- Launch of Home Safe trial with increased funding to boost youth outreach services in Northbridge
- Partnership between Department of Communities, WA Police Force, Nyoongar Outreach Services and Mission Australia to help keep children safe
- Unaccompanied children to be restricted from Northbridge after 10pm
The McGowan Government has launched the Home Safe trial program to boost the capacity of youth outreach services in Northbridge and help to keep kids safe at night.
The Home Safe trial is a partnership between Communities, WA Police, Nyoongar Outreach Services and Mission Australia to increase assistance and services to unaccompanied children and young people in Northbridge.
The trial, set to run until April, restricts unaccompanied children and young people under the age of 16 years from being in Northbridge after 10pm.
The program will prioritise the safety and well-being of unaccompanied children, providing additional transport services to take children to a safe residence or Mission Australia’s YouthBeat facility.
The State Government will provide $700,000 in additional funding to support additional staff to scale up outreach capacity for vulnerable or at-risk children and young people.
It will include additional culturally responsive street-based outreach, transport and case management services for Aboriginal families, children and young people through the Noongar Outreach Services, and additional youth and family support.
The collaboration between youth services, Communities and WA Police will help divert young people from contact with the justice system and provide access to support.
The trial policy will be reviewed after the summer period.
Last financial year Nyoongar Outreach Services had 2786 contacts with young people aged between 12 and 18 in Northbridge, of which 142 were considered at-risk and provided transport.
As stated by Child Protection Minister Simone McGurk:
“Unaccompanied children should not be in the Northbridge entertainment precinct late at night and by boosting transport and other support services we can ensure these children can be cared for.
“By working together with a range of agencies we can identify opportunities to address the circumstances leading to young children gathering in Northbridge during the evenings.
“This trial will help us get a better understanding of the level of support young people need and we’ll monitor closely to see how effective it is.”
As stated by Police Minister Paul Papalia:
“Our police do an incredible job keeping our community safe, but we as a community also occasionally need to help police by making their job easier.
“Young children do not belong on the streets late at night, especially in an entertainment precinct.
“Every child deserves to spend the night in a safe place with a roof over their heads and a bed to sleep in. This initiative is aimed at assisting children to get there.”
