Lower North Island Youth Justice Health and Education Triage Hui

Fundamentally, we want to treat those involved in offending behaviours to be treated as children and young people first. We want these children and young people to have the same access to their rights, services and entitlements as any other young person. Children and Young People First

Who is involved? > Child Youth and Family Youth Justice staff > Police Youth Aid, including Child Case Manager > Erica Gen Health Services > MoE Service Centre Manager > Education Psychologist > CCDHB Youth Justice Liaison Nurse/s

Other invited attendees? > CAFS > WellStop > Care and Protection > CRHS assistant principal at Te Au rere a Te Tonga Youth Justice Residence > CRHS Speech and Language Therapist > Alternative Education providers > Various community stakeholders

We want to make sure children and young people have the best possible chance to lead a life that is full of opportunities. To do this we know some young people need help and support to stop them getting involved in crime or reoffending. We are services that have a shared vision of working together in an holistic multi- agency manner to help children and young people who have entered the formal youth justice system to: ensure their voices are heard engage in mainstream services that meet their needs reduce escalation through the youth justice pathway have early and sustainable exits have quality FGCs with improved life outcomes have a seamless transition from a youth justice sentence to an independent, crime- free life Having a criminal record can mean young people miss out on opportunities and it makes life harder, so we want to do everything we can to stop this happening in the first place.

We all understand our part in working together across all services to help children and young people Partnering with Communities is about working together to prevent offending and re-offending. It is about building on what is already delivering results and outcomes, and strengthening coordinating at every level. Local coordination will adapt to complement the best practices and experiences of what is already working in each community. A fully-consented process engaging with client and guardian A WELL-DESIGNED PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITIES APPROACH

REDUCING ESCALATION High-quality decision-making using specialist skills and knowledge is one way of reducing escalation. Such decision-making must be well informed and based on good information. Through a consented process, triage participants share information on what we already know about our client. We are then able to determine where any gaps might be, ensuring the assessments being conducted are targeted and relevant for the child or young person and their family. Timeframes are more client-centred; therefore, plans can be implemented sooner, to assist people to get the right help when needed so change can be seen.

EARLY & SUSTAINABLE EXITS Intervening early and ensuring that every youth justice intervention has a positive influence on offending behaviour are essential pieces in the jigsaw of reducing re-offending.

CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE By sharing our existing knowledge of the client’s cultural identity we do rely heavily on positive engagement and relationships with the client and their family/whānau. Culture is not necessarily ethnically driven Ensuring clients and their family/whānau are engaged appropriately with the right people, therapeutic interventions and the right pathways.

Results Assessments targeted for the client and family/whānau and no-doubling up or repetition Co-location of YJ staff and Iwi/NGO organisations People are not “slipping through the gaps” as everyone is around the same table Improved timeframes for” Neuro-psychological assessments Referrals to other medical professionals Meeting health-care needs (GP services, optician, audiologist) Families/whānau engaging with professionals and services This programme is inspired by the Welsh Youth Justice Strategy 2014