In the community, the assessment tools used in the youth justice system (YJS) are Assets for children and young people in the formal YJS and Onset for children and young people at risk of offending.
There are also specific screening and assessment tools for substance misuse and for where there are indications of mental health problems (for example, SIFA and SQUIFA). Find out more about Asset, Onset, SIFA and SQUIFA on the Assessment page of the Ministry of Justice website.
In addition, several youth offending teams (YOTs) have developed tools to assess reading age and speech, language, and communication needs.
Asset and Onset were designed to assess the risk of offending and to measure progress in preventing reoffending.
Whilst they include sections on physical, emotional and mental health, and substance misuse, their focus is on the extent to which these health needs are associated with the likelihood of further offending.
As a result, physical health problems are often overlooked, and the rate of mental health problems is underestimated (Actions speak louder: a second review of healthcare in the community for young people who offend, Healthcare Commission and HM Inspectorate of Probation, 2009; Healthy children, safer communities, HM Government, 2009). During 2012, the Youth Justice Board are redesigning their assessment tools.
In custody, a range of other assessment tools is currently in use, including some developed by individual establishments and others tested in different establishments and regions.
These include detailed screening and assessment tools to identify health needs.
As part of the work programme under the Healthy Children, safer communities strategy, a single tool for screening health and well-being needs has been developed for use across the youth justice system. This is CHAT – the Comprehensive Health Assessment Tool.
There will be one version for community settings and another for custodial settings. CHAT (Secure) is now available and being rolled out across the secure estate. CHAT (Community) will follow shortly.
Those conducting an HWBNA may find it helpful to use information from CHAT to build a more complete picture of health and well-being needs. Check the section on Auditing need for tools that might help.