Our new Youth at Risk Strategy is about taking a collaborative approach across Government and non-Government services, to do better in responding to their safety and rehabilitative needs.
While we know there is a long way to go, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s (AIHW) Young People Returning to Sentenced Youth Justice Supervision 2015-16 report shows Tasmania has seen some improvements.
The report shows Tasmania had the equal lowest number of young people returning to sentenced youth justice supervision within 12 months of an earlier release from supervision among the seven reporting jurisdictions - 25.0 per cent against Western Australia’s rate of 54.8 per cent.
The report also notes the rate of young people returning to sentenced youth justice supervision has declined from the 52.4 per cent result for Tasmania in the previous report.
The Government understands prevention is the best solution and this is reflected in the 2017/18 State Budget with a further $2.4 million going to Save the Children to continue its youth justice diversion programs.
And in a first for Tasmania, we have committed $3.2 million over four years to establish a Moonah Youth at Risk Centre for Young People aged under 16 years.
The Youth At Risk strategy sits alongside our redesign of Child Safety Services, our nation-leading Family Violence Action Plan, Joined Up Human Services, Tasmania’s Affordable Housing Strategy and the Youth Suicide Prevention Plan.
With the Budget back in balance, the Tasmanian Government is committed to investing in early intervention and a whole of Government approach to helping “at risk” young Tasmanians.