Convening the youth justice family group conference policy — Resources

What's Important To Us

Convening a youth justice family group conference is more than just setting up a meeting – every youth justice family group conference is unique to the child or young person and their circumstances. The youth justice co-ordinator must understand and reflect that uniqueness in his or her preparation for the conference.

Children and young people considered high risk with multiple needs will require more intensive assessment and involvement than those that are low risk who can be supported by their family/whānau and community to ‘right the wrong' and change their offending behaviour. Appropriate and early assessment will help identify the right supports and opportunities that will best enable them to change their behaviour.

A family group conference must have relevant and accurate information on which to develop meaningful and effective decisions, recommendations and plans. It is the youth justice co-ordinator’s responsibility to ensure this information is supplied to the family group conference and that the people who most effect and support change for the child and young person are in attendance.