Legislation and guidance documents

This section contains links to relevant youth justice legislation and operational guidance to support operational delivery of youth justice services.

 

The aim of this section it to provide a place for operational staff to access links to legislation and other official guidance that can support working with children, families, victims and key partners.

 

If you would like to submit guidance or tell us of regularly used legislation that is relevant to supporting operational delivery of youth justice services to the Youth Justice Resource Hub, please complete the submission form.

Summary: Acess to the national protocol for case responsability for youth justice serices in England and Wales produed by the Youth Justice Board.     Description: The Youth Justice Board for England and Wales published the national protocol for case responsibility: practice guidance for youth offending teams in England and Wale (2018).   The guidance promotes consistent practice among youth justice services…
Summary: Acess to the Referral Order Guidance for youth justice services to use with children that have received a Referral Order in Court.     Description:  The Youth Justice Board has published the Referral Order Guidance (October 2018). This guidance gives information on: the legislation setting up referral orders (youth offender) panels and their part in the referral process making the orders…
Summary:  Access to a 10 point checklist endorced by the Crown Prosecution's Service in regard to offences that occur in children's homes.      Description: The Crown Prosecution Service have endorsed a 10 point checklist for offences in Children’s Homes.  Awareness of this best practice checklist can play a role in reducing the number of children looked after unnecessarily charged for…
Summary: Acess to the national protocol on reducing criminalisation of children looked after and care leavers produced by the Department for Education.       Description: The Department for Education, in partnership with statutory and voluntary sector have published the National Protocol on Reducing Unnecessary Criminalisation of Looked-After Children and Care Leavers.    The aim of the protocol isto support the work…
Summary: Access to the joint housing protocol for care leavers to help reduce homelessness.   The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government together with Department for Education have published a the following guidance: Joint housing protocols for care leavers: good practice advice ~(2020) to support councils to help ensure care leavers have the stable homes they need and prevent them…
Summary: Access to the Unpaid Work operating briefing for children 16/17 years of age.      Description: The Unpaid Work operating briefing aims to give advice on the operation of Unpaid Work in youth justice services across England and Wales.   The briefing outlines the requirements/expectations for the youth justice services, National Probation Service and Community Rehabilitation Companies.
Summary:  Generic overview of information concerning age assessments for unaccompanied and separated asylum seeking children.     Description: Unaccompanied and separated asylum seeking children, is an asylum-seeking child under the age of 18 and not accompanied by a close relative. Almost all of these children have no form of identification, and therefore have no way of proving their age with…
Summary:  Agreed definition of prevention and diversion.       Description: Part of the Prevention and Diversion Project, funded by National Probation Service (NPS) and jointly commissioned with YJB and Association of YOT Managers (AYM), was to develop a shared definition of prevention and diversion. Following consultation with various stakeholders, definitions for prevention and diversion have been created in alignment with…
Summary: MoJ Race Disparity Team have developed a guide to support those working in the CJS to work in a more effective way with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.    The Ministry of Justice’s Race Disparity team have developed this guide for criminal justice staff about Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. The booklet is intended for both operational staff and…
Summary: Link to the Sentencing Children and Young People: Definitive Guideline 2017.      Description: The Sentencing Children and Young People: Definitive Guideline (2017) is for use in courts in England and Wales on the overarching principles for sentencing children and young people. In addition it includes specific guidelines for sentencing Sexual and Robbery Offences.
Summary: The Bar Standards Board have published competences and guidance to support all barristers practising in youth proceedings.     Description: The Bar Standards Board has created the Youth Proceedings Competences. The purpose of the competences and guidance is to support all barristers practising in youth proceedings, and those contemplating doing so to improve the standards of advocacy.
Summary: Link to the guidance and toolkit, to improve the effectiveness of pre and post Court as well as at Court experience of children.      Description: The Youth Justice Board published Making It Count in Court (2020). The guidance and toolkit provide practical guidance and templates to help improve the effectiveness of the pre-court, at-court and post-court experience for children.   
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