Circuit breaker program for at risk youths trialled in Alice Springs and Darwin

Minister Robyn Cahill said this type of program was key to addressing youth offending such as that seen in Alice Springs in recent weeks.

Minister for Children and Families Robyn Cahill. The NT government has announced a Circuit Breaker Program to support young people at risk. If youths cannot be taken to a safe home, they will be taken to a designated safe place in Palmerston or Alice Springs. Picture: Fia Walsh.

The government has announced a new circuit breaker program to better support young people at risk.

The program – which Labor claims is simply a rebranded version of its own policy – will be trialled in Alice Springs and Darwin until mid-2025, aiming to address the root causes of offending, encourage parental accountability and break the cycle of harmful behaviours.

No additional resources have been granted to run the program, which will redeploy staff from the Department of Children and Families (DFC) to work in teams of up to six, including a team leader.

Teams will be rostered on 24/7 and will co-ordinate intensive case management, so called “family responsibility agreements”, and specialist referrals to address behavioural concerns.

Children and Families Minister Robyn Cahill said circuit breaker allowed DFC to work more cooperatively with police and other departments to provide wraparound support.

“If it is safe to do so, young people found out and about at night or engaging in anti-social behaviours will be taken home. If the home environment is considered unsafe they will be provided a safe place to sleep,” she said.

“DCF will follow up with families the next day to develop a parental and family responsibility agreement to hold the family to account and work to resolve the problems leading to the young person’s anti-social behaviour.

“This will include reviewing school attendance, home life or any medical and mental health issues.”

Program lead Peter Fletcher addresses the media at the Palmerston safe place. The NT government has announced a Circuit Breaker Program to support young people at risk. If youths cannot be taken to a safe home, they will be taken to a designated safe place in Palmerston or Alice Springs. Picture: Fia Walsh.

Opposition Leader Selena Uibo accused the CLP of repackaging an initiative Labor introduced this time last year – at a media event held in the same room, and with some of the same bureaucrats.

“It is unbelievable that the Country Liberal Party is already out of ideas,” Ms Uibo said.

“Labor supports the circuit breaker program because it’s just a rebranded strategy started under Labor called the co-responder model.

“This shows the alarming lack of planning by Lia Finocchairo to prepare for summer in Alice Springs.

“Lia has been issuing press releases after press releases, congratulating herself on laws rushed through parliament that won’t take effect until next year. If she thought they would help, why wait?”

The safe place in Palmerston. Picture: Fia Walsh.

Program lead Peter Fletcher said one young person had already been picked up during the program’s first week operating in the greater Darwin region.

“We’ve already had one young person dropped to the safe place by police at 5.30am yesterday,” he said.

“What we were able to do is make a connection with the young person’s mother, bring her into the facility we’re in now, the safe place in Palmerston, and commence those family responsibility discussions.”

Mr Fletcher said the program offered a much more comprehensive focus on early intervention than previous approaches.

The Palmerston safe place offers kitchen, shower and laundry facilities, along with a pool table, television, books and games.

The safe place in Palmerston. Picture: Fia Walsh.

Ms Cahill said programs such as circuit breaker were part of the CLP’s response to address crime and domestic violence in the Territory.

It comes as focus once again falls on high levels of crime in Alice Spring, spurred by an alleged horrific home invasion which left a baby girl with a fractured skull.

Ms Cahill said the revelations the teens behind the alleged attack had between them been bailed 35 times proved “the system was broken and shattered”.

“Imagine the different outcome that we could have had for these two young people if this (circuit breaker) program had been in place when they first touched the system,” she said.

“I think what we’re seeing is the product of a failure in that space.”

“In the past there’s been these one off bursts that are very finite in their approach. What we have to do is put in place an approach that is consistent, and the response is ongoing.”