Intensive supervision orders
If a court finds your child—under the age of 13 years—guilty of an offence, it may make an intensive supervision order. Usually this order is only made if your child has already been on other orders and they are now at risk of going to detention.
The purpose of an intensive supervision order is to:
- address your child’s offending behaviour through participation in counselling and other programs
- establish support systems to help your child in the long-term
- provide consequences for your child’s offending behaviour
- let your child take part in community and family life in a supervised and supported way
- help your child to continue with their study and work commitments.
A youth justice officer will supervise your child for the period of the intensive supervision order. Your child must follow certain rules, participate in certain activities, and must frequently go and to see their youth justice officer. They may also receive home visits
How long it lasts
A court may sentence your child to an intensive supervision order for up to 6 months.
What it involves
Before sentencing, your child will meet with a youth justice officer. Your child and the youth justice officer will put together an intensive supervision order program.
This program will include:
- activities to stop them from offending
- school or an alternative education program
- activities to help them be involved in your family and their community in a positive way.
Rules
There are rules your child must follow when they are on an intensive supervision order.
Your child must:
- take part in all of the activities they agree to in their program
- not break the law
- follow every reasonable direction given by their youth justice officer
- get permission from their youth justice officer if they wish to leave Queensland.
You or your child must also tell us if your child’s details—address, school, or work—change (this must happen within 2 business days of the change).
Sometimes the court will add other conditions to your child’s intensive supervision order. Extra conditions are added when the court thinks that your child needs extra supervision, counselling or help in the community. These conditions are just as important as the main rules and your child must follow them.
Breaking the rules
If your child does not follow the rules of their order, your child’s youth justice officer will talk to them about this. Your child may be given a written warning.
If your child does not get back on track after their warning, they may have to go back to court. The court will then decide whether they can continue on the intensive supervision order. The court may decide to give them a different order.
It is a very serious matter if your child breaks the law while they are on an intensive supervision order. The court may hold them in breach of their intensive supervision order and give them another punishment.
If you or your child thinks they are having problems following the rules of their order you should talk to your child’s youth justice officer.
Further information
- Learn more about young people and the justice system.
- Locate your closest youth justice centre.
- Read about how you can help and support your child.