Territory Families to review youth justice self-harm data given to federal government

A federal government report appears to underplay the rate of self-harm in Territory youth justice centres because of inconsistent data from the NT government. Read the shocking statistics here.

Self harm rates inside Territory youth detention centres is under review after inconsistencies were discovered in data provided to the federal government.

The Productivity Commission reported there were 29 times an Australian child was hospitalised as a result of self harm while in custody during the last financial year.

Only one child was from the Northern Territory.

However, the Productivity data is in stark contradiction to Territory Families’ data provided to this publication as part of an ongoing investigation into youth justice.

Protests outside the notorious Don Dale Youth Detention Centre. Picture: (A) manda Parkinson

In July, Territory Families confirmed there were 11 hospitalisations in Don Dale in the six months from January to June 31, 2022.

An exclusive investigation by this publication revealed three Don Dale children were hospitalised due to self harm in a single weekend in June, with one 16-year-old boy hospitalised twice after stabbing himself and later removing his own stitches.

Even with just six months of data, the 11 incidents would mean the Territory had the second highest rate of self-harm hospitalisation in 2021-22 behind only Western Australia with 14 severe self-harm incidents over 12 months.

Territory Families initially claimed the data requested by this publication in July for all “reportable” self harm incidents and hospitalisations was not the same as the national data looking at “incidents requiring hospitalisation”.

“The data provided by the department ... included incidents of self harm that were assessed at hospital and may not be limited to incidents requiring treatment or admission to hospital,” a spokesman said.

“Assessments undertaken by a medical practitioner may result in no further at risk notification or action, and may not be reported in the Report on Government Services.”

The national dataset is meant to record an incident each time a young person self harms or attempts suicide, with severity assessed based on if the child was taken to hospital.

Territory Families would not provide a breakdown of how many children were assessed, treated and admitted in hospital in 2021-22.

The spokesman said there were a “range” of different counting rules in relation to self-harm statistics, saying “the department undertakes to provide the best available data when requested”.

“If an error is identified retrospectively in relation to data provided for the Report on Government Services, corrections can be made in the following year’s report,” he said.

“If this is the case, NT data will be adjusted in the next reporting period.”

The Productivity Commission also said the Territory had the most kids self-harming in youth detention in the country, with 60 children requiring psychological or medical treatment after a self-harm incident but not needing to be taken to hospital. Picture: (A) manda Parkinson

The spokesman said the department was reviewing the data collection surrounding self-harm data to “improve reporting in future years from 2023-24” under the new Model of Care.

“The department is investing in a new case management system to improve the quality of data in our youth detention centres ... (it) will provide rich case management data, and improve local and national reporting,” he said.

The Productivity Commission also said the Territory had the most kids self-harming in youth detention in the country, with 60 children requiring psychological or medical treatment after a self-harm incident but not needing to be taken to hospital.

Territory Families reported to the Productivity Commission there were 141 incidents of self harm not requiring hospitalisation.

However, Territory Families has also confirmed to this publication at least 147 reportable “at risk” self harm incidents, where a child self harmed, or attempted or threatened to hurt themselves — and this does not include six months of data from Alice Springs from July to December 2021.

“The Department’s At Risk Policy supports non-clinical staff to identify where an at risk behaviour may be present, and seek a clinical review to determine whether or not a young person is in fact at risk,” the Territory Families spokesman said.

The Territory Families’ Reportable Incidents Policy states all actual, attempted and threatened self-harm and attempted suicides are classified as “reportable incidents”.

“A central database on all reportable incidents, including the planned responses and response outcomes, will be maintained in order ensure actions are taken and Senior Territory Families Managers receive regular reports,” the policy said.

The inconsistent data comes as Territory politicians campaign for needs-based funding.

Originally published as Territory Families to review youth justice self-harm data given to federal government