The Bligh Government will invest $2.3 million over three years on specialist coaches to keep young Indigenous people in south-west Queensland out of detention and into jobs or education.
Child Safety Minister Phil Reeves said the 2009-10 State Budget initiative would involve a team of family and youth coaches working with young Indigenous people and their families in Roma, Charleville and Cunnamulla.
“Despite the tough economic times we are facing, the Bligh Government is committed to providing funding for vital initiatives such as this,” Mr Reeves said.
‘’The coaches and mentors will work to keep young people out of youth detention centres, live safely with their families, in education and training or employed in local industries.
“Many of the key risk factors for child abuse and juvenile offending are the same - domestic violence, parental drug and alcohol abuse, and parental mental health problems.
“Queensland research indicates that as many as three-quarters of young people in the youth justice system have a child protection history.
“If we can tackle some of those root causes, we can help young Indigenous people break out of the cycle of social and economic disadvantage and build brighter futures.”
Mr Reeves said the coaches would focus on four main areas:
- improving parenting skills and family function,
- reducing juvenile offending,
- working with siblings of young offenders and
- supporting young people to obtain and sustain bail and reducing the numbers being remanded in custody.
Mr Reeves said the Budget initiative would fund a team manager and four coaches, the manager and two coaches based in Roma, and a coach based in each of Cunnamulla and Charleville.
They would recruit local volunteer Indigenous mentors to act as role models and provide emotional and social support to young people, he said.
Mr Reeves said a family and youth coach would help prevent child abuse and neglect by working intensively with parents to address dysfunction and help them develop parenting skills to support and manage their children better.
“Each coach will work closely with up to 10 families at a time, and for around six months per family, depending on their needs,” he said.
“The team will work closely with local child safety service centres, the Brisbane Youth Detention Centre, the local youth justice service centre, local police, and schools, to identify clients.
“It means at least 80 young people a year will be supported to improve their life, and hopefully, that of their siblings, who are at a high risk of following their older brothers and sisters into juvenile crime.”
The Departments of Communities and Education and Training will also pool resources to employ youth support co-ordinators to work with the coaches.
Mr Reeves said the government would fund a non-government organisation to run the coach service, which is expected to be up and running by March next year.
Media contact: Minister Reeves’ office 3224 7081
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