A recent Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report shows that on an average day in Western Australia (2016/2017), 780 young people were under youth justice supervision; with 82% being supervised in the community, while the remaining 18% were detained. In 2017, the Western Australian Department of Justice commenced funding a new program initiative, the Beyond Youth Justice Service (BeyondYJS). This program is aimed at supporting young people on orders in the community in the Perth metropolitan region, as well as servicing those in custody at Banksia Hill Detention Centre. Beyond YJS is a consortium-delivered program led by Centrecare Incorporated in partnership with Wungening Aboriginal Corporation. The program is focused on delivering service provision in the areas of rehabilitation and emotional wellbeing with the ultimate goal of supporting young people to successfully exit the youth justice system. Drawing on our experiences in supporting these young people, we take a look at the issues facing young people involved in the youth justice system and the factors that contribute to youth justice recidivism. We will discuss the innovative and holistic strategies being used to overcome some of these issues with a focus on the work being undertaken by the program from within Banksia Hill Detention Centre. We will also take a look at the positive impacts of the throughcare model of service provision, and how the Beyond YJS program supports both the family and young person on their journey to exiting the justice system.
Presented by Sally Green and Kieran Dent
Presenters
Keiran Dent is a Ngarinyin Aboriginal Man whose belonging is in the West Kimberley of WA. Keiran is Wungening Aboriginal Corporations General Manager for child protection and family support, FDV and Alliance programs. Within Keiran’s portfolio are two key initiatives aimed at closing the gap in the overrepresentation of Aboriginal children in Out of Home care: Wungening Moort, an ACCO led intensive in-home support service for Aboriginal families connected to the child protection system, and Aboriginal Family Led Decision Making.
Keiran has worked in the child protection field for 11 years and is focussed on developing ways of working that blend Aboriginal norms and values with Western Clinical practices.
Keiran is a passionate believer that Aboriginal participation in all aspects of decision making is a necessary enabler of healing, and that healing is necessary to strengthen our families, create safety for our children, and address the ongoing impacts of intergenerational trauma.
Sally is an Acting Executive Manager at Centrecare Incorporated, providing oversight to a variety of contracts including youth justice, inclusive of the Individual Support & Transition Service at Unit 18 and Banksia Hill, adult justice, intensive family support services, a Family Support Network, homelessness and housing services, children’s therapeutic services, Child Parent Centres and more. Centrecare delivers a number of services in close partnership with other community service organisations, which strengthens the client journey through the service. BeyondYJS is an examples of this.
