Definitions

A list of some of the terms used in this manual and their definitions.

Term	Definition
Appropriate adult	When we refer to an appropriate adult, as required under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and accompanying Codes of Practice, we are describing; the parent or guardian, a person representing that authority or organisation, if the child is in local authority or voluntary organisation care, or is otherwise being looked after under the Children Act 1989 or the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, a social worker of a local authority, an appropriate YJS worker, another responsible adult aged over 18
Child First	The YJB is using its influence to bring about change in the youth justice system so that those in it are seen as children first rather than as offenders.
Children	We define a child as anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday. This is in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and civil legislation in England and Wales. The fact that a child has reached 16 years of age, is living independently or is in further education, is a member of the armed forces, is in hospital or in custody in the secure estate, does not change their status or entitlements to services or protection.
Connectivity	Connectivity is the secure electronic system for transferring case data between youth justice services, the YJB and the secure estate.
Child looked-after	A child who has been in the care of their local authority for more than 24 hours has ‘looked-after’ status. Whilst looked-after child remains the statutory description, ‘child looked-after’, ‘child with care experience’ or ‘child in care’ are also terms which are used.
Pro-social identity	Children see themselves as someone who will benefit other people or society as a whole and are less likely to get involved in negative or criminal activity.
Scaled Approach	The Scaled Approach is a term previously used in youth justice to describe a system for determining the degree of intervention a child should receive based on their assessment. With the change to a Child First approach, the advice on determining how often you should see a child has been revised. It is much less prescriptive and is now based on each child’s individual needs.
Secure children’s home (SCH)	Some SCH’s look after children detained by the courts as well as those on welfare grounds. For the purposes of this guidance, when we refer to SCHs we mean the former.
Secure training centre (STC)	STCs accommodate children aged 12-18. STCs have a higher staff to child ratio, compared to YOIs, and are smaller in size.
Self-identity	This is how a child sees themselves and their place in the world. If a child has a pro-social identity then they feel empowered to make the right choices in their behaviour and with wider life decisions, including relationships.
Sex	We use ‘sex’ to classify whether children are male or female as per the protected characteristics under the Equalities Act 2010.
Vulnerability	When we use the term vulnerable with regards to a child, its use is in a specific technical, legal or regulatory sense. This is necessary because ‘vulnerable’ is an imprecise term and it can cover a broad range of characteristics and behaviours.
Wales	We will state, ‘in England’, where there are differences with Wales as a result of devolution.
Young adult	We define a young adult as someone who is 18 or over. For example, when a young adult is transferring to the adult probation service.
Young offender institution (YOI)	There are two types of YOI, one for 15 to 17-year-old boys and one for 18 to 21-year-olds. When we refer to YOIs within this guidance, we are only referring to the establishments that hold children.
Youth Justice Sector Improvement Partnership (YJSIP)	The Youth Justice Sector Improvement Partnership (YJSIP) is a tripartite partnership between the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (YJB), the Association of YOT Managers (AYM) and senior youth justice leaders. The Partnership provides improvement support for the sector, by the sector and always with the sector.
Youth justice service (YJS)	Throughout this guidance we now refer to ‘youth justice services’ rather than the statutory definition of youth offending team. This is to acknowledge the evolution of services in all their guises and to move away from the stigmatising language of ‘offending’.
YJS management board	A YJS management board, also known as a YJS partnership board, should be formed to provide strategic direction with the aim of preventing offending by children. The role of the YJS management board is to determine how the YJS(s) is to be composed and funded and how it will; operate and what functions it is to carry out, determine how appropriate youth justice services are to be provided and funded, oversee the formulation each year of a draft youth justice plan, oversee the appointment or designation of a YJS manager, agree measurable objectives linked to key performance indicators, including the standards for children in the youth justice system. Members of a YJS management board should be empowered with the capacity to make strategic decisions. The YJS management board oversees the budget.