Youth on Track

What does Youth on Track do?

Youth on Track is a program that uses a combination of individually tailored engagement strategies, one-on-one case management and evidence-based behavioural and family interventions that aim to:

• reduce the risk of a young person coming into contact with police and law enforcement
• improve their relationship with their family or carers
• increase engagement with education, employment and their community.

Supports are provided according to a young person’s level of need and engagement with the program ranging from 12 weeks to 12 months depending on the young person’s assessed risks and needs.

Find out more about Youth on Track

Where is the program offered?

The Youth on Track program is available in Blacktown, Central West, Coffs, Hunter, Mid North Coast, New England and Riverina. Find contact information for Youth on Track sites. 

Who can access it?

To access the service, a young person can receive either a discretionary or automatic referral. For a discretionary referral to be made the young person must:

• be 10 to 17 years old
• have at least one formal contact with police (caution, charge or Youth Justice Conference)
• have offended in, live or go to school in a Youth on Track site area
• have offending risk factors (such as truancy, risk of significant harm reports, pro-criminal peer association, family history of domestic violence, and substance abuse, homelessness or independent living and substance misuse)
• have no current or prior supervised court order or spent time in custody on a control order.

For an automatic referral to be made, a young person must have received their second formal police contact. After this they will be automatically screened to assess their eligibility for the scheme.

Who can make a referral?

A discretionary referral can be made by:

• NSW Police
• local schools
• Youth Justice
• Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health
• solicitors of Community Services
• out-of-home care providers
• the Family Referral Service
• Headspace and other mental health services.

How to make a referral

1. Email the young person’s full name and date of birth to Youthontrack@justice.nsw.gov.au.
2. The screening officer will inform you if the young person is eligible or not.
3. If eligible, complete the referral form.

Contact information

For more information email youthontrack@justice.nsw.gov.au