What happens during supervision with Youth Justice?

A court order will direct the young person to contact Youth Justice within 7 days of the order being made to start supervision. The order outlines the allocated Youth Justice Community Office to report to, however, it will not include their contact details. 

Find a Youth Justice Community Office.

When the young person contacts Youth Justice, they will arrange their first meeting. It is important to not stress out. It will be okay. The Youth Justice team will help and answer any questions you have.

Usually, the young person’s parent or carer is also invited to the first meeting with the caseworker. The young person could also bring a youth worker or another suitable adult, or the young person can come alone.  

In this meeting, the young person will be given information to better understand the order or orders given to them by the court. They will be told:

• what their order is
• how long their order goes for
• what they can and cannot do
• what Youth Justice needs them to do
• how Youth Justice can help.

If a young person:

• does not contact their local Youth Justice Community Office, or 
• cannot be contacted or located by Youth Justice

the court is notified.

The matter will then be returned to court, and the young person is issued with a Court Attendance Notice (CAN). Sometimes the court will issue a warrant which is actioned by police.

At some courts, Youth Justice will be represented by a Youth Justice intake caseworker. An intake caseworker works with the Children’s Court. The intake caseworker will interview the young person prior to the court appearance. This is to ensure they can provide the court with updated information that is needed such as:

• living arrangements
• school attendance
• employment
• any other issues or concerns.

The allocated Community Office will be notified of the young person’s court order and will make contact if the young person has not done so already. 

In the first weeks of supervision, a Youth Justice caseworker meets with the young person and learns about the young person to:

• see how often they should meet 
• help the young person understand their legal order and conditions 
• find out what programs and services will improve the young person’s behaviour. 

These meetings are carried out regularly over the period of the court order and in response to any change of circumstances. 

Youth Justice caseworkers support young people when they are with Youth Justice and help them achieve their case plan. They also supervise young people as they comply with their court orders. 

Caseworkers provide: 

• a voice for the young person when they do not feel confident to speak up
• connection to support services, such as education, employment and accommodation
• information on the young person's rights and choices. 

Programs and services

Youth Justice Community Offices provide the following services:

• supporting young people who are detained in custody and are having difficulty being granted bail
• delivering intervention programs that target young people’s offending behaviour
• arranging specialised services from psychologists, such as psychological assessments and counselling
• linking young people to services in their local community including drug and alcohol, mental health, mentoring services, social and sporting programs
• helping young people remain in school or start other education courses, such as NSW TAFE courses
• helping young people find employment using local employment services
• finding accommodation for young people experiencing homelessness or family breakdown
• connecting with a young person’s cultural background and local community.

Youth Justice caseworkers can also help young people by referring them to take part in offence-focused intervention programs. These programs help young people address underlying issues related to offending behaviour, such as alcohol and drugs, anger management, stress management, and trauma. 

Learn more about the role of Youth Justice Community Offices.

A case plan is a document created by the young person and caseworker that outlines the goals the young person has, and what the young person must do to achieve these goals. The caseworker works with the young person to help them complete these goals. 

The following can help a young person achieve their case plan: 

• consistently meeting with their caseworker as planned 
• working with their caseworker to establish goals 
• being motivated to change behaviour 
• attending and being involved in programs they are enrolled in. 

Exiting supervision means that the young person will not need to work with a Youth Justice caseworker anymore. Youth Justice understands that exiting supervision can be difficult for some young people. To help prepare young people for the change, caseworkers: 

• design a case plan to best prepare the young person for exiting supervision 
• review the case plan 6 weeks before exit 
• refer the young person to relevant support services in their local area
• involve the young person’s family 
• hold a case conference with the young person and other external services that will provide ongoing support.

Every young person exiting supervision will complete the Relapse Prevention module of the CHART Program.

The Relapse Prevention module focuses on helping the young person review their CHART learnings and develop a relapse prevention plan.

Prior to exiting supervision, young people and their caseworkers should explicitly plan for this and involve family and significant support persons where appropriate. Exit planning should consider the supports and resources a young person requires to consolidate their skills and to address the likely challenges and changes they may encounter. It is particularly important that exit from supervision is well planned with a young person knowing what they will be doing in the community.

If needs or goals remain in place before a young person exits supervision, caseworkers are responsible for referring the young person to suitable services and facilitate engagement with that service, for example, education, employment, mental health, counselling, and drug and alcohol rehabilitation services. In addition, young people are required to develop and practise relapse prevention strategies well before they exit supervision.

If a young person is turning 18 years of age and is having their supervision transferred to NSW Corrective Services, the caseworker will support them in this process explaining each step along the way.