Courts forced to step in with intervention orders for wild children as parents fail to cope

CHILDREN as young as 10 are being placed on intervention orders as Victorian families struggle to deal with aggressive, out-of-control kids.

In extreme cases, personal safety orders were issued against schoolyard bullies.

CHILDREN as young as 10 are being placed on intervention orders as Victorian families struggle to deal with aggressive, out-of-control kids.

Children’s Court data showed 100 minors a month received IVOs in 2016 and almost 6000 have been granted in the past six years.

Alarmingly, 94 orders were awarded against children between 10 and 12 years old. In extreme cases, personal safety orders were issued against schoolyard bullies, or kids who posed a threat to other children.

Orders are also being taken out by Department of Health and Human Services workers against children in residential care units who pose a threat or intimidate staff and other residents.

However, families tackling adolescent violence were behind most orders, which are an attempt to protect parents and siblings, says Law Institute of Victoria family violence spokeswoman Caroline Counsel.

“It is a sign of the horrible decision some parents have to make,’’ Ms Counsel said. “For the younger ages, an intervention order has to be a last resort, but when an older child is physically harming a parent, you don't have a choice.

“Often, the magistrate is being asked to be the parent and an intervention order is the only tool they have.”

The orders against minors are now widely used by Children’s Court and Victoria Police, but Ms Counsel warned respondents and parents often did not understand a serious breach of an IVO carried a maximum penalty of two years in prison.

Documents released under Freedom of Information laws identified 13-year-olds had been served 356 orders. And in some cases, children aged 14 faced orders of up to five years.

According to the Royal Commission into Family Violence findings filed in March, adolescent family violence was a hidden but growing issue.

“Parents are often reluctant to report their children’s behaviour to the police because of feelings of shame and self-blame or because they fear their child might get a criminal record,’’ the report said.

Attorney-General Martin Pakula admitted it is “always upsetting to hear of cases involving children so young’’ but was confident magistrates were dealing out the orders in line with community expectations.

However, Opposition spokeswoman for Children Georgie Crozier said: “The use of intervention orders by children under state care is alarming and needs to be immediately investigated by Daniel Andrews.”

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