Processes & standards for assessing interventions for inclusion on the Guidebook

Guidebook Handbook v 2.0 (2026) explains the current processes and standards used in Guidebook assessment. The revised v 2.0 of the Handbook includes:

• A more thorough step-by-step description of Foundations’ process for assessing the evidence for an intervention – this will be useful for intervention developers or providers submitting their intervention for assessment for inclusion on the Guidebook
• A description of the revised evidence standards for Level 3, which were developed in 2025/2026. These will be particularly useful for intervention developers or providers, study authors supporting submissions, and for Guidebook users wanting to understand Foundations’ approach to promising evidence in more depth
• Information on features introduced in intervention assessments from 2026: in particular, enhanced presentation of evidence on how an intervention may contribute to reducing racial disparities; information about an updated cost model to underpin cost ratings; and a streamlined process for partners.

Handbook v 2.0 supersedes the Technical Guide – now renamed Guidebook Handbook v 1.0 for consistency – which was published during the launch of Foundations’ Guidebook in May 2025.

See Handbook v 1.0 for interventions published before April 2026

Guidebook Handbook v 1.0 has information on the standards and processes for Guidebook assessment applicable to interventions published before April 2026. 

The processes and standards in Guidebook Handbook v 1.0 were previously published in the Technical Guide when Foundations’ Guidebook was launched in May 2025. These standards and processes were established in 2016 under the Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) and published on the EIF Guidebook.

Guidebook Handbook v 2.0 (2026) supersedes v 1.0, reflecting revised processes and standards applicable from May 2026.

Know which standards and processes apply at a glance

The relevant Handbook version is now linked on each intervention page so you can easily identify and find out more about the applicable standards and processes.

Download the Guidebook Handbooks