It is envisioned that this database will facilitate evidence-based participatory policymaking, by improving the ability of policymakers, academics, researchers, media and interested members of the public to access information critical for the development of social policy.

The specific intention is to provide a one-stop shop for identifying social research and data, especially technical reports and unpublished research studies that might otherwise be known only to the organization or documentation centre where they are located, or to a small circle of organizations and researchers.

The database provides:

(1) The Jamaican location (address, opening hours, etc. where appropriate) of social research, technical reports and policy position papers on Jamaica and the Caribbean.

(2) An abstract or summary. Where permission has been granted, a full PDF copy will be made available.

(3) Links to other Caribbean websites with social data.

The database uses two guides for choice of subject for social policy research:

(a) Jamaica's seven National Social Policy Goals.

(b) All issues dealing with protection of the individual, protection of rights, care of the vulnerable, labour market instability, and social safety nets (Martin Abrams. A Manual for Policy Analysts. 2002)