Breaking Through the Bars – The Importance of Early Intervention with Child Offenders Nicola Atwool Principal Advisor

Overview Introduction Child offenders - characteristics Current response to child offending Alternate explanation based on attachment Effective intervention – an Integrated Framework With Permission Taonga Education Centre Photographs Used

Introduction

Child offenders - characteristics

Current response to child offending

Alternate explanation based on attachment

Effective intervention – an Integrated Framework

Characteristics of child offenders A small but distinct group “ From kohanga or kindy on he has defied adults, lied, stolen maybe set fires, hit other children, is cruel to animals, verbally abuses all who frustrate him, bullies, intimidates peers, siblings and as we heard recently teachers and other adults as well.” (Professor John Werry)

A small but distinct group

“ From kohanga or kindy on he has defied adults, lied, stolen maybe set fires, hit other children, is cruel to animals, verbally abuses all who frustrate him, bullies, intimidates peers, siblings and as we heard recently teachers and other adults as well.” (Professor John Werry)

Red Flags History of serious antisocial acts Regular use of substances Hyperactivity and impulsivity History of aggression Being male (Kaye McLaren, 2007)

History of serious antisocial acts

Regular use of substances

Hyperactivity and impulsivity

History of aggression

Being male

(Kaye McLaren, 2007)

Risk Factors – Family Socioeconomic adversity Parental change and conflict Lack of supervision Lack of warmth and affection Harsh discipline and abuse Parental criminal/antisocial behaviour, substance abuse, young mother,unemployment

Socioeconomic adversity

Parental change and conflict

Lack of supervision

Lack of warmth and affection

Harsh discipline and abuse

Parental criminal/antisocial behaviour, substance abuse, young mother,unemployment

Risk Factors – Individual Poor vocabulary and communication Lower than average IQ Poor literacy skills High level of novelty and thrill seeking

Poor vocabulary and communication

Lower than average IQ

Poor literacy skills

High level of novelty and thrill seeking

Risk Factors - Social Peer rejection Deviant peers Community norms and levels of crime Photograph used with permission Kawerau South School

Peer rejection

Deviant peers

Community norms and levels of crime

Risk Factors Cover multiple domains Children’s social maps Cultural blueprints of what is normal, what is obvious, and what is impossible When children are labelled as offenders or severe conduct disorder they become the problem

Cover multiple domains

Children’s social maps

Cultural blueprints of what is normal, what is obvious, and what is impossible

When children are labelled as offenders or severe conduct disorder they become the problem

Current Responses Behaviour becomes the focus Emphasis on management and control Less attention on causes Calls for retribution and punishment Photographs Used With Permission Taonga Education Centre

Behaviour becomes the focus

Emphasis on management and control

Less attention on causes

Calls for retribution and punishment

Current Response Frustration that children under 14 cannot be charged Young Offenders (Serious Crimes) Bill Flies in the face of evidence that the most severe interventions are the least effective Based on an assumption that children are the same as adults Photographs Used With Permission Taonga Education Centre

Frustration that children under 14 cannot be charged

Young Offenders (Serious Crimes) Bill

Flies in the face of evidence that the most severe interventions are the least effective

Based on an assumption that children are the same as adults

Current Response Current provisions complicated and not readily implemented Front-line Police reluctant to become involved Family Court interaction infrequent - lack of specialist knowledge Amendment of CYP & F Act needed

Current provisions complicated and not readily implemented

Front-line Police reluctant to become involved

Family Court interaction infrequent - lack of specialist knowledge

Amendment of CYP & F Act needed

Current Response Investigation by CYF focuses on care and protection Lack of attention to environmental drivers of offending behaviour Families well known  sense of inevitability about child offending Too little too late

Investigation by CYF focuses on care and protection

Lack of attention to environmental drivers of offending behaviour

Families well known  sense of inevitability about child offending

Too little too late

Current Response Offending behaviour requires specific response If children come into care their behaviour may prove difficult  placement disruption and multiple placements Too many children fall into the gaps

Offending behaviour requires specific response

If children come into care their behaviour may prove difficult  placement disruption and multiple placements

Too many children fall into the gaps

Current Response Justice system ends up punishing those who are victims of social and economic circumstances Need for shift in emphasis from individual responsibility to social responsibility

Justice system ends up punishing those who are victims of social and economic circumstances

Need for shift in emphasis from individual responsibility to social responsibility

Alternate view of the origins of offending behaviour Children begin life entirely dependent Quality of relationships provides the framework for exponential learning and development in the early years Attachment provides foundation for child’s perception of self, others and the world

Children begin life entirely dependent

Quality of relationships provides the framework for exponential learning and development in the early years

Attachment provides foundation for child’s perception of self, others and the world

Brain Development Not complete at birth Rapid growth over first three years Sequential and use-dependent Environment is crucial and primary caregiver is is the major provider of environmental cues Combination of differentiation and integration Self-regulation Reflective function

Not complete at birth

Rapid growth over first three years

Sequential and use-dependent

Environment is crucial and primary caregiver is is the major provider of environmental cues

Combination of differentiation and integration

Self-regulation

Reflective function

Patterns of Attachment Ainsworth identified three patterns: Secure Insecure ambivalent Insecure avoidant Additional categories Avoidant/ambivalent (Crittenden) Disorganised (Main, Kaplan & Cassidy)

Ainsworth identified three patterns:

Secure

Insecure ambivalent

Insecure avoidant

Additional categories

Avoidant/ambivalent (Crittenden)

Disorganised (Main, Kaplan & Cassidy)

Patterns of Attachment Represent internal working models or cognitive maps shaping views of self, others and the world Secure provides the context for optimal development Insecure represent infant’s capacity to adapt to less than optimal environment Disorganised - greatest vulnerability Unlocks the secrets of how people do bad things

Represent internal working models or cognitive maps shaping views of self, others and the world

Secure provides the context for optimal development

Insecure represent infant’s capacity to adapt to less than optimal environment

Disorganised - greatest vulnerability

Unlocks the secrets of how people do bad things

Secure Attachment Pattern Self perceived as worthy Others perceived as reliable and available When faced with threat respond with affect and cognition Neural integration is promoted Child achieves adaptive balance Primary strategy in new situations is mastery

Self perceived as worthy

Others perceived as reliable and available

When faced with threat respond with affect and cognition

Neural integration is promoted

Child achieves adaptive balance

Primary strategy in new situations is mastery

Avoidant Develops in the context of unresponsive and rejecting relationship Self is perceived as unworthy Others are unavailable and hurtful Environment is threatening Self reliant from an early age Affective responses deactivated and over-regulated Cognitive strategies are amplified

Develops in the context of unresponsive and rejecting relationship

Self is perceived as unworthy

Others are unavailable and hurtful

Environment is threatening

Self reliant from an early age

Affective responses deactivated and over-regulated

Cognitive strategies are amplified

Avoidant Dominant approach is pragmatic problem-solving Relationships not regarded as important May be underlying anger and resentment Dominant strategy is control Reflective function is impaired and mental state of others is likely to be shunned Limited capacity for empathy

Dominant approach is pragmatic problem-solving

Relationships not regarded as important

May be underlying anger and resentment

Dominant strategy is control

Reflective function is impaired and mental state of others is likely to be shunned

Limited capacity for empathy

Ambivalent Develops in response to inconsistent, unreliable and at times intrusive responses from attachment figure Uncertainty about the worthiness of self Others are perceived to be unreliable, over-bearing and insensitive Environment is unpredictable and chaotic Cognitive responses are deactivated because they are experienced as ineffective

Develops in response to inconsistent, unreliable and at times intrusive responses from attachment figure

Uncertainty about the worthiness of self

Others are perceived to be unreliable, over-bearing and insensitive

Environment is unpredictable and chaotic

Cognitive responses are deactivated because they are experienced as ineffective

Ambivalent Affective responses are amplified Self-regulation is not achieved Helplessness and resentment dominate Dominant strategy is manipulation Heightened focus on internal state of self with impaired capacity to reflect on the internal state of others

Affective responses are amplified

Self-regulation is not achieved

Helplessness and resentment dominate

Dominant strategy is manipulation

Heightened focus on internal state of self with impaired capacity to reflect on the internal state of others

Disorganised Arises in situations of neglect and abuse Child faced with task of maintaining proximity to person who is source of threat Caregiver frightening or frightened Self is perceived to be unworthy Others are frightening or helpless Environment is chaotic and dangerous

Arises in situations of neglect and abuse

Child faced with task of maintaining proximity to person who is source of threat

Caregiver frightening or frightened

Self is perceived to be unworthy

Others are frightening or helpless

Environment is chaotic and dangerous

Disorganised Hyper-arousal impairs cognitive development Affective responses dominate Child is fearful and reactive Play is inhibited May develop compulsive compliance Dominant strategy is survival

Hyper-arousal impairs cognitive development

Affective responses dominate

Child is fearful and reactive

Play is inhibited

May develop compulsive compliance

Dominant strategy is survival

Disorganised Capacity to reflect on own internal state is limited, may lack the ability to identify feeling states Hyper-vigilant of caregiver cues and internal state of other Reflective capacity significantly impaired Significant problems by adolescence

Capacity to reflect on own internal state is limited, may lack the ability to identify feeling states

Hyper-vigilant of caregiver cues and internal state of other

Reflective capacity significantly impaired

Significant problems by adolescence

Link with Resilience Four crucial factors: Individual attributes Family support Community support, person or agency Cultural connection Resilience is not an isolated individual characteristic Secure and consistent attachment facilitates resilience across all four domains

Four crucial factors:

Individual attributes

Family support

Community support, person or agency

Cultural connection

Resilience is not an isolated individual characteristic

Secure and consistent attachment facilitates resilience across all four domains

Patterns of Attachment and Resilience Secure at an advantage - positive expectations of self and others, access to supportive adults and connections beyond family Avoidant and ambivalent may lack self-confidence, have low self-esteem and difficulty negotiating relationships, but do have coping strategies Disorganised, have no coping strategy and are the most vulnerable

Secure at an advantage - positive expectations of self and others, access to supportive adults and connections beyond family

Avoidant and ambivalent may lack self-confidence, have low self-esteem and difficulty negotiating relationships, but do have coping strategies

Disorganised, have no coping strategy and are the most vulnerable

Summary Internal working models formed in the early years are reinforced by children’s experience in the world beyond home Insecure and disorganised likely to encounter rejection and censure from peers, teachers and other adults Negative outcomes are not inevitable Early and effective intervention is the key

Internal working models formed in the early years are reinforced by children’s experience in the world beyond home

Insecure and disorganised likely to encounter rejection and censure from peers, teachers and other adults

Negative outcomes are not inevitable

Early and effective intervention is the key

Way forward OCC is proposing an Integrated Framework to provide support at the beginning of a child’s life, rather than ambulances at the bottom of the cliff Timely cost-effective intervention Systematic and co-ordinated approach that reaches across sectors and Prevents children from falling through the gaps

OCC is proposing an Integrated Framework to provide support at the beginning of a child’s life, rather than ambulances at the bottom of the cliff

Timely cost-effective intervention

Systematic and co-ordinated approach that reaches across sectors and

Prevents children from falling through the gaps

Te Ara Tukutuku nga Whanaungatanga o nga Tamariki Universal application First 18 years Whole child approach Physical Emotional Cognitive Social Capitalise on good start some children will get and ensure intensive support for families who need this Photograph Used With Permission Taonga Education Centre

Universal application

First 18 years

Whole child approach

Physical

Emotional

Cognitive

Social

Capitalise on good start some children will get and ensure intensive support for families who need this

Weaving Pathways to Well-being Professional co-ordination and shared frame of reference Shared information Early intervention Develop and build on strengths Child-centred and family focused Partnership with families Photograph Used With Permission Taonga Education Centre

Professional co-ordination and shared frame of reference

Shared information

Early intervention

Develop and build on strengths

Child-centred and family focused

Partnership with families

Key Transition Points Pre-birth At time of entry to school When moving from primary school Prior to departure from secondary school Photograph used with permission Kawerau South School Young People’s Reference Group Photographs Used With Permission Taonga Education Centre

Pre-birth

At time of entry to school

When moving from primary school

Prior to departure from secondary school

Application to Child Offending Early identification of families with multiple risk factors reduces likelihood of child developing severe behavioural difficulty Key worker can ensure engagement with and co-ordination of appropriate services If family fails to engage or is unable to make changes, formal intervention could be initiated before child has suffered repeated exposure to those experiences that contribute to negative outcomes

Early identification of families with multiple risk factors reduces likelihood of child developing severe behavioural difficulty

Key worker can ensure engagement with and co-ordination of appropriate services

If family fails to engage or is unable to make changes, formal intervention could be initiated before child has suffered repeated exposure to those experiences that contribute to negative outcomes

OCC Vision The rights of every child and young person are recognised and each enjoys good health, education, safety and economic wellbeing ‘ Titiro Whakatau Ano’ - Thomas Lauterbach