Developing family engagement models with front-line youth justice practitioners

This project will examine ways in which youth justice services can enhance communication with families of young people subject to court-based orders and out of court-disposals.

Recent research by the Ministry of Justice highlighted the need for more effective engagement between youth offending teams and families of young people. Youth justice services can be instrumental in helping to address the wider causes and consequences of youth offending. However, to be most effective they need to address the systematic inequalities embedded in the youth justice system, a task made difficult by budget cuts and changes in priorities. The shift towards risk-preventative interventions, putting the focus on community interactions and maximising parental involvement, has been criticised during a period of austerity.

The research team will be building upon their prior work looking at the impact of custodial sentences on parents. They will be undertaking an action-based approach, focusing on collaborating with two youth offending services areas in the south east of England. Using a cooperative research method, actively engaging with the agents of implementation during the research design and formulation, will allow for a more effective translation of theory into practice.

The research will be split into four phases:

1. Identifying gaps in the system by conducting a systematic review and highlighting best practice in parenting strategies involving youth offending services, children and families.
2. Conducting qualitative interviews with practitioners, families and children on their experiences and needs. These findings will be discussed in workshops with a variety of stakeholders.
3. Piloting a family-based model in the two youth offending services in collaboration with practitioners. This will be evaluated through the perspectives of children, family and practitioners.
4. Using thematic analysis to determine similarities and differences across the two research sites.

The findings will be disseminated in a range of formats to target multiple audiences. Articles will be written for academic and practitioner peer review journals and a website will be created alongside the use of social media. A conference will be held with the help of two distinguished keynote speakers.

The development of a toolkit will be used to promote best practice when implementing the new family-based model on a national level. It will share the perceptions of young people, families and practitioners on their experience adopting the new model. Resources will be created for children and their families to support them during contact with youth offending services.