Improving Practice
Key Elements of Effective Practice
The Key Elements of Effective Practice describe the features of effective services and support the identification of staff learning and development needs.
Originally published in 2002, the Key Elements of Effective Practice have been updated as part of Youth Justice: The Scaled Approach. Some of the previous titles have been discontinued and new titles added, to ensure they reflect the core underpinning practices of assessment and planning, and engaging young people, and the types of intervention that may be provided to address the assessed risks and needs of young people who offend. Where titles have been discontinued, the relevant guidance will be available elsewhere.
The new Key Elements of Effective Practice and their corresponding source documents represent the very latest in research evidence and legislative developments. They have been completed in adherence to robust YJB research standards.
These documents describe effective practice as we can define it now - informed by the most recent national and international research conducted since the first Key Elements of Effective Practice were published. As part of our continuing commitment to identifying and disseminating effective practice, the YJB will periodically refresh the Key Elements of Effective Practice to reflect the latest evidence base and legislative context.
The 10 current Key Elements of Effective Practice published by the YJB are:
Key Elements of Effective Practice - Source Documents
The summary notes above are based on source research documents which contain the evidence identified through systematic evidence reviews. Below are the source research documents for the Key Elements of Effective Practice.
The YJB would encourage youth justice services to use the Key Elements of Effective Practice summary notes and source documents in tandem to ensure a full understanding of the link between the evidence base and the principles of effective practice outlined. Click for more information on using the Key Elements of Effective Practice.
Note that the old source documents for the Key Elements of Effective Practice themes not updated in 2008 are still available for anyone interested in the research evidence in relation to these areas.