Youth Justice operates within a criminal justice context and is required to supervise young people subject to relevant criminal justice mandates. Case management is one method of intervention that Youth Justice uses as a means of improving client outcomes and meeting its strategic objectives.
Case management is assessment-driven and client centred and aims to support young people to reduce offending, minimise future contact with Youth Justice and positively participate in communities.
Case management is a client-centred process, involving information gathering, assessment and planning to develop strategies. It is a dynamic and individualised approach to service delivery that provides the client with choices and maximises the efficient use of formal and informal resources in service provision. Intensity of intervention is based on assessed level of need. Case management focuses on engagement, goal setting and goal achievement, family inclusive approaches, cultural engagement and partnerships with community based agencies.
Youth Justice case management promotes desistance from offending and places emphasis on a rehabilitative approach.
Case management continues to be provided for clients of Youth Justice as they move between community and custody and across different order types. Continuity in case management across mandates and community/custodial settings is critical to effective outcomes.
Case management is guided by the client’s criminal justice mandate and associated conditions, which establish restrictions, and provide the basis for supervision and compliance requirements.
The primary case management tool is the case plan which articulates the strategies and actions to address identified individualised needs, specifies determinate timeframes, identifies the persons responsible, and quantifies measurable outcomes. Case plans are a collaborative tool for assisting clients of Youth Justice.