Care in detention
There are lots of people in a youth detention centre to help youths, including:
- detention youth workers
- caseworkers
- programs officers
- psychologists
- teachers
- nurses
- doctors
- speech and language pathologists
- cultural staff
- community visitors
Our staff come from many different cultures and backgrounds.
Everyone works together to make sure each a youth is safe and well while they are in detention. We help them with their offending behaviour and help them make better choices.
We also help parents, carers and youths plan for when the youth returns home to their community.
Detention youth workers
Detention youth workers supervise youths while they are in detention. They check on a youth regularly through the day and night, and make sure they are okay.
If a youth needs to go to other areas of the youth detention centre, a detention youth worker takes them.
Detention youth workers help youths in detention understand and follow the rules of the centre. A youth can talk to a detention youth worker if they need someone to talk to.
Detention youth workers have special training to help keep everyone safe if youths behave inappropriately.
Caseworkers
Youth detention centres have caseworkers similar to the ones who work in our service centres.
A youth’s caseworker meets with them regularly and keeps in contact with:
- their parent or carer
- the youth’s lawyer
- the youth’s youth justice service centre caseworker.
The youth can talk to their caseworker if they are worried about anything to do with court, their family, or anything else.
A youth’s caseworker talks to them about what got them into trouble. They also talk to a youth about things that might help them to stay out of trouble when they leave detention.
Caseworkers help youths plan and get ready to leave detention and return to the community. This includes programs, services and planning activities in consultation with the youth justice service centre caseworker.
Teachers
Youths attend the detention centre’s school while they are in detention.
The teacher will work with the youth to:
- address any learning gaps they have in literacy or numeracy
- learn new skills
- help them develop skills for returning to education, training or employment when they leave detention
- improve their social skills.
Nurses and doctors
The youth detention centre has a health centre with nurses who work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
When a youth arrives at the youth detention centre, a nurse checks their health and their health needs.
We will arrange for the youth to see the nurse, doctor or dentist at the youth detention centre when they need to. A youth can also talk to the nurse during daily visits the nurse makes around the detention centre accommodation. The nurse can help them with their health needs including immunisation, sexual health and more.
If a youth needs to see a medical specialist or go to hospital, our detention youth workers will take them to these appointments.
We will also help a youth access their Medicare card and immunisation records.
Speech and language pathologists
Speech and language pathologists help youths at the youth detention centre who have difficulties with communication.
They can help with skills such as:
- speaking
- understanding
- reading
- writing
- social skills.
Speech and language pathologists help to test and support a youth’s communication needs. They may work with a youth one-on-one or in groups.
Cultural units and cultural staff
Our cultural units and cultural staff help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youths stay connected to their:
- family
- culture
- community
- country
They give cultural support and information to youths and help with family and cultural visits.
Cultural staff also work with Elders and other important community members to provide opportunities for them to talk to youths about their culture.
Community visitors
Community visitors work for the Office of the Public Guardian and not for the detention centre.
Community visitors check on how youths are cared for in detention and support them with any problems they might have.
Community visitors talk to youths and listen to what they have to say about their time in detention. If a youth wants to talk to a community visitor, they can:
- talk to them when they see them walking around the detention centre
- put a note into one of the secure letter boxes around the detention centre
- phone them from the phone in their accommodation unit.
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