TERRITORY FAMILIES
ANNUAL REPORT
2016-2017
How to Contact Us
PO Box 37037 WINNELLIE NT 0821 PO Box 1352 ALICE SPRINGS NT 0870 PO Box 1035 KATHERINE NT 0850 PO Box 758 NHULUNBUY NT 0880 PO Box 617 TENNANT CREEK NT 0860 www.territoryfamilies.nt.gov.au Phone
Child Protection hotline: 1800 700 250 Complaints and Feedback: 1800 750 167
Adoptions (08) 8922 5519
Foster Care Recruitment hotline: 1800 814 599 Information sharing 1800 288 424
Media 0475 953 571
[email protected] Territory Families offices
Alice Springs (08) 8955 6001
Arafura (08) 8922 8474
Arnhem (08) 8987 0400
Barkly (08) 8962 4334
Casuarina (08) 8922 7111
Darwin City (08) 8999 2737
Katherine (08) 8973 8600
Palmerston (08) 8999 4789
TERRITORY FAMILIES Chief Executive Officer Level 7 Darwin Plaza 41 Smith Street Mall DARWIN NT 0800 Postal Address PO Box 37037 WINNELLIE NT 0821 T 08 8999 2737 F 08 8999 2833 E [email protected]
Dear Minister
Department of Territory Families 2016-17 Annual Report
In accordance with the provisions of the Public Sector Employment and Management Act, I am pleased to submit to you the Department of Territory Families 2016-17 Annual Report. Pursuant to the Public Sector Employment and Management Act, the Financial Management Act and the Information Act, I advise that, to the best of my knowledge and belief:
a. proper records of all transactions affecting the agency are kept and that the agency’s employees observe the provisions of the Financial Management Act, the Financial Management Regulations and the Treasurer’s Directions
b. agency procedures provide proper internal control and a current description of those procedures is recorded in the Accounting and Property Manual, which has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Financial Management Act
c. no indication of fraud, malpractice, major breach of legislation or delegation, major error in or omission from the accounts and records exists
d. in accordance with the requirements of Section 15 of the Financial Management Act, the internal audit capacity available to the agency is adequate and the results of internal audits have been reported
e. the financial statements in this annual report have been prepared from proper accounts and records and are in accordance with the Treasurer’s Directions
f. in accordance with the requirements of Section 28 of the Public Sector Employment and Management Act, all public sector principles have been upheld
g. with respect to my responsibilities under Section 131 of the Information Act, in response to an information loss breach outlined elsewhere in this report, procedures within the agency have been improved to ensure the agency complies with the archives and records management provisions prescribed in Part 9 of the Information Act.
Yours sincerely
Ken Davies
Chief Executive Officer September 2017
Message from the Chief Executive Officer 1
PART 1 2
Introduction 3
Establishment of Territory Families 3
A New Structure for a New Agency 4
Our Regional Focus 5
Our Strategic Plan 6
Our Principles 9
Key Events – Timeline 10
Our People 12
Our Leadership 14
Year at a Glance 15
PART 2 – 2016-17 Performance 17
1 Provide Early Support to Children, Young
People and Families 18
2 Safeguard the Wellbeing of Children,
Young People, Families and the Community 23
3 Partner to Empower Change 35
4 Encourage and Celebrate Inclusive, Diverse and
Connected Communities 38
5 Ensure the Structures, Systems and Legislation
Supports Our Vision 43
6 Value and Invest in Our People 59
PART 3 – Financial Performance 69
The Budget 70
EOFY Financial Statements 73
Appendix: Funding to External Partners 115
CONTENTS
I am pleased to present the 2016-17 Annual Report for Territory Families. This report provides an account of the agency’s
activities and financial performance for the year 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017.
On 8 September 2016, the Northern Territory Government announced changes to improve service delivery for families. This included the creation of Territory Families as a government agency with responsibility for the portfolios of care and protection, youth justice, youth affairs, multicultural affairs, seniors, and senior and pensioner concessions, domestic, family and sexual violence, gender equity and diversity, and children’s policy.
These frontline and advocacy portfolios were consolidated into one agency to enable a focus on a whole-of-life approach to supporting families. Territory Families’
establishment has created an opportunity to deliver holistic services that result in positive outcomes across the breadth of social issues that impact on Territory families. My role, as the agency’s Chief Executive Officer, commenced on 13 September 2016.
This report represents an opportunity to reflect upon and acknowledge the achievements and progress that have been made by the agency in its first year. It further demonstrates and celebrates the work of the agency’s staff, carers and partners.
Throughout 2016-17, Territory Families staff have worked to build a new agency focused on delivering systemic improvements to the portfolios and programs for which we are responsible. This has included establishing many of the foundations necessary for a new agency.
A key priority has been the development of a new organisational structure to best reflect the responsibilities of the agency, and a regional service delivery framework that supports local decision-making, backed by a global budget model. The finalisation of our workforce plan will ensure we have the right people in the right jobs to deliver our services.
The data in this report illustrates the high and sustained demand for our portfolio services. Our child protection, domestic violence and youth justice workload is high.
In 2017-18 the Northern Territory Government increased Territory Families’ operating budget, from $277 million in 2016-17 to $287 million.
Operational improvements are focused on support for children and their families through the delivery of a diverse, yet connected, range of frontline services that focus on more than statutory intervention. The aim is to place child protection and youth justice services within a broader
framework of programs for prevention and early intervention, and provide better support for families when they need it.
This has occurred in the context of responding to shortcomings within our systems, including those identified by the Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory.
Importantly, Territory Families has not been alone in wanting to address issues and improve services to clients.
Throughout 2016-17 the agency has partnered and found improved ways of working with other government agencies and our non-government sector partners, communities and clients.
Territory Families new Strategic Plan 2017-2020 was developed through a comprehensive consultation with staff and non-government stakeholders. It is the roadmap for the next three years and defines our key strategic directions, outlines where we will focus our efforts and details how we will measure our achievements to ensure we deliver quality outcomes for Territorians. The plan puts children and families at the centre of the agency’s decision- making to achieve significant, long-term improvements.
The agency has also developed six strategies, which have formed the new strategic plan and our future outcomes.
This annual report focuses on the goals of our strategic plan, and our commitment to strengthening Territory Families and our communities within the region.
Territory Families recognises the significant challenges faced in the youth justice and child protection portfolios.
We must do more to address the significant over- representation of Aboriginal people in our systems;
ultimately, the members of our society must value and respect each other, and keep children, young people and families out of child protection, youth justice and domestic violence.
I would like to acknowledge the efforts and contributions of all individuals who demonstrated their commitment to improving and developing outcomes for young people and families in the Northern Territory.
Ken Davies
Chief Executive Officer
MESSAGE FROM THE
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
PART 1
TERRITORY FAMILIES
Part 1: Territory Families
FUNCTIONS AND OBJECTIVES OF TERRITORY FAMILIES
Territory Families brings together the Northern Territory Government’s responsibilities for care and protection of children, youth justice, youth and multicultural affairs, seniors, senior and pensioner concessions, domestic violence, and women’s, men’s and children’s policy.
Territory Families is responsible for:
•
providing services to respond to notifications about harm to children, including undertaking investigations, child safety planning, and family assistance•
providing services to children in the care of the Chief Executive Officer, including placement and case management, and the recruitment and support of carers•
providing support to families and parents to assist them to raise strong, healthy and safe children•
providing targeted youth programs and services that contribute to community safety, and reduce offending and reoffending by young people•
working collaboratively across government agencies and non-government organisations to deliver services that reduce and address the negative effects of domestic, family and sexual violence•
promoting the safety, equality and participation of women in the Territory, and improving coordination of policy and services for Territory men•
supporting the participation and input intogovernment decision-making and policy development by key multicultural, youth and seniors community groups
•
assisting pensioners, carers and other eligible Territorians with living expenses and providing an incentive for senior Territorians to remain living in the Territory following their retirement.Priorities
In 2016-17, the Northern Territory Government’s priorities for Territory Families were to:
•
invest earlier in children, including earlier support to vulnerable families•
address the issues in the youth justice system, so that children are diverted from future detention•
ensure children in care receive effective support and services to address their history of trauma•
improve and expand the response to domestic violence•
increase services for young people so that they have activities and opportunities that engage them•
ensure senior Territorians are respected and supported.This report
This report canvasses a year of major change resulting from the formation of Territory Families through the bringing together of functions from five agencies.
For Territory Families, the 2016-17 financial year was focused on identifying our vision and goals and building effective partnerships, systems and processes – a new agency with a new structure, new focus and new priorities.
This annual report uses the major goals of the Strategic Plan 2017-2020 as a lens through which to view Territory Families’ first year of operations as it will provide a baseline against which to measure future performance.
ESTABLISHING A NEW AGENCY
Territory Families was formed by bringing together staff from five
government departments, including the:
•
former Department of Children and Families (Children and Families functions)•
former Department of Correctional Services (Youth Justice functions)•
Department of Chief Minister (Youth, Multicultural Affairs and Seniors functions)•
Department of Health (Senior and Pensioner Concessions functions)•
former Department of Local Government and Community Services (Domestic Violence Directorate and Offices of Women’s and Men’s Policy functions).Part 1: Territory Families
Office of Domestic
Family Violence
& Sexual Violence Reduction
The formation of Territory Families created opportunities to establish an organisation that would work in partnership to deliver integrated, culturally competent, family- centred services to improve the lives of Territorians.
In December 2016, Territory Families initiated an independent review process, to develop an organisational structure through a review and consultation process involving key stakeholders and staff. The functional review was finalised in February 2017, and included a new organisational structure designed to ensure that Territory Families:
•
deploys services close to Territorians who require them•
provides greater decision making and direct local oversight within regions•
connects and enables service delivery teams to collaborate to achieve optimal client outcomes•
maximises the effective and efficient use of its resources and budget.The new structure was progressively implemented throughout 2016-17. The resulting Organisational Chart is below.
A NEW STRUCTURE FOR A NEW AGENCY
Information Management
People &
Capability
Finance &
Procurement
Infrastructure
& Emergency Management Chief Executive Officer
Ken Davies
Deputy CEO Operations Deputy CEO Organisational Services
Families &
Regional Services
Operational
Support Youth Justice Programs &
Engagement
Strategy, Policy &
Performance
Greater Darwin Region
Northern Region
Southern Region
NT Wide Services
Implementation
& Assurance
Education &
Training
Youth Justice Operations
Youth Justice Programs
Strategy
& Reform
Performance
& Data Management
Inter- government
Relations
Law Reform Office of
Community Engagement
Office of Gender Equity &
Diversity
Office of the Chief Executive
Corporate Communications
Ministerial Liaison
Risk & Audit
Legal Services
Part 1: Territory Families
A REGIONAL FOCUS
The Northern Territory presents a unique and challenging environment in which to deliver services. The demographic, geographic, economic and historical characteristics of the Northern Territory differ significantly from other Australian jurisdictions. With one per cent of Australia’s population living on one sixth of its land mass, and significant distances between centres, the Northern Territory’s population is highly dispersed.
From the total population of 245,740 people, 25.5 per cent are Aboriginal, and 26 per cent are children aged 0 to 17.
In 2016-17, Territory Families staff worked from 25 locations, with major service centre offices in:
•
Darwin•
Casuarina•
Palmerston•
Nhulunbuy•
Katherine•
Tennant Creek•
Alice Springs.Our efforts towards regionalisation in 2016-17 have strengthened relationships and connections between our child protection, out-of-home care, family services and youth justice functions, and provided decision-making powers to people who have contextual knowledge of the issues and challenges being faced in their communities. We are continuing our transition to a regional service delivery model, as we seek to distribute our staff closer to where client needs exist.
This regional approach, supported by a new organisational structure, new regional boundaries and a new global budget model, allows local decision-making to support the needs of each community.
Greater Darwin Region and Northern Remote Office
(Darwin, Casuarina, Palmerston) East Arnhem Office (Nhulunbuy)
NORTHERN REGION
SOUTHERN REGION Katherine Office
Territory Families’ Offices
Barkly Office (Tennant Creek)
Central Australia Office (Alice Springs)
Part 1: Territory Families
In 2016-17, Territory Families developed its Strategic Plan 2017-2020 through extensive consultation with more than 300 employees and 50 representatives from our key partners in the non-government sector. During the strategic planning workshops, staff and non-government providers identified more than 694 separate goal and
strategy statements covering the breadth of Territory Families responsibilities. Territory Families released a consultation report to all participants following the workshops and consolidated the outcomes of consultation into the strategic plan.
OUR STRATEGIC PLAN
MISSION, VISION AND GOALS
U O
M
RIS SI O N
WORK IN PARTNERSHIP TO DELIV
ER INT EGRAT
ED, C
LTU RU LL A OM Y C EN PET T, FAMILY-CENTRED SERVIC
ES TO IMH TPEROV
IV E L O ES RRI F TE RIA TO NS
PROVIDE EARLY SUPPORT TO CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES
ENSURE THE STRUCTURES, SYSTEMS
AND LEGISLATION SUPPORTS OUR VISION
SAFEGUARD THE WELLBEING OF CHILDREN, YOUNG
PEOPLE, FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY
ENCOURAGE AND CELEBRATE INCLUSIVE, DIVERSE
AND CONNECTED COMMUNITIES VALUE AND INVEST
IN OUR PEOPLE PARTNER TO EMPOWER CHANGE
VISION OUR
EMPOWERING FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES
FOR A SAFE AND BETTER FUTURE
Part 1: Territory Families
C ompassionate
We demonstrate empathy through our actions and demonstrate sincerity and fairness in our work with them.
Collaborative
We work in partnership for better outcomes.
Accountable
We are open and transparent and accept responsibility for our actions.
Professional
We are committed to service and operate with courtesy, competency, efficiency and objectivity.
Respectful
We value the perspectives, contributions, knowledge and diversity of others.
Ethical
We demonstrate honesty, fairness and integrity.
WE CARE
Territory Families is committed to the Northern Territory Public Sector values, which underpin our work in delivering services to Territorians, promote
collaboration and professionalism, and guide us to achieve our best performance at work. The Northern Territory Public Sector (NTPS) values are:
•
Commitment to Service: the NTPS is professional, hardworking, effective, innovative and efficient, working collaboratively to achieve the best results for the Nothern Territory.•
Ethical Practice: the NTPS upholds the highest standards of practice and acts with integrity in all that it does.•
Respect: the NTPS respects all people and, in particular, their rights as individuals.•
Accountability: the NTPS is transparent and accountable in all its actions.•
Impartiality: the NTPS is apolitical and provides the government with advice that is objective, timely and based on the best available evidence.•
Diversity: the NTPS values the diversity of its workforce, as well the Nothern Territory population it serves.The Territory Families strategic planning consultation process was used to engage staff in identifying how those values could be expressed in their daily work, with a focus on the unique outcomes sought by Territory Families. Agency staff identified six values critical to Territory Families workplace culture and success. These six values detail how every member of Territory Families is expected to perform and deliver their responsibilities.
Part 1: Territory Families
Part 1: Territory Families
OUR PRINCIPLES
Territory Families’ service delivery will uphold the following principles, with a strong focus on Aboriginal children, families and communities. These are the attributes that we will display in our every day activity.
Culturally considerate
The cultural needs of a child, family or community will be considered and embedded at the centre of all decisions, interactions and practices.
Enabling and empowering
In recognition of the strength and capacity of families and communities to determine their own future, the system will support young people, families and communities to take ownership of service responses.
Outcomes focused
A focus on achieving positive outcomes for children and families will enable the system to be designed on a feasible and sustainable foundation, with clearly articulated outputs and objectives that are tailored towards the Northern Territory’s unique context.
Shared power, responsibility and governance
The responsibility and power for improving outcomes for children, families and communities in the
Northern Territory will be equally shared between the government, non-government and community sector.
Centered on safety
All interactions will promote the safety and welfare of children, whilst also preventing the occurrence of any action that may cause harm to a child, their family, the broader community and staff members.
Holistic
The best outcomes for children and young people will be achieved through the adoption of family-focused and proactive wrap-around services that are part of a broader community service system.
Responds earlier
The system will move from an intervention model to an early intervention and prevention model which will strengthen the resilience of families to overcome the underlying contributors to child abuse, neglect and youth offending.
Rehabilitative and restorative
Through a framework built on a needs-focused, therapeutic, trauma-informed approach, the system will provide the opportunity for children and families to heal, maintain safety and to be prevented from further harm.
Evidence-based
A strong emphasis on improving outcomes for families will provide the foundation for a system that works in partnership with the community to develop a local evidence-base that is both informed by, and contributes to, complementary policies, standards and charters.
Part 1: Territory Families
KEY EVENTS
September
•
12th – Following the Northern Territory election on 27 August 2016, a new government was formed and Territory Families was created.•
13th – Ken Davies appointed as the first Chief Executive Officer of Territory Families, and lead of the Children and Families Cluster.November
•
11th – The Minister and CEO attended the National Community Services Ministers meeting in Sydney.•
30th - 16 New Youth Round Table members were appointed.October
•
11-13th – The first public hearings for the Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory were held in Darwin.•
Amendments to the Youth Justice Act passed by the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly banned the use of mechanical restraint chairs for young offenders in detention.•
21st – Inaugural meeting of the Children and Families Standing Committee.December
•
4th – Members of the Youth Round Table presented their community based projects to Ministers and CEOs at Parliament House.•
5-14th – The Royal Commission held hearings in Darwin.•
Territory Families supported the CREATE Foundation’s CREATE Christmas Gift Drive.•
Territory Families supported the Northern Territory’s representatives at the Council of Australian Government’s Domestic Violence Summit.•
16th – Young people at Don Dale Youth Detention Centre welcomed a visit from Australian music icon Paul Kelly and multi-instrumentalist and producer Charlie Owen.2016
Part 1: Territory Families
January
•
Territory Families staff assisted with disaster management and recovery after 96 Walungurru (Kintore) residents were evacuated from their homes as a result of flooding.March
•
13-17th – Northern Territory Royal Commission held hearings in Alice Springs.•
20-31st – The Royal Commission held hearings in Darwin.•
31st – The Northern Territory Royal Commission interim report was handed down.May
•
8-12th – The Royal Commission held hearings in Darwin.•
15th – The first class of 39 Youth Outreach and Re-engagement Officers began work.•
26th – The Charter of Rights for Foster and Kinship Carers was launched at Parliament House.•
29th-2 June – The Royal Commission held hearings in Alice Springs.February
•
8th – The Chief Minister announced an$18.2 million annual investment in a youth justice diversion program.
April
•
19-28th – The Royal Commission held hearings in Darwin.•
25 New Youth Justice Officers began work after completing a new six-week training course.•
Territory Families staff volunteered to assist Queensland residents in the wake of Severe Tropical Cyclone Debbie.June
•
19-30th – The Royal Commission held hearings in Darwin.•
T erritory Families transitioned to its new - regional and operational structure.2017
Part 1: Territory Families
Territory Families employs a diverse, experienced and skilled group of staff who are dedicated to working to enhance the lives of children and their families.
At 30 June 2017, our workforce consisted of 984 staff across the Northern Territory.
OUR PEOPLE
Territory Families’ core frontline roles include:
•
remote family support workers•
Aboriginal community workers•
child protection practitioners•
carer assessment and support workers•
courts officers•
women’s safe house workers•
residential care workers•
family safety framework coordinators•
therapists and counsellors•
youth outreach and re-engagement officers•
youth justice officers.Part 1: Territory Families
OUR WORKFORCE
Role type
Fifty seven per cent were employed in direct service delivery roles, 16 per cent in indirect support roles and 27 per cent in government services roles.
Aboriginality
Nineteen per cent of Territory Families staff identify as Aboriginal, and five per cent of our senior and executive leadership roles were held by individuals who identified as Aboriginal.
Women in our workforce Women make up 73 per cent of the workforce and 69 per cent of our senior and executive positions are held by women.
Equal opportunity
Our agency promotes equality of opportunity in employment and at 30 June 2017 there were 106 employees from a non-English speaking background.
Experience
Fourteen per cent of the workforce had more than 10 years’ experience in the Northern Territory Government and a further 24 per cent had between five and 10 years’ experience.
Role type
Sixty per cent of our total staff are employed in the administrative stream, 31 per cent in the professional stream, seven per cent in the physical stream and two per cent in the executive stream.
Disability
1.1 per cent of employees identified as having a disability.
Location
Sixty five per cent of employees are based in Darwin, 16 per cent in Alice Springs, six per cent in Katherine, two per cent in Nhulunbuy, two per cent in Tennant Creek and nine per cent across remote communities outside of the major service centres.
Length of service
The median length of service for employees across Territory Families was 3.2 years. Seventy-nine per cent of employees have worked in the Northern Territory Public Service for more than a year.
73%
69%
57%
27%
16%
11%
14%
24%
79%
60% 16% 65%
9%
6%
31%
7%
21%
19%
5%
2% 2%
2%
1.1%
Part 1: Territory Families
The creation of a new agency resulted in the creation of a new structure and a new leadership team. All new executive positions in the Territory Families structure were subject to open recruitment in 2016-17.
As at 30 June 2017 Territory Families was preparing to implement the agreed structure in full, and the leadership group comprised:
OUR LEADERSHIP
Territory Families would like to thank the leaders and executive contract officers who departed in 2016-17. These include Anne Bradford, former Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Children and Families, and Simone Jackson, who was the General Manager of Enabling Services.
Chief Executive Officer Ken Davies
Executive Director Northern Region Damien Worley (Acting)
Executive Director Corporate Services Peter Davies Deputy Chief
Executive Operations Jeanette Kerr
Executive Director Youth Justice Karen Broadfoot
Executive Director Strategy, Policy and Performance Luke Twyford Deputy Chief
Executive Organisational Services Nicole Hurwood
Executive Director Out-of-home care Marnie Couch (Acting)
Executive Director Gooda White Royal Commission Kiah Hanson Senior Director
People and Capability Danielle Cross
General Manager Family and Regional Services Bronwyn Thompson (Acting)
Executive Director Remote Services Jodie Woolcock
Senior Director Programs and Engagement Danyelle Jarvis
Chief Financial Officer Kim Charles
Executive Director Southern Region Dorrelle Anderson
Executive Director Governance Leonie Warburton (Acting)
Part 1: Territory Families
YEAR AT A GLANCE
TABLE 1: KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Children and Families 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17
Family and Parent Support
Total number of children whose families received
family support casework services - - 1,066 1,515 2,007
Child Protection
Child protection notifications received 9,967 12,936 17,032 20,465 22,313
Child protection investigations commenced 3,802 4,905 7,091 7,862 9,274
Child protection investigations finalised 3,558 4,303 6,870 8,167 9,027
Child protection investigations substantiated 1,483 1,685 2,075 1,907 2,265 Out-of-home care
Children in out-of-home care 748 918 997 1,020 1,049
Children admitted to out-of-home care 362 396 335 315 304
Children exiting out-of-home care 329 242 257 304 281
Foster places of care 225 229 229 249 272
Kinship places of care 147 185 205 205 215
Permanent care orders granted - - 0 0 1
Youth Justice
Number of young people with a youth diversion case
management plan - - - New 61
Number of young people diverted to a restorative
justice conference - - - New 62
Number of young people completing a restorative
justice agreement - - - New 17
Daily average number of young people in detention 49 48 42 49 37
Number of youth receptions into a youth detention
facility 429 468 462 530 519
Domestic, Family, and Sexual Violence Reduction Services Number of women and children provided with crisis
accommodation services 4,720 4,627 4,145 4,762 3,5141
Number of NGO services funded to reduce domestic,
family and sexual violence - - - New 37
Number of bed nights in women's safe houses - - - New 97,500
Community Engagement and Programs
Number of supported community events for young
Territorians - - - New 146
Number of multicultural community events supported - - - New 109
Number of initiatives to enhance gender equity and
diversity supported - - - New 29
Seniors and Carers
Pensioner and carer concession recipients 20,376 21,222 20,515 19,546 19,345 Number of community events for senior Territorians
supported - - - New 52
* 1 Data has been sourced from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Specialist Homelessness Services Collection - SHS support
services data collection 2011-16 for women and children who accessed long, medium or short-term accommodation. Data for females who didn’t provide an age is included. These figures also include women (not children) from women’s safe houses.
2 Data from the 2016-17 Specialist Homelessness Services Collection was not available at the time of publishing.
Part 1: Territory Families
Part 2: Performance
PART 2
PERFORMANCE
Part 2: Performance
PROVIDE EARLY SUPPORT TO CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES
1
Services aim to support the maintenance of family units, resolve or reduce the risk of child neglect and abuse and engage children and parents in services that strengthen their capacity.
In 2016-17 Territory Families identified five strategies to achieve the aim of providing early support. These are to:
1. support communities and families through targeted investment in early intervention and prevention programs and services
2. create a responsive service system that provides
pathways and options to flexibly meet the needs of families
3. empower communities and families to tackle and prevent child abuse and neglect
4. engage with young people earlier to reduce the risk of future offending and divert them away from crime 5. value and respect children and young people’s ideas,
and help them to build stronger connections with the community.
Providing early support for children, youth and families is a critical priority for
Territory Families. The overarching goal is to enable parents and primary carers to
provide safe and stable care for their children.
Part 2: Performance
Early intervention, parenting and family support services
Early intervention, parenting and family support services take many forms, depending on the strengths and needs of a family.
In 2016-17, Territory Families provided $10.5 million to non-government providers of family and parenting support services. This funding enabled the delivery of a wide range of programs including intensive youth services, toy libraries, place-based therapeutic intervention services for children, night patrols, advice lines and resources, parenting support programs and the intensive family preservation services.
Territory Families directly provided services to children and families to keep them out of the child protection and youth justice systems through its Remote Family Support Service and Strengthening Families teams. As of 30 June 2017, there were 2,007 children whose families were receiving ongoing case management from Territory Families. Throughout the year Territory Families had convened 50 multi-agency child safety coordination groups, which are used to share information and coordinate services to families.
Throughout 2016-17, Territory Families worked with non- government organisations to identify improvements to family and parenting support services and develop a dual pathways model. These initiatives aim to provide earlier support to families to reduce the likelihood of their entering the child protection system.
Through this Territory Families:
•
conducted broad industry and stakeholder consultations with more than 90 organisations to co-design a new operating model for family support•
commenced the development of a strategy to improve child wellbeing and safety to focus on earlier support•
commenced five-year funding agreements for universal family support services to improve the capacity of these services to plan, budget and deliver. The Darwin Fun Bus, Nhulunbuy Toy Library and Darwin Toy Library were the first services to benefit from this arrangement.Toy Library receives five-year funding
A service which has been supporting young children
and their families for nearly 30 years has been guaranteed another five years of life thanks to Territory Families.
From July 1, the agency committed to a five-year funding arrangement for the Darwin Fun Bus, a mobile playgroup that has been run by the City of Darwin for 28 years.
The fun, learning-filled local mobile playgroup meets Monday to Friday for two hours at different locations around the city, including Bagot community, Wanguri Park, the Jingili Water Gardens, Yanyula Park at Anula and Civic Park in the Darwin CBD.
The playgroup offers parents and children, aged zero to five, a chance
to interact, learn, sing songs and gather together in a positive environment, and the only charge is a piece of fruit which gets sliced and shared with the group.
Activities include water play, art, story reading and physical play. Mothers who attended a recent session at Bagot community were pleased the playgroup would continue to provide a place for both parents and children to socialise and develop new friendships.
TABLE 2: FAMILY AND PARENT SUPPORT SERVICES
Key deliverables 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17
Number of children whose families are receiving
ongoing casework 1 - - 1,066 1,515 2,007
1 Calculated as open investigation cases where casework continues post outcome, as at 30 June each year.
Part 2: Performance
Northern Territory Child Wellbeing and Safety Strategy
The development of a Northern Territory Child Wellbeing and Safety Strategy has been progressed in 2016-17 through a partnership agreement with the National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN). In 2016-17, NAPCAN commenced consolidation of information and strategy drafting with experts, community members and non- government organisations to ensure that the strategy:
•
is based on contemporary prevention research•
builds on the Northern Territory’s Council of Social Services’ vision for a coordinated service system to promote child and family wellbeing•
aligns with other strategies and reform work being undertaken by the Northern Territory Government•
includes the voices of children and young people, families and community members.Youth services
Throughout 2016-17, Territory Families worked with youth service providers and stakeholders to deliver a range of early intervention services and improve after- hours services and activities for young people. This included developing an activities program that supports at-risk children.
In 2016-17, Territory Families:
•
established a Youth Services Coordinator role in Alice Springs•
funded Central Australian Aboriginal Congress, Alice Springs Towns Council and Alice Springs Youth and Community Centre to deliver after-hours services for young people•
consulted with young people and youth organisations to improve after-hours services that meet local needs•
coordinated an online Territory-wide school holiday calendar to encourage youth participation and activity•
invested $2.05 million in the Regional Youth Services initiative for local early intervention and prevention programs including:• the Strong Young Women’s Program delivered by Red Dust Role Models. It targeted health literacy for women aged 12 to 18 in two remote communities and in Alice Springs
• pregnancy and parenting programs for young parents, provided case management support and linked access to services for life skills, health, education and relationships – this was delivered by Anglicare Northern Territory and YWCA
• the establishment of a new youth centre run by Barkly Regional Council to offer after-hours activities for young people in Tennant Creek
•
a range of after-hours activities and services in Katherine and Nhulunbuy.Youth outreach and re-engagement
In May 2017, five new Youth Outreach and Re- engagement Teams were established in Palmerston, Alice Springs, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Nhulunbuy as part of $18.2 million funding for improved youth diversion outcomes. Youth outreach and re-engagement teams identify and work with youth vulnerable to becoming involved in the youth justice system, and their families, by providing support and interventions that meet each individual’s needs.
The teams were involved in 318 interactions with young people and their families, and had 321 interactions with key stakeholders. The work aimed at encouraging young people to make positive life choices, and supporting them to exit or steer away from the youth justice system. Young people at risk of offending and entering the youth justice system were identified and engaged in case management and diversion programs.
A court-ordered Restorative Justice Conferencing Program was established and was overseen by new governance groups, which included a Cross Agency Advisory Group, Practice Advisory Group and Legislative Amendments Advisory Committee.
Part 2: Performance
Inaugural Youth Outreach and Re-engagement Officers graduate
Thirty-nine new youth outreach workers started roles supporting young Territorians and their communities in May.
The Youth Outreach and Re-engagement Officers (YOREOs) began their youth support roles after graduation ceremonies in Alice Springs and Darwin on Friday 12 May.
The youth outreach initiative was one of a program of reforms and improvements to the Northern Territory’s youth justice system, and are based in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine, Palmerston/
Darwin and Nhulunbuy.
The outreach officers work with youth and their families, other government agencies and local NGO services to support young people seen to be at risk of offending. Their aim is to connect these young Territorians to relevant education, training, counselling and medical services so they can make positive life choices and contribute to their local community.
The YOREOs undertook three weeks of intensive training on case management, restorative practices, working with young people with complex behavioural and emotional issues and engagement techniques.
The YOREO team also includes professional and operational support staff to assist frontline workers to connect with other NGO and government service providers such as counsellors, medical services and local education or training opportunities.
Alice Springs graduation ceremony
Darwin graduation ceremony
Part 2: Performance
Domestic, family and sexual violence reduction
During 2016-17, more than $15 million was provided to non-government organisations for domestic and family violence services. These services included critical intervention outreach services for victims of domestic violence and their children, women’s shelters, a men’s behaviour-change program, a men’s outreach and referral assessment service, victim support and advocacy services, and a domestic violence specialist children’s service. Four women’s shelters – in Darwin, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs – were funded to provide services in 16 communities and 29 town camps.
Territory Families also funded a consortium of
Tangentyere Council, Alice Springs Women’s Shelter and Jesuit Social Services to provide a best-practice men’s
behaviour-change program aimed at changing attitudes, beliefs and behaviours regarding domestic violence in Alice Springs.
Territory Families also supported the NO MORE family violence prevention campaign’s work to develop and implement domestic violence action plans with sporting clubs and communities to reduce violence and change community values and norms. Territory Families further partnered with the national anti-domestic violence campaign Our Watch to develop effective family violence prevention strategies. Our Watch was established to drive nationwide change in the culture, behaviours and power imbalances that lead to violence against women and their children.
Alice Springs stars shine
Territory Families staff in Alice Springs spent two and a half months weaving their own galaxy of stars as part of a national campaign against domestic violence.
The One Million Stars to End Violence campaign will culminate in a display at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games next year.
More than 1,500 of the stars on display will have been made by Territory Families’ nimble-fingered weavers who used their lunch breaks to learn how to weave the colourful ribbon stars, and then took them home at night to work on. Residential care staff, and the children, also took on the challenge.
The initial goal was 1,000, but ended up with 1,500 being contributed to the Alice Springs Women’s Shelter’s goal of 10,000 stars.
SAFEGUARD THE WELLBEING OF CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE, FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY
2
Our workforce provides critical responses to circumstances where individuals and families are in trauma and
vulnerable. The nature of our response to child abuse, neglect, youth offending and domestic violence can positively influence the futures of both individuals and the community.
Territory Families has developed six strategies to improve its delivery of core statutory services.
These are to:
•
work to reduce the number of Aboriginal people in the child protection and youth justice system and address their overrepresentation•
refocus the child protection and youth justice systems towards restoring families and communities•
ensure out-of-home care is a safe, caring, nurturing and restorative experience for children, and effectively support them to transition from care•
ensure programs and services delivered to children and families are trauma-informed and therapeutic•
build a youth detention system that supports effective reintegration•
reduce domestic, family and sexual violence by providing targeted interventions and supports whenTerritory Families’ core statutory services include child protection, youth justice,
out-of-home care and domestic violence services.
Part 2: Performance
Child protection
During 2016-17, demand for statutory child protection services continued to increase.
During the year, there were 22,313 child protection notifications relating to 11,222 individual children. This was a nine per cent increase on the previous 12 months, and constitutes a doubling of reports over the past five years.
The most frequent notifiers were police, school staff and hospital/health centre staff. Police accounted for 9,279 (42 per cent) of all child protection reports.
When a child protection notification raises concerns about the acts and omissions of parents, Territory Families can commence a child protection investigation. Investigations include interviewing the child, their siblings and parents, assessing the home environment, and collecting information from other professionals and adults involved in the child’s life. In 2016-17, Territory Families began 9,274 child protection investigations to assess if children were at risk of harm or in need of care and protection. This was a 16 per cent increase on the previous year. Child protection reports that do not lead to investigations can result in a referral to family support, the undertaking of a protective assessment or no further action.
All child protection investigations are accorded a response priority rating after an initial assessment of the report. In 2016-17, 8,587 investigations (93 per cent) were commenced within the allocated response time.
Territory Families completed 9,027 child protection investigations through which it documented an assessment of the risk and safety factors experienced by the child and their family. The number of completed investigations in 2016-17 represented a 10.5 per cent increase on the number completed in 2015-16. At 30 June 2017, 1,404 child protection investigations were in progress.
A quarter (25.1%) of completed investigations found that the child had been or was at risk of harm,
meaning 2,265 reports were substantiated. These 2,265 cases related to 1,661 individual children. The most common substantiated harm types were neglect (957 cases), emotional harm (896 cases), physical harm (389 cases) and sexual exploitation (23 cases).
TABLE 3: NOTIFICATIONS, INVESTIGATIONS AND SUBSTANTIATIONS
2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17
Annual increase
(%)
Notifications 9,967 12,936 17,032 20,465 22,313 9%
Proceed to investigation 3,802 4,905 7,091 7,862 9,245 17.6%
All investigations commenced 3,769 4,637 7,188 8,000 9,274 16%
All investigations commence within
timeframe 3,254 3,739 5346 7,179 8,587 19.6%
All investigations finalised 3,558 4,303 6,870 8,167 9,027 10.5%
All substantiations 1,483 1,685 2,075 1,907 2,265 18.8%
Part 2: Performance
Out-of-home care
Most Northern Territory children and young people grow up in a family that protects and cares for them. They experience home as a place of love, where they can safely grow, explore and learn about the world. For some children and young people, however, home is not a safe place. In circumstances where children are in need of care and protection Territory Families can apply to take these children into the care of the Chief Executive Officer.
The purpose of out-of-home care is to provide children and young people who are in the care of the Chief Executive Officer with stable and nurturing home-based care that enables them to heal from the harm they have experienced so they can thrive.
In 2016-17, the total number of children in out-of-home care stabilised. At 30 June 2017 there were 1,049 children and young people in the care of the Territory Families Chief Executive Officer. This is a 2.8 per cent increase, or 29 children, on the previous year. Over the year, 304 children entered out-of-home care. This is a reduction of 11 from the year before and is the lowest figure in the past five years
The continuing trend of reducing numbers of children entering out-of-home care may reflect improved family interventions, but has not reduced the total number of children in care in the Northern Territory, as an increasing proportion of children are in care for longer. Of the 1,049 children in care on 30 June 2017, 647 (62 per cent) will be in care until the age of 18. This is a 7.6 per cent increase from the previous year.
Territory Families believes local people should lead local solutions, and engaged Aboriginal Peak Organisations of the Northern Territory (APONT) to design and deliver an out-of-home care system where more Aboriginal children are cared for by Aboriginal carers, and where connection to culture and identity is strengthened.
The Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Childcare has also joined this partnership with a specific focus on Central Australia.
CHART 1: INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR STATUTORY CHILD PROTECTION SERVICES – 10 YEARS
5,000
2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 10,000
15,000 20,000 25,000
0
Notifications Substantiations
Individual Children subject to notification Individual Children subject to substantiations Completed Investigations
Part 2: Performance
TABLE 4: OUT-OF-HOME CARE PERFORMANCE MEASURES
2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 Annual change %
Children in OOHC at 30 June1 748 918 997 1,020 1,049 2.80%
Children admitted to OOHC care 362 396 335 315 304 -3.50%
Children exiting OOHC 329 242 257 304 281 -7.60%
Foster places of care at 30 June1 225 229 229 249 272 9.20%
Kinship places of care at 30 June1 147 185 205 205 215 4.90%
Permanent care orders granted2 - - - 0 1 -
Aboriginal children in care1 623 788 871 908 938 3.30%
Aboriginal children placed with Aboriginal
carers1 51.47% 41.72% 33.79% 35.60% 31.90% -3.70%
1 This is a point in time measure as at the last day of the reported period.
2 New Key Performance Indicator in 2017-18
Culturally-appropriate care arrangements
In 2016-17, 89 per cent of the children in care were Aboriginal and 31.9 per cent of these were placed with Aboriginal carers. In 2017, Territory Families committed to supporting the Family Matters campaign led by the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care to improve understanding and application of the Aboriginal child placement principle. This included adopting the following six principles:
1. applying a child-focused approach
2. ensuring that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations participate in and have control over decisions that affect their children 3. protecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
children’s right to live in culture 4. pursuing evidence-based responses
5. supporting, healing and strengthening families 6. challenging systemic racism and inequities.
Territory Families also worked with members of the local community to establish the Mikan Reference Group in East Arnhem. Group members are clan leaders or elders who represent the family groups in the area, and were identified by the communities themselves. The Territory Families Arnhem office works with Mikan to:
•
build constructive working relationships between Territory Families and local communities, including outstations and homelands•
ensure Territory Families’ practices and processes are culturally safe•
share information and promote child protection awareness in the community•
discuss high-risk cases (with the permission of the family) and jointly develop safety and action plans that aim to divert children away from care wherever safely possible.Placement of children in care
Safe and stable placements are critical to producing good outcomes for children in care. Placement stability is supported through placement matching, responsive case management, collaboration with carers and responding to a child’s changing needs. In 2016-17, 67.5 per cent (711) of all children in care had three or fewer placements over their time in care. Twenty nine per cent (308) were still in their initial placement and 47 of these had been in care for more than five years. In comparison, six per cent (56) of children in care have had more than 10 placements and 38 of these children have been in care for more than five years.
Of all children in care at 30 June 2017, there were 480 (46 per cent) in foster and kinship care households.
This is 13 fewer than at 30 June 2016. Thirty five per cent (364) of all children in care were placed in purchased home-based care. Eleven per cent (115) of children were placed in residential care.
Territory Families continued to record and respond to concerns about the safety of children in care through the formal process introduced in 2014. This process records all concerns about children in care and ensures there are robust records and responses to any allegations that a child in care has been harmed.
Throughout the year Territory Families recorded 343 concerns about children in care and substantiated seventy nine of those matters. In these cases remedial steps were taken and the Children’s Commissioner informed.
Part 2: Performance
Camping at Yulara
Southern Region residential care staff and residents packed up their tents in July for a school holiday cultural camping adventure at Yulara.
The four residents and six staff set off for four days of excitement, adventure and activities. The group slept in swags, ate campfire meals and participated in a range of activities including searching for honey ants, walking around Uluru, boomerang throwing, camel riding, dancing with the Putitja dancers, playing on the sand dunes and a scavenger hunt.
The trip concluded with the group participating in a bush tucker and reptile tour, spear throwing and more sand dune adventures, before settling in for some campfire stories under the stars.
CHART 2: CHILDREN IN CARE BY PLACEMENT CATEGORY
1100
900
700
500
300
100
-100
Other care types Residential care Purchased home- based care Kinship care Foster care
2012-13 53 78 203
230 184
255 232 257 99 75
270 213 326 97 92
256 235 342 111 94
259 221 364 115 90
2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17
“Other care types” includes boarding schools, establishments for children with disabilities and youth detention facilities.
Part 2: Performance
Launch of the Foster and Kinship Carer Charters of Rights
Territory Families joined with the Foster Carers Association of the NT (FCA NT) to launch their inaugural Foster and Kinship Carers Charter of Rights.
The charter was developed by FCA NT through broad consultation within the carer community to identify the rights that overlay the important work this network of people undertakes.
Minister for Territory Families, Dale Wakefield, hosted a launch for the charter in May at Parliament House. A signing ceremony included the Minister, CEO of FCA NT Ann Owens (above right) and Deputy CEO of Territory Families Jeanette Kerr (above left), demonstrating a combined commitment to the importance of and respect for the charter.
Foster and kinship care
Foster and kinship carers are the foundation of out- of-home care services, and provide stable homes for children in care. At 30 June 2017, there were 272 foster care households and 215 kinship care households.
This is an increase of 23 (9.2 per cent) foster care and 10 (4.9 per cent) kinship care households over the year. This increase in carer households includes 85 new foster and 84 new kinship care households recruited during 2016-17, offset by 66 foster and 71 kinship carer households that left the system during the year.
In 2016-17, Territory Families committed to improving its partnership with carers to ensure they felt supported and valued. Territory Families worked with the Foster Carers Association of the Northern Territory to launch the Charter of Rights for Carers, made our policies publicly available on the Territory Families website and undertook a series of regional workshops that gave carers the opportunity to present their views to the agency’s executive and frontline workers.
Transitioning out-of-home care to the non-government sector
In 2016-17, Territory Families began working with non-government organisations to plan the transition
of out-of-home care services to the non-government sector. The transition has a primary focus on increasing the involvement of Aboriginal community-controlled organisations in the provision of care, and increasing standards and the quality of care outcomes.
Territory Families conducted a review of existing out- of-home care services and contractual arrangements. It consulted with residential and purchased home-based care providers in the Northern Territory, seeking their input on accreditation schemes used elsewhere in Australia that could be suitable for the Northern Territory.
Adoptions
Adoptions in the Northern Territory are subject to the Adoption of Children Act 1994, which is being reviewed.
In 2016-17, Territory Families managed the finalisation of nine adoptions, two more than the previous year. There were two adoptions in 2014-15.
The Northern Territory has adoption arrangements with China, Hong Kong, India, South Korea, Philippines, Lithuania, Thailand, Taiwan and Colombia.
While it can be challenging for prospective adoptive parents to meet overseas country criteria, more overseas adoptions have been finalised in the Northern Territory than local adoptions.
Part 2: Performance
It tells us we are valued
As part of its commitment to support foster and kinship carers, Territory Families communications staff interviewed foster carers in Darwin and Alice Springs and produced a video highlighting what the rights contained in the charter meant to them. Here is some of what they had to say.
John
Louisa
We live with the children, we’re there 24/7 with them.
To be supported is very important, so you can keep going.
You’re opening up your home, and you’re asking a lot of your own family as well.
Andrew
A charter of rights for foster carers is important because it provides a basis for everybody in the future, both for the carers and the department.
To have somebody value what you do makes it so much better.
If you’re in a position where you’re volunteering and those services are respected and valued, it’s the sort of thing that will keep the carer in the system for longer.
A charter of rights is an acknowledgement that you’re a valued and respected member of the team.
Part 2: Performance
TABLE 5: YOUTH JUSTICE KEY INDICATORS
Youth Justice 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17
Number of young people with a youth diversion case1
management plan - - 61
Number of young people diverted to a restorative justice
conference1 - - 62
Number of young people completing a restorative justice
agreement1 - - 17
Daily average number of young people in detention1 48 42 49 37
Number of youth receptions into a youth detention facility2 468 462 530 519
1 New Key Performance Indicator in 2017-18
2 Including young people aged 18 and over
Youth Justice
Territory Families assumed responsibility for youth justice, including youth detention, when the agency was formed in September 2017. At that time, deficiencies in the safety and effectiveness of the youth justice system were known and had been highlighted by a report on the ABC Four Corners television program, which led to the establishment of the Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory.
During 2016-17, Territory Families made progressive and significant improvements to the services provided to young people in contact with the youth justice system. This included a fix-and-make-safe infrastructure program for the youth detention facilities in Darwin and Alice Springs, new detention programs and training for youth justice officers, and delivering the government’s commitment to a new youth diversion program.
A total of $2.5 million was allocated to 11 non-government organisations to provide youth diversion programs in 60 locations in the Northern Territory. Program activities included reintegration support, after-custody and pre-court youth diversion case management services, and individual
interventions to manage criminogenic risks and needs.
These services were funded by Territory Families and used by Northern Territory Police with the non-government providers. These service providers completed 177 pre-court diversionary conferences (47 victim-offender conferences and 130 family group conferences) between 1 July and December 2016.
Territory Families also funded Jesuit Social Services to pilot court-ordered youth justice conferencing in Palmerston and Katherine. In the first six months, 15 court-ordered victim-offender conferences were completed, and one family group conference was undertaken (no victim involved). Six other court-ordered victim conferences are pending. This pilot program will run until September 2018, with at least 65 conferences to be undertaken.
Territory Families’ own youth outreach and re-engagement teams were also case managing 61 young people at 30 June 2017. These young people were considered to be at risk of criminal offending; case management is aimed at helping them integrate into pro-social activities and reduce the risk of them offending.
Mural project brightening the lives of young detainees at Don Dale
A series of murals were installed at Don Dale Detention Centre with some painted by the detainees and most designed and developed with the youths themselves.
More than paint and images the designs reflect imagery relevant to young people as well as culturally relevant themes.
Territory Families has been implementing a range of fix-and-make-safe works at
both youth detention centres in the Nothern Territory. The extensive works are necessary to ensure the safety and wellbeing of young people in the centres as well as staff and visitors.
Part 2: Performance
Working towards a brighter future for our youth
Territory Families Youth Justice Officer, Rebecca Crack, delivered a moving speech at her graduation in April. She spoke of the pride and responsibility she felt in stepping into her new role; where she will have the opportunity to make a true difference to vulnerable young Territorians.
Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. Thank you all for attending today’s graduation.
My name is Bec Crack and I stand before you as a representative for the Alice Springs training Youth Justice Officer Team.
We, the Alice team, travelled to Darwin and for the past five weeks have lived together, trained together and grown together. It is our close bond and tight sense of community that will be invaluable in our roles as Youth Justice Officers.
We have made a commitment to not only Territory Families and youth justice, but also the Northern Territory and Australia, to be the voice and action of change to youth detention.
Through our training and past experiences we will provide a new outlook to the youth justice community and maintain respect and support for the current officers within the Alice Springs facility. We hope to prove to the public of Australia that we are committed to the youth of the Territory in providing support and a safe environment for growth and repair; and to also implement correct policy and procedure to ensure we ourselves are working safely and positively. We will act as appropriate role models to our youth, our colleagues and the community.
I myself am hopeful for the future of youth justice and am proud to wear the title of Youth Justice Officer of the Northern Territory. Let us become the change we want to see, push past negativity and build towards a positive future.
Finally on behalf of Alice Springs we would like to thank the Peter McCauley Centre for the venue;
the training team, facilitators and instructors; the various foundations providing training and support; the youth justice community; Territory Families and the Darwin crew.
May we work towards a brighter future for our youth and the youth justice image.
Thank you.
