Services targeting young people involved in antisocial behaviour are being held back by a lack of robust data measuring their cost and impact, an evaluation of a three-year multi-million pound programme has found.

Antisocial behaviour orders were seen to have lower success rates, according to the study. Image: Jim Varney/posed by models

The Challenge and Support programme, established by the Youth Taskforce in 2008, ran between 2008 and March 2011 in 52 areas across England. It aimed to stop antisocial behaviour and improve the lives of young people.

An evaluation of the programme undertaken by Matrix Evidence said that while the programme had improved communication between different agencies providing services for young people, it was hard to make generalisations regarding its impact.

The report authors said this urgently needs to be addressed, particularly if the payment-by-result scheme model is to be adopted in the future.

"The lack of robust data to measure both cost of delivery and service impact is a real and persistent problem in this area," the report states. "Where commissioners are going to pay for services on the basis of successful delivery of outcomes, it is essential these issues be addressed."

A series of interviews and case studies indicated that the programme was likely to have had a positive impact in reducing persistent antisocial behaviour and diverting young people away from the justice system.

The research also said that 95 per cent of the area coordinators surveyed agreed low-level intervention such as warning letters and home visits were effective deterrents. In these cases young people would usually need no more support than being directed to a local service such as a youth club.

For the more serious cases the most effective methods were providing young people with formal contracts of acceptable behaviour along with support from youth services or other professionals. Antisocial behaviour orders were seen to have lower success rates.