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: The College of Policing have published updated guidance on cautioning and charging of knife crime offices, which should be used to shape Police response and Crown Prosecution Service decision making in offences related to knife crime, including those committed by children. Description: The College of Policing have published guidelines on the cautioning and charging of knife crime…
Summary: The Ministry of Justice have released guidance for staff working with children and young people in England and Wales on the administration of the early and late release scheme Description: The Ministry of Justice have published early and late release for detention and training orders guidance. The policy framework sets out rules and guidance for staff…
Summary: Access to the Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years for children and young people. Description: The Department for Education and Department of Health and Social Care have published SEND Code of Practice: 0 to 25 Years statutory guidance. The guidance is concerned with special educational needs and disability system for children and young…
Summary: Access to the reducing the criminalisation of children in care and care leavers protocol for Wales. Description: The Welsh government have published reducing the criminalisation of children in care and care leavers: all Wales protocol (March 2022). The protocol is a framework for good practice for those working with care experienced children up to the age of…
Summary: Access to the prevent duty guidance for England and Wales. Description: The Prevent Duty Guidance for England and Wales (updated 2021) is in regards to the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, which contains a duty on specified authorities to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.
Summary: Guidance produced by the Department for Education on how to prevent and respond to reports of sexual violence and harassment between children in school and college. Description: The Department for Education have published Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Between Children in Schools and Colleges Guidance (updated 2021). The guidance is intended for schools and colleges on how to prevent…
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.