Circuit breaker program for at risk youths has been expanded to Katherine

The NTG will extend its circuit breaker program to Katherine, after about 40 young people were reported to have engaged in the program since its launch in Darwin, Palmerston and Alice Springs.

The government’s youth intervention program, circuit breaker, will be expanding to Katherine. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The NTG will extend its circuit breaker program to Katherine, after about 40 young people were reported to have engaged in the program since its launch in Darwin, Palmerston and Alice Springs.

The program, which was launched in mid-December, currently has 40 young people receiving support, with 27 of those entering family responsibility agreements.

A further six young people in Darwin were referred to a safe place to rest or sleep.

Minister Robyn Cahill said the program will begin at 6pm on Thursday. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Minister for Children and Families Robyn Cahill said the numbers were an “incredible” indication of how successful the program was.

“The program is doing what we said it would do, which is actually reach out and touch base with those families who are struggling,” she said.

“It addresses the root causes of offending behaviour, encourages parental accountability, and breaks the cycle of harmful behaviours.“

Ms Cahill said of those 40 children, 50 per cent of them had not been involved with the Department of Children and Families (DCF) previously.

DCF chief executive Emma White said 27 young people and their families have formally entered the program in Alice Springs, and 13 in Darwin.

Ms White said there were two main components to the program.

“One is engagement at night, alongside youth buses and police,” she said.

“Sometimes there’s a lot of young people we’re in engaging with; it could be 25, could be 30.

“But then only a proportion of those young people might be brought into the circuit breaker program.”

Ms White announced the Katherine program expansion alongside Ms Cahill. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Ms White said the program was primarily about intervention and support.

“Circuit breaker isn’t a response to crime, it’s an early intervention approach.”

“It’s about getting that early touchpoint.”

“So some young people that we work with, they may have already had some involvement with the justice system, but we’re finding with the new circuit breaker program many haven’t.”

A smaller, targeted team — including a daytime and night-time crew of four staff members each — will deliver support to the new Katherine program.

Ms White said the program would continue indefinitely

Originally published as Circuit breaker program for at risk youths has been expanded to Katherine