Key components of high-quality child-centred casework in youth justice
In our second Academic Insights paper for 2025, Andrew Day and Catia Malvaso build upon their work in South Australia which has focused upon the development of more trauma-informed and child-centred youth justice case management processes and practices. Influenced by their findings and the wider research literature, they assert that youth justice practitioners will be the most effective agents of positive change when they successfully engage children and young people with a focus upon: (i) listening carefully; (ii) helping justice-involved children and young people to feel safe; and (iii) working in ways that promote positive and rewarding experiences.
These three components align to the growing evidence regarding the importance of building meaningful relationships, developing trust, working collaboratively and with compassion, responding effectively to developmental needs (recognising childhood adversities, trauma, and disadvantage), and building upon strengths. Examples of how the core tasks of engagement can be put into practice are then outlined, reflecting the ethical, professional, and practical imperatives for this work, with attention also given to how some of the challenges that might arise in a youth justice context can be addressed.
"calls to adopt ways of working that are more ‘individualised’ and ‘child-centred’ have grown louder and stronger over recent years. This is supported by a growing body of evidence that clearly demonstrates that justice-involved children and young people have experienced significant – and often ongoing – childhood adversity, trauma, and disadvantage. This requires youth justice practitioners to develop a deep understanding and appreciation of the different ways in which these experiences influence children’s developmental pathways and shape their current behaviour, as well as to ensuring that they avoid responding in ways that re-traumatise."
The Academic Insights paper can be accessed here: