Queensland mother of a juvenile offender tells tragic other side of youth crime crisis

A woman fears her repeat juvenile offender son won’t survive till adulthood after being uprooted from a child safety program helping him rehabilitate.

The mother of a repeat juvenile offender who was uprooted from a child safety program working miracles and placed into residential care where his life spiralled out of control fears her “beautiful” boy will die before adulthood.

The 16-year-old, who is funded through the National Disability Insurance Scheme, was receiving life-changing help at a Child Safety service provider at Bribie Island north of Brisbane before he was suddenly removed.

His mother, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, has watched on in horror as her teen, who has autism spectrum disorder level 2 and what she believes to be undiagnosed schizophrenia, began to unravel.

She said her son had been physically and racially abused at the new placement, has access to weapons and would be up until the early hours drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana and hallucinating on petrol.

It’s been more than a month since Luke – which is not his real name – was taken out of the facility and given the freedom to run riot.

Only two weeks ago he and two other boys stole a staff member’s car and went on a high-speed joy-ride and crashed.

Not mincing her words, the mother said: “This boy is going to die.

“The three of them jumped in the car, were doing 120km and clipped another car. Two of them ended up in hospital.

“I just want my boy back where he is safe.”

At the Bribie service provider, Luke was learning about his First Nations cultures, learning how to fish, to cook, to be happy.

The mother with 16-year-old ‘Luke’

Luke was on a rewards program that taught him about setting goals – he had goals too – he harboured dreams of starting his own family and helping the homeless.

“It took us two years to get funding from the NDIS and they took it away. They took his job away,” she said.

“Luke needs to be kept busy. And he needs to be of service, helping people. He has told me he wants to work with the homeless and help them.

“The Bribie Island team were brilliant. They were thinking outside the box of ways to help him, because they actually care.”

On May 27, the mother received the horror call informing her Luke would be moved to the residential house. Her heart sank.

“It’s not a nice feeling. I’m not religious at all but I’m praying for him and for someone to help us,” she said.

“His life is a ticking time bomb. Every phone call, every knock on the door you nearly wet your pants.”

Still to this day neither mother or child know the truth about why the Department of Child Safety saw fit to remove Luke.

The Courier-Mail put several direct questions to the department asking why he was removed.

The department was asked why Luke was able to access knives, drugs, alcohol and allowed to freely commit crimes from the residential house.

It was asked about Luke overdosing on pharmacy drugs and the various times he’d been physically and racially abused.

Further, the department was asked whether there was an opportunity for Luke to return to Bribie Island.

A department spokeswoman said it was prevented under the child protection act from disclosing Luke’s circumstances publicly.

In response, the spokeswoman said the safety and wellbeing of children was its highest priority.

“There are a range of factors that are considered for where a child is placed, with all efforts made to keep the child close to family and other support networks,” the spokeswoman said.

“Residential care settings are places where staff are trained to understand the trauma these children and young people have experienced and help them manage it.”

The spokeswoman said extensive support was provided to the children and young people and that they deserve the support.

She said more than 2700 children across the state have approved NDIS plans and are working with disability specialists.

“When delivering services to Queenslanders, the department expects organisations it funds to provide quality care in line with their contractual and regulated responsibilities, including the provision of culturally appropriate services,” she said.

Respected forensic psychologist of four decades Robert Walkley said the current system was broken and had terrible consequences for families across the state.

“When a child’s environment starts to deteriorate, be it from mental health reasons, drugs, alcohol, criminality, they go off the rails,” Mr Walkley said.

“Without the guidance, structure and values, which ought to come from the family unit, children don’t get what they need.

“They eventually look elsewhere for guidance, for their heroes and role models. They look to the streets and there, it’s the blind leading the blind.”

Robert Walkley called for the focus to be solely on the needs of the children.

Mr Walkley, a former superintendent at the Cleveland Youth Detention Centre in Townsville, said the sound of the clinking door could only “cure” a handful of children.

“Unfortunately, for many, by the time they end up in the detention system, they’re probably too far gone,” Mr Walkley said.

“The elements of society are broken, there’s cracks are just getting larger and deeper, and the children are falling through the cracks.

“Nothing seems to be working.”

Mr Walkley said in a perfect world he would have children placed into foster care systems where the foster parents, biological parents and the department worked as one.

He called for the focus to be solely on the needs of the children.

However, he said he felt at times that a magic wand was needed to achieve it.

Opposition child safety spokeswoman Amanda Camm said residential care was not appropriate for every child and in some cases, can lead to further abuse or criminal activity.

Amanda Camm said residential care was not appropriate for every child and in some cases, can lead to further abuse or criminal activity. Picture: Shae Beplate.

“The stories are becoming far too common where children have a far more negative outcome from their stay,” Ms Camm said.

“I’ve hosted several child safety spotlight meetings across Queensland and the ongoing issue that has been raised is the lack of support to help kids thrive.

“Not only are these vulnerable children put in dangerous placements, but they’re not getting the extra care to help them succeed.”

Ms Camm accused the department of hiding behind its privacy laws and instead of protecting the children, were protecting themselves.

The mother urged the department to place her boy back where he belongs.

“They have the best chance of saving him. He had a future and was breaking the cycle.”