Child, Youth and Family Chris Polaschek

Issues of concern in the late 90s and early 2000s Youth Justice underperforming Loss of skills, capability and focus Generic teams Ineffective interventions for chronic offenders Lack of consistent practice and procedures Capacity issues Residences outdated – not ‘fit for purpose’ Serious incidents highlight issues Loss of confidence by key stakeholders Focus on accountability and less on the needs of the young person

Youth Justice underperforming

Loss of skills, capability and focus

Generic teams

Ineffective interventions for chronic offenders

Lack of consistent practice and procedures

Capacity issues

Residences outdated – not ‘fit for purpose’

Serious incidents highlight issues

Loss of confidence by key stakeholders

Focus on accountability and less on the needs of the young person

Our response to the issues Youth Justice Capability Review (2003) Creation of 25 dedicated youth justice teams that will focus on their own communities Youth justice social workers, youth justice coordinators and youth justice practice advisors working together as part of youth justice teams, under a youth justice manager Enhanced relationships and partnerships in the youth justice sector and communities of interest Better monitoring - Clearer accountability Strengthening leadership Youth Justice Process Mapping – hyperlinked to YJ Manual

Youth Justice Capability Review (2003)

Creation of 25 dedicated youth justice teams that will focus on their own communities

Youth justice social workers, youth justice coordinators and youth justice practice advisors working together as part of youth justice teams, under a youth justice manager

Enhanced relationships and partnerships in the youth justice sector and communities of interest

Better monitoring - Clearer accountability

Strengthening leadership

Youth Justice Process Mapping – hyperlinked to YJ Manual

Our response to the issues – continued New Youth Justice Residences that are purpose built, with a more therapeutic environment. Increasing bed capacity at Te Puna Wai and Youth Justice Central A renewed emphasis on addressing the unique features which lead young people to offend including understanding the offending in the context of a young person’s needs Youth Justice Practice Framework Comprehensive and refreshed approach to training

New Youth Justice Residences that are purpose built, with a more therapeutic environment. Increasing bed capacity at Te Puna Wai and Youth Justice Central

A renewed emphasis on addressing the unique features which lead young people to offend including understanding the offending in the context of a young person’s needs

Youth Justice Practice Framework

Comprehensive and refreshed approach to training

Key Partnerships Police Health Education Community Agencies Iwi – cultural groups

Police

Health

Education

Community Agencies

Iwi – cultural groups

Challenges that we face Remains a group of ‘hardcore’ young offenders Maori disproportionately represented in the YJ system and in the hardcore group Changing demographics – being responsive Remains challenging to work across agencies to provide integrated services Programme provision is inconsistent and many are not able to demonstrate effectiveness Balance between local and national contexts – what we do and how we work with others Credibility of the Youth Justice services

Remains a group of ‘hardcore’ young offenders

Maori disproportionately represented in the YJ system and in the hardcore group

Changing demographics – being responsive

Remains challenging to work across agencies to provide integrated services

Programme provision is inconsistent and many are not able to demonstrate effectiveness

Balance between local and national contexts – what we do and how we work with others

Credibility of the Youth Justice services

Strategic Direction Leading for Outcomes 2007 – 2010 Key Objectives To reduce rates of offending and re-offending in the community Youth Justice to be a high performing service To work ‘smarter’ with other agencies and service providers Outcome focused residential services

Leading for Outcomes 2007 – 2010

Key Objectives

To reduce rates of offending and re-offending in the community

Youth Justice to be a high performing service

To work ‘smarter’ with other agencies and service providers

Outcome focused residential services

Next 12 months What we are doing to meet these in the next 12 months – be active and focused in: Embedding a cycle of continuous improvement in service delivery Building effective working relationships Gather and share information

What we are doing to meet these in the next 12 months – be active and focused in:

Embedding a cycle of continuous improvement in service delivery

Building effective working relationships

Gather and share information

Going Forward – Youth Justice Teams Establish a cycle of continuous improvement Use Quality Assurance and research to inform progress Find the balance between national and local solutions YJ teams actively integrate into the sector and their communities Localized plans for reducing re-offending in their communities Individualized training approach

Establish a cycle of continuous improvement

Use Quality Assurance and research to inform progress

Find the balance between national and local solutions

YJ teams actively integrate into the sector and their communities

Localized plans for reducing re-offending in their communities

Individualized training approach

Going Forward - Building Effective Relationships Strengthen YJ Teams – building ‘communities of interest’ around teams Enhance information exchange – develop common data sets Build relationships with family/whanau Encourage communities by: Active engagement – build on and to existing networks Purposeful engagement – leadership opportunities sought and taken to support communities Identify, support and promulgate effective programmes

Strengthen YJ Teams – building ‘communities of interest’ around teams

Enhance information exchange – develop common data sets

Build relationships with family/whanau

Encourage communities by:

Active engagement – build on and to existing networks

Purposeful engagement – leadership opportunities sought and taken to support communities

Identify, support and promulgate effective programmes

Going Forward - Gather and Share Information Proactive in establishing stakeholder feedback loops ‘ Best practice’ identified and shared both internally and externally Consolidate our own information needs Share information with key partners, in an appropriate way Explore the potential for shared training

Proactive in establishing stakeholder feedback loops

‘ Best practice’ identified and shared both internally and externally

Consolidate our own information needs

Share information with key partners, in an appropriate way

Explore the potential for shared training

Going Forward - YJ Residences Increase capacity – YJ Central Resolve staffing challenges De-isolation More holistic case management – Health, Education, Cultural Improved transitions back to the family and community Quality effective programming Better alignment of all the components in the residential environment so as to increase safety, mitigate risk and produce lasting change

Increase capacity – YJ Central

Resolve staffing challenges

De-isolation

More holistic case management – Health, Education, Cultural

Improved transitions back to the family and community

Quality effective programming

Better alignment of all the components in the residential environment so as to increase safety, mitigate risk and produce lasting change

Thank you