Youth co-responder teams

Youth co-responder teams build relationships with young people by engaging with them in the community including at night and following up with them during the day. The team does not wait for crime to occur—instead, they proactively prevent anti-social behaviour and offending by responding to the needs of young people and families when they need it most.

Youth co-responder teams provide practical support, including:

• referring young people and their families to support services
• supporting to de-escalate and problem solve where young people congregate
• supporting young people and their families to have a greater understanding to comply with supervised orders and bail conditions
• transporting young people to places of safety
• working collaboratively with existing service systems and supports
• following up with families in crisis situations.

Youth co-responder teams are a visible 24/7 response to young people at risk of offending or reoffending and builds community confidence.

Across Queensland, youth co-responder teams work closely with our partner agencies, non-government organisations (NGOs) and other support services to provide an immediate response that links at-risk young people to culturally appropriate services and ongoing support for both the young person and their families.

The teams support young people on bail, including electronic monitoring devices, and help to ensure they have a greater understanding in order to comply with bail conditions. Additionally, they provide follow-up support, including home visits and referral to support services and interventions, to ensure the young people they meet stay on the right track.

Services and referrals to government departments and NGOs can help with:

• safe and affordable housing
• access to health and medical services
• escaping domestic and family violence
• access to education and training.

Referral to community agencies and Queensland Government departments helps to address underlying issues the young person might be facing and connect them to their community.

Every time a youth co-responder engages with a young person, it's an opportunity to direct that individual away from offending and guide them to make better, safer choices impacting them and their community.

Youth co-responders build relationships of trust with young people and follow up with them to provide support and help for young people to achieve their potential. Through their proactive engagement, youth co-responders hold young people accountable and prevent them from entering or becoming further engaged with the youth justice system.

By building relationships with young people, youth co-responders can:

• link young people and their families to support services, vocational training and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mentors
• support young people and their families to have a greater understanding to comply with supervised orders and bail conditions
• provide necessary supplies such as food, clothing and toiletries to young people in need
• follow up with families in crisis situations
• explore ways to divert at risk young people from the youth justice system.

By providing tailored support and addressing the underlying issues that contribute to offending behaviour, youth co-responders aim to create safer community and break the cycle of youth offending.

Youth co-responder teams are co-located with police in police stations and on the road, interacting with the community in every major metropolitan and regional centre in Queensland:

• Brisbane North
• Brisbane South
• Cairns
• Fraser Coast
• Gold Coast
• Ipswich
• Logan
• Mackay
• Moreton
• Mount Isa
• Rockhampton
• Toowoomba
• Townsville (2 teams).