No supervisor at Youth Justice Services leaves kids unable to complete court-ordered community work on time

Children handed court orders have been unable to complete their community work because of a lack of staff at Geraldton’s Youth Justice Services, a Geraldton court has been told. Last week, a 13-year-old boy appeared in Geraldton Children’s Court on burglary and stealing charges. The court was told the boy was in the care of the Department of Communities, and was sitting on three court orders, which were due to expire and had not been completed. A Youth Justice spokesperson told the court the teenager could not complete the community work because there was no supervisor available in Geraldton. The court was told the department had struggled with staff, but young people would be addressed more appropriately, as more resources had been sent to Geraldton. The magistrate agreed resourcing issues were “quite acute” across the board. It was not the first case in which resourcing issues had been raised in court. At a Geraldton Children’s Court sitting on March 27, the magistrate heard the Juvenile Justice Team was not yet able to process two court orders issued to a 16-year-old because of a lack of resources. ABC Mid West and Wheatbelt reported an 18-year-old had been unable to complete their Children’s Court-ordered community work because of a lack of programs and staff. A Department of Justice spokesperson said the number and type of vacant roles varied over time, but confirmed a recruitment campaign for Youth Justice officers began in March. “Youth Justice Services have a dedicated cohort of qualified people working to deliver the best outcomes for young people and their families,” the spokesperson said. “In the event a particular region experiences staffing issues, there are strategies in place to provide assistance from staff working in other areas as appropriate.” The spokesperson said YJS facilitated a variety of community work programs that allowed young people to make reparation to the community, foster a sense of dignity and self-worth, and develop new skills to contribute to their rehabilitation.