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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 09 Hansard (Tuesday, 17 August 2004) . . Page.. 3674 ..

The government, in their submission, provided us with an amazing breakdown of the role of Quamby and what they saw as all the different services and supports that can be provided to young people who come into contact with the juvenile justice system. However, when we spoke to community organisations that work with young people, either when they are in Quamby or upon their release, it became quite clear that the rhetoric is not being matched by the action. There are still a number of gaps. A lot of work still needs to be done in respect of our services and support for young people to ensure that these young people are directed back onto the right track when they leave the justice system.

I think one of the most important recommendations made in this report is in relation to the involvement of family services with children and young people already known to family services when they enter the juvenile justice system and come in contact with Quamby. From other inquiries the committee has undertaken it has become apparent that, if somebody has contact with family services as a young person, their chances of having contact with the juvenile justice system are astronomically high. That being known, I think it is important that family services continue to try and work with young people when they are involved in the juvenile justice system, as part of the continuity of care.

We say in the report that there are situations with young people going through case conferencing at Quamby where family services are invited to attend because there are no other family contacts present—family services have been responsible for supporting the families of these young persons before they were incarcerated—but they do not turn up. In that sense a young person is without family. That can be quite detrimental to the young person because it builds the problem that follow-through does not occur. They are not receiving the family support that we know can be so important in working through issues and supporting young people. I quote from the report. It says:

information provided to the Committee by the Office of Children, Youth and Family Support, in the 2002-2003 financial year, Family Services did not attend 23 conferences when requested to do so by Quamby.

In its response to this committee’s report on the rights, interests and wellbeing of children and young people the government said:

Sole case management by any one section of the Office of Children, Youth and Family Support is not supported within the new organisational structures as such processes do not take into consideration the most appropriate outcomes for children and young people.

The committee would like to make it quite clear that they do not accept this explanation from the government, and would like to know why there cannot be clear lines of accountability. It continues:

The committee does not believe that family services can carry out its ongoing role in caring for these young people and effectively assume case management responsibility if they do not maintain a high level of parental involvement while these young people are incarcerated.

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