The youth justice pre-family group conference case consultation

A pre-family group conference case consultation is required for every tamaiti or rangatahi referred for a youth justice family group conference.

This is an initial planning meeting in which the actions that need to be taken to prepare for the family group conference and the people who need to be involved are identified.

The pre-family group conference case consultation is the first opportunity to look at what we know about te tamaiti or rangatahi, their whānau or family and the environment they live in.

The information that we have at this time will enable us to make preliminary decisions about what actions need to be taken prior to the family group conference. It helps us understand whether we need to allocate a social worker to build and deepen understanding, whether external agencies need to be involved, and any other steps to be taken.

Ensuring we have considered all the relevant information supports a good outcome at the family group conference. If the coordinator has received any information on care and protection matters (under s14(1)) the case consultation should also consider whether further investigation is warranted and how these might be addressed using s261 at the conference.

Using s261 in a Youth Justice Family Group Conference

Consultation before the family group conference also helps us to ensure that the legislative requirements to address health and education needs are met and that proper consideration is given the support needed, such as parenting, mentoring, and alcohol and other drug programmes for te tamaiti or rangatahi. The pre-family group conference case consultation identifies what steps need to be taken to fully inform these decisions.

The education screen

The Health and Education Assessment Programme (DOC 114 KB)

The pre-family group conference case consultation is only the first step. Where care or protection concerns are held for a tamaiti or rangatahi, and/or they have complex needs or a high risk of re-offending, youth justice coordinators, supervisors and social workers will continue to meet to ensure any identified and/or emerging needs and risks are understood and, where necessary, addressed prior to the family group conference.

The child and family consult or young person and family consult can be used to work through the presenting needs, strengths and risks for te tamaiti or rangatahi.

Child/young person and family consult

The pre-family group conference case consultation is to be held within five working days after the referral or direction for family group conference is received.

It is important to ensure that there is sufficient time for any required work to be completed prior to the family group conference being held.

In all cases, the case consultation will be attended by the youth justice co-ordinator and a youth justice supervisor.

Where more complex issues are identified attendance is increased to include all other relevant people.

The practice leader will attend and lead the case consultation, and include the relevant care and protection social worker and their supervisor when appropriate, if:

• the offending is by a tamaiti, or
• there’s recent or active care and protection involvement for a rangatahi.

The care and protection co-ordinator should be consulted and where possible attend if:

• a care and protection family group conference is about to be or has recently been held.

The residential case leader should attend if:

• te tamaiti or rangatahi is in residential custody.

Where a practice leader or other required person is not regularly on site then they must be consulted and their agreement sought to any decisions made at the pre-family group conference case consultation.

The date of the case consultation, the attendees and the outcome of consultation will be recorded in the offending profile by the youth justice co-ordinator. This includes the decision about whether an assessment report is required and a rationale for the decision.

Refer to the Assessment policy for cases that always require an assessment report.

Policy: Assessment

The next steps for te tamaiti or rangatahi will also be entered in the offending profile and will include details of what is required to achieve a positive family group conference outcome.

If the attendees are unable to agree on a way forward, the practice leader will be consulted before the matter is escalated to the youth justice manager for resolution.

Consider if there is anything in the available information that indicates te tamaiti or rangatahi may be at risk of self-harm, suicide or psychological distress. If so, it is critical that we recognise and act on these signals.

Indications may not be immediately present or obvious so we must be alert to changes in behaviour and circumstances, and take the appropriate steps to ensure the oranga, including safety, of te tamaiti or rangatahi.

SACs, Kessler and Suicide screens (SKS)