The ACT will trial a new program connecting young people engaging in risky behaviour with youth workers, emergency accommodation and other forms of assistance.
The pilot program is aimed at keeping young people out of the criminal justice system and comes as the ACT government prepares to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 12 to 14.
The government will partner with ACT police and Marymead CatholicCare Canberra and Goulburn in the $1.6 million Safer Youth Response Service.
ACT Children, Youth and Family Services Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said the program is related to the government raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility.
"Children and young people who engage in harmful behaviour often experience complex issues relating to trauma, abuse and unmet needs. We need the right services available to support these young people to address the challenges in their lives," she said.
Marymead CatholicCare Canberra and Goulburn chief executive said Anne Kirwan said engaging with the criminal justice system at an early age can have life-long impacts on young people.
"Our aim is to provide earlier intervention to divert children and young people aged under 14 years old and their families from the criminal justice system and offer genuine opportunities for young people to change their life trajectory," she said.
The pilot will run for 18 months from next year. Young people referred to the service by police will receive urgent crisis intervention from on-call youth workers and emergency accommodation if it's not safe for them to go home.
The government said the service will address an existing service gap where frontline officers need to stay with minors when a legal guardian cannot.
The program will include follow-up case management, where young people can be referred to other services or receive help in working through issues to address any underlying issues that could be causing their behaviour.
The program will run over four years at a cost of $1.6 million if the pilot is successful.
It will also collect data and inform the development of other services leading up to planned increase of the minimum age of criminal responsibility in 2025.
