Reintegration puzzle conference June 2010

Sarah Niblock, Senior Disability Advisor, Disability Forensic Assessment and Treatment Services, Victoria

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Young People With a Disability in the Victorian Youth Justice System: Ensuring a Collaborative Approach

Reintegration Puzzle Conference 2010

Sarah Niblock

24 June 2010

Senior Disability Adviser (SDA) – : a Collaboration

• Aims: to build capacity of youth justice and disability client services staff to effectively respond to the needs of young people with a disability involved in the youth justice system with a focus on youth justice custodial facilities.

• Also focuses on strengthening and supporting collaboration between Disability Services and Youth Justice throughout the case management process.

• Funded by Disability Services and Youth Justice (Victoria)

• State-wide role and ongoing since 2008

• Client Group is all young people involved with the youth justice system in Victoria who have a registered disability

• Works with a variety of agencies

• Works at Parkville Youth Justice Precinct and Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre

• Based at and managed by the Disability Forensic Assessment Treatment Service (DFATS)

• Reports to a high level of departmental interface committee

• Contributes to broader disability, youth justice and youth justice custodial policy and service planning

Governance

• Secondary consultation to youth justice staff.

• Staff development for YJCC staff and Disability Client Services staff.

• Building knowledge of YJCC staff about Disability, supports and services, and provision of resources.

• Establish effective networks between regional disability services, youth justice, youth custodial, education and health services.

• Assist with joint case planning, exit planning for young people in custody, including advising on individual behaviour management strategies.

• Promotion of protocol between Youth Justice and Disability Client Services

Key activities

The role has continued to evolve within a context of legislation, practice and policy developments

• Revised Protocol between Disability Services and Youth Justice (2009)

– Joint and individual responsibilities at difference stage of contact with justice system

– key collaboration points: assessment, identification of supports and services, and information sharing

– Co-signing of parole plans developed by Youth Justice before returned to the Youth Parole Board

– For further information about the protocol, see http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/344122/ds_and_youth justice_guidelines_for_workers_pdf_0509.pdf

• At times the focus of statutory and voluntary services can differ – collaboration is critical

Role is informed by a range of information and data sources

Specific tools are utilised to assist with identification of young people with a disability:

• Self identification on arrival in custody.

• Use of the Victorian Offending Needs Indicator for Youth (VONIY).

• Identified through external reports, behaviour in custody, or collaboration with other stakeholders.

• Databases such as the Client Relationship Information System (CRIS) are used to inform service planning.

• Consultation with Disability Services, Youth Services and Youth Justice Custodial services.

Clients referred to the Senior Disability Advisor, 2008 - 2009

Cultural Background of Clients

Referrals to SDA – Indigenous status

Referrals to SDA - Young people from a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse background

Current challenges

• Identification of young people with a Disability.

• Increased presentation of Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)

• Complexity of cognitive assessments

• Ensuring responsitivity to needs of young people from a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) background.

• Complex presentations of young men and women with a Disability that exhibit violence and other behaviours of concern.

• Multiple agency involvement including Child Protection and Non – Government agencies.

Teamwork is vital

Source: The Guardian Weekly, 28 May 2010

Seeks to capacity build within custody centres and across the state

• Strengthening formal linkages between Youth Justice and Disability Services and encouraging collaborative practices

• Assisting with staff development for YJCC and regional disability client services staff around specific needs of client group and collaborative practice

• Assisting to develop workable and practical interventions that will divert young people with a disability away from the youth justice system

• Facilitating understanding and cooperation around the revised Protocol between Youth Justice and Disability Services – and guidelines for workers (2009)

Capacity building of youth justice and disability services staff

Two sides of the collaboration coin Youth Justice / Disability

Outcomes

• Increased understanding amongst youth justice custodial staff of how to work with young people with a disability

• Increased use of positive behaviour management strategies by youth justice staff with young people.

• Greater understanding amongst youth justice staff understanding of disability service system and how to access

• More active involvement of disability services staff in exit and parole planning for young people.

• Improved working relationships between youth justice and disability client services as well as with other agencies such as the Statewide ABI Paediatric Coordination Service.

Further Outcomes …

• Increase in the engagement of young people in custody with disability services case management

• Increase in number of referrals from custodial staff to the SDA over a two year period Skill development through workforce and learning initiatives – collaborative training and provision of induction training for new YJ and DCS case managers\

• Increased engagement by Disability Client Services case managers at Youth Parole Board and greater involvement in exit planning

Future priorities and opportunities

• Building on the knowledge base of youth justice staff on working with young people with a disability:

– Understanding nature of disabilities– Positive behaviour supports– Pathways into assessment– How to access support services in the community for young people with a

disability.

• Assisting with the ongoing training of youth justice staff on:

– Positive behaviour strategies– Effective communication strategies.

• Further contribute to policy and service planning.

Sarah Niblock, Senior Disability Advisor

Sarah.Niblock@dhs.vic.gov.au

(w): 03 9389 4435

(m): 0417 120 691

Contact details