• About this study

Intensive intervention projects for young people

About the study

Twenty Intensive Intervention Projects (IIPs) were set up across England during 2008 to work with young people aged 8 to 19 with the most complex needs.  These projects were part of the Youth Task Force Action Plan which was launched in March 2008 by the former Labour Government, aiming to target 1,000 of the most challenging young people every year.  A total of £13 million was made available to establish these projects and work with young people until March 2011.

IIPs applied the family intervention support model (see Family Interventions for more information) to focus on the young person to address their anti-social and criminal behaviour, tackle substance misuse and to improve their education and training outcomes. 

As of 21 January 2011, 1,836 young people were referred to an IIP. Of these, 61 per cent were accepted for an IIP and had a Contract in place; six per cent were put on a waiting list; and 33 per cent were turned down for an IIP.  

Just under a half (49 per cent) of young people who exited an IIP were recorded by staff as having successfully completed their intervention and achieved a positive outcome.

Analysis of the 790 young people who exited an IIP or had worked with an IIP for at least eight months provides positive evidence of IIPs:

 60 per cent of young people had fewer crime and ASB issues when they left the IIP

65 per cent of young people and their families were reported by IIP staff to have improved the way their family functioned (by reducing disengagement between the young person and their family, addressing parenting issues or domestic violence) between the Contract and Exit stage.

63 per cent of young people reduced the number of their health risks recorded between the start and end of their IIP intervention.  This included addressing mental health issues, drug or alcohol misuse as well as reducing the risk of becoming a teenage parent.

Young people were least likely to address their education and employment issues - as only 46 per cent of young people reduced these  between the Contract being put in place and leaving the intervention.

A summary of our report can be downloaded  here and the full report can be downloaded here

Methods

The findings presented in this report are based on the 1,117 young people who worked with an IIP between April 2009 and 21 January 2011.  Comprehensive data about all young people referred to an IIP was entered on to a secure online system by project staff. 

This information provided evidence about the type of young people referred to an IIP, their circumstances and risk factors when a Contract was put in place, how they were progressing at regular formal Reviews, and their outcomes at the time of Exit.

Researchers

 Cheryl Lloyd

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