Improving Practice
Transition from Effective Practice Quality Assurance (EPQA) to the new Youth Justice Planning Framework
The recent Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, and proposed changes to local area performance management in Wales, have had implications for how the YJB monitors performance of youth justice services.
In meeting the requirements of the Act the YJB has amended the way in which it monitors the youth justice system and has introduced an annual Youth Justice Planning Framework.
Click to read more about the new framework and process and how it relates to the changes in local area performance monitoring in both England and Wales.
The Youth Justice Planning Framework will incorporate the key features of the current EPQA – self-assessment and validation – but will also be underpinned by the priorities contained within the Criminal Justice Strategic Plan for the next spending review period.
No new Key Elements of Effective Practice self-assessments were required for 2007/08; however the improvement plans for the remaining two Key Elements of Effective Practice themes (Substance Misuse, Remand Management or Mental Health) were reviewed by YOTs at the end of April 2008, with validation by the YJB Regional Teams in May and June 2008.
Once the review and validation of the remaining Key Elements of Effective Practice has been completed, EPQA as a process will cease.
The Key Elements of Effective Practice, which underpin the current quality assurance process, are being maintained; as they describe the features of effective youth justice services, allow delivery to be shaped by need and local context and are intended to support consistency of delivery across youth justice services. YOTs will be able to use the Key Elements of Effective Practice as a key tool in the internal planning process and benchmarking of services.