Page 762 - Week 02 - Thursday, 23 February 2012
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
Children and young people—children, youth and family support scheme
MS BURCH: Today Ms Hunter asked about an assessment form for the youth and family program. A draft common assessment form was presented to service providers by Parentline at a planning meeting on 8 February. Agencies have provided feedback on that draft, and a final form is expected to be endorsed at a meeting of agency directors next week.
Education—Murrumbidgee education and training centre
DR BOURKE: On 21 February Ms Hunter asked some questions about the Murrumbidgee education and training centre.
Ms Hunter’s first question referred to the transition program developed in response to recommendation 12.22 of the 2011 report into the ACT youth justice system and is focused on young people who are exiting the Bimberi Youth Justice Centre. The program commenced in term 4 of 2011 with a transition teacher. In 2012 a transition teacher and a transition officer have been employed and are working with case managers, government and community agencies to support the transition of the young people.
The program supports the transition from the Murrumbidgee education and training centre of young people whose individual circumstances indicate that an unsupported transition directly into school, an alternative education program, training or employment may not be successful. It also assists students to develop relevant skills to support a successful transition to education, training or employment.
For many students, the provision of this transition program will occur within a community agency setting and in partnership with community agency workers. The transition teacher is assisting students to develop skills, design pathway plans to map future aspirations, and make connections with community agencies and support persons. The transition officer is supporting Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and other young people by liaising with relevant community agencies, connecting the young person with support agencies and individuals, and helping the family to be part of the plans.
The second question was with regard to recommendation 12.8 of the Human Rights Commission’s youth justice system report. Recommendation 12.8 refers to conditional day release for young people who are continuing at the Bimberi Youth Justice Centre. The Murrumbidgee education and training centre staff, Bimberi staff and the single case management staff together work with young people and families to determine the applicability of conditional day release to attend educational, cultural and training programs.
On the same day Ms Bresnan asked me a question on a similar issue which I took on notice, with regard to the employment of a transition officer. My answer to the question is this. The employment of the transition officer enables the transitions program to engage and involve parents in the educational program at the
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video