A core approach to practice-based evidence: A brief history of the origins and applications of the CORE-OM and CORE System

This article reviews the development of the CORE-OM and CORE System from 1995 to 2005 in the context of the need to measure, monitor, and manage the delivery of counselling and the psychological therapies in service of providing best quality care for clients. The origins and philosophy of these tools are summarised and practical aspects of how to use them in routine service settings are set out, including an easy to use look-up table of differing ways of presenting CORE-OM scores and their associated meaning. The wider family of CORE outcome measures is briefly outlined to show the relationship between the various versions and how each is designed for a specific purpose. These outcome tools are set within the broader context of the CORE System. In turn, the CORE-OM and CORE System are placed within the paradigm of practice-based evidence and examples are provided of how these tools have been applied in routine as well as more traditional evaluative settings. The aim of the present article is two-fold. The first aim is to provide a background to the origins and development of the CORE-OM and its role as part of the broader-based CORE System during the period 1995 to 2005. The second aim is to consider the applications of both the CORE-OM and CORE System within the context of the developing paradigm of practice-based evidence up to 2005.