Why the focus on data?
Despite improvements over the last few years, professionals and practitioners working to improve services and outcomes for families and children in the family justice sytem are often doing so without access to some critical data.
Without timely, robust data, it is impossible to fully understand the experiences of those who interact with the system, how services are functioning, or to hold the system to account for delivering fair and equitable outcomes.
Nuffield Family Justice Observatory has called for action to improve the data in the family justice system, recommending the Ministry of Justice oversee a data improvement plan or data strategy, introduce stronger data governance and create a culture of transparency.
The National Audit Office has recommended that a data and evidence strategy should be developed by the Ministry of Justice, Department for Education, HM Courts & Tribunals Service and Cafcass, working through the Family Justice Board.
About the briefing paper
This briefing highlights principles and practices underpinning the collection and publication of data in the youth justice system. Based on a recent review of performance monitoring data and published datasets, it aims to help inspire better data and better outcomes for children and familes in the family justice system.
