The ACT Government has set up a new crisis support service to divert children and young people from the youth justice system.
The Safer Youth Response Service (Safer Youth) will support children and young people who engage in harmful behaviour. Safer Youth will work with ACT Policing and other services to help them access youth workers, emergency accommodation, and follow-up case management – “the immediate and ongoing support they need when their behaviour is creating risks for them or the community,” Rachel Stephen-Smith, ACT Minister for Children, Youth and Family Services, said.
The 18-month pilot of Safer Youth supports the ACT Government’s commitment to raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility, Ms Stephen-Smith said.
“Children and young people who engage in harmful behaviour often experience complex issues relating to trauma, abuse, and unmet needs. We need the right services available to support these young people to address the challenges in their lives.”
From early next year, a child or young person whom ACT Policing refers to Safer Youth will receive urgent crisis intervention from on-call youth workers. If needed, Safer Youth will arrange emergency accommodation for children and young people who cannot return home safely.
This addresses a service gap that requires police frontline officers to stay with any person younger than 18 where an appropriate legal guardian is not available, or they cannot return safely to a legal guardian’s care.
The service will also provide follow-up case management, including referrals to other services if required, and working with the child or young person and their family to address underlying issues and harmful behaviours.
Marymead CatholicCare Canberra and Goulburn will deliver the Safer Youth Response Service.
“Interacting with the criminal justice system at an early age can have life-long impacts,” Anne Kirwan, Marymead CatholicCare Canberra & Goulburn’s CEO, said.
“Our aim is to provide earlier intervention to divert children and young people aged under 14 years old and their families from the criminal justice system and offer genuine opportunities for young people to change their life trajectory.”
“Marymead CatholicCare has extensive experience over many decades in providing a range of supports to children, young people, and their families,” Ms Stephen-Smith said. “The team shares our commitment to diverting children away from the justice system and towards wraparound therapeutic supports and services.
“Importantly, Marymead CatholicCare understands the value of working closely with other service providers, family members, and the child or young person to ensure their individual needs are met and the right foundations are in place to change their life trajectory.”
The ACT Government is investing $1.6 million over four years to fund Safer Youth, pending evaluation of the pilot period.
Safer Youth will also gather data, assess demand, and inform the development of this and other services as the minimum age of criminal responsibility is raised from 12 to 14 years in mid-2025.
