral database (i.e. the Referral Register) that is administered by the Referral Focal Point (while respecting principles of confidentiality). Always count the number of referrals, not people – if a person was effectively referred to two different actors for different kinds of services, this should be counted as two referrals.
