A family intervention program has been launched to prevent young people from entering or becoming further involved in the justice system.
Minister for Justice Health and Assistant Minister for Families and Community Services, Emma Davidson said the Functional Family Therapy (FFT) Youth Justice Pilot Program would be funded by the ACT and delivered by OzChild.
“[The] Pilot Program will be delivered over the next six months and will help 20 young people and their families,” Ms Davidson said.
“FFT is a successful evidence-based program that achieves results for children and young people by working closely with their families to reduce the intergenerational effects of sustained contact with the justice system,” she said.
“FFT uses assessment and early intervention to address risk and protective factors within and outside of the family that impact the young person and their behaviours.”
Ms Davidson said the Program would help a large portion of Canberra’s children, young people and families involved in the youth justice system.
“This Program will have a focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families to address the disproportionate representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in all stages of the youth justice system in the ACT,” the Minister said.
She said the Pilot Program reinforced the Territory’s efforts to put in place earlier supports for young people and their families which were particularly important when there were multiple complex issues at play.
