Proactive measures at Banksia Hill welcomed

The Kids Research Institute Australia welcomes the Cook Labor Government’s plan to introduce proactive measures to improve the safety and welfare of children and young people within the State’s youth justice system.

In particular, the Government’s commitment to engage with Indigenous community leaders is to be commended.

In 2018, The Kids Research Institute Australia’s ground-breaking research found that more than one in three young people at Banksia Hill had Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and nearly 90 per cent of those assessed had at least one form of severe neurodevelopmental impairment, most of which had not been previously diagnosed.

This important research demonstrated the need to better understand the health and mental health impairments of children and young people in detention and recommended a raft of measures to support a more trauma informed form of care – including improved assessment of children on entry to Banksia Hill by a multidisciplinary team of health professionals.

It also recommended training for the youth justice workforce in how to manage young people living with FASD and other neurodevelopmental conditions.

With Aboriginal children comprising around 80 per cent of children in detention, the Institute has long advocated for Aboriginal leadership to be part of the solution, and strongly supports the Government’s commitment to this being the case moving forward.

It is our hope that WA has the potential to have a truly evidence-informed youth justice system.

The Kids Research Institute Australia looks forward to working closely with the Government and Aboriginal leaders to provide our expertise and advice to inform individual models of care and the translation of research into improved practice in our youth justice system that helps these children build a better future.