Rehabilitation for youth in the community

Part of the Sentences for youth offenders topic

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In short

At a Youth Justice service centre

Most youth we work with are on a youth justice order. Some may be receiving early intervention support because they are at risk of contact with youth justice system.

The staff who work with your child may include:

• caseworkers
• psychologists
• speech-language pathologists
• transition officers
• Indigenous service support officers
• youth workers.

We will have a meeting with you and your child when your child first comes to the Youth Justice service centre. Together we will identify the programs and supports that may help.

Our programs:

• are based on evidence
• aim to change specific offending behaviour and reduce reoffending.

Programs

When delivering programs Youth Justice considers your child’s:

• age
• gender
• cognitive development
• social and emotional development
• educational background
• cultural needs.

We also consider what may have caused their offending behaviour.

Some of the programs we may use with your child are listed below.

Aggression replacement training

Aggression replacement training helps your child to develop skills to:

• manage strong emotions
• respond safely to conflict
• consider other people’s perspectives.

The program supports them to practice safer ways to respond to challenging situations. This includes strategies to pause, calm down and make considered decisions. It also helps them build empathy by considering how their actions may impact on others.

Black chicks talking

Black chicks talking is a cultural program for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander girls and young women. It supports your child’s connections to culture, community and identity. The program also explores cultural histories through storytelling and yarning circles.

Changing habits and reaching targets

Changing habits and reaching targets helps your child make changes to offending thinking and behaviour. It supports them to build skills that may reduce further contact with the youth justice system. It includes units on:

• problem-solving
• lifestyle balance
• healthy relationships
• motivation to change.

Emotional regulation and impulse control

Emotional regulation and impulse control helps your child:

• understand emotion, urges and decision-making
• practice strategies to manage them safely.

Re-thinking our attitude towards driving

Re-thinking our attitude towards driving is for youth who:

• have committed motor vehicle offences
• may be at risk of unsafe driving behaviour.

It explores the reasons behind unsafe motor vehicle behaviours. The program supports your child to recognise and change risky patterns. It also supports them to understand the impact unsafe driving can have on:

• victims
• families
• the wider community.

Transition to success

Transition to success is a voluntary program. It is for youth at risk of becoming involved in the youth justice system and for youth on orders. It is an education, training and employment program. Your child must be aged 15–18 years old to do this program.

Young, black and proud

Young, black and proud is a program for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander youth who are either:

• at risk of becoming involved in the youth justice system
• on orders.

It aims to support your child in strengthening their cultural knowledge and connection. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff deliver this program. They work with identified community leaders like Elders.

Supports

Caseworkers work with your child to identify goals, strengths and areas where support may be needed.

We will help your child address areas that may contribute to their offending including:

• substance use
• relationships
• education
• health
• family issues.

We will use approaches that are supported by evidence and tailored to individual needs.

We may also refer your child to other agencies or organisations for extra support.

Specialist supports

We may refer your child to work with a psychologist or speech-language pathologist if they have specific needs. Sometimes these are Youth Justice staff and sometimes they are from other organisations.

If your child has a disability, or a suspected disability, we can help connect them to appropriate assessments and supports.

Intensive case management

Your child may be referred to our intensive case management team if they have been assessed as a high or very high risk of reoffending.

This means we will work closely with your child, your family and other supports to:

• understand and address the factors contributing to offending
• reduce the likelihood of further offending.