Kids crying out for rehab

A SENIOR cop heading a strike force to address youth crime and get at-risk kids back on track says the crime situation will not change unless rehabilitative services are introduced.

Strike Force Orion’s Sergeant Kaye Pemberton said the NT would see another generation leave school uneducated and without job prospects if rehabilitative inhouse facilities for youths with drug and alcohol addictions were not developed.

“It’s been something that I’ve said for many years: There’s no residential drug-rehabilitation program for youth up here, there’s CAAPS and I think they take them from 14,” Sgt Pemberton said.

“There’s no secure facility that tackles therapeutic needs of kids that have drug addictions.” She said she had dealt with kids as young as 11 with cannabis and ice addictions.

The concerns have been echoed by Children’s Commissioner Colleen Gwynne, who said it was a “critical issue” that needed to be addressed. “Children and young people who suffer from substance abuse and alcohol misuse often present with complex mental health issues and subsequent behavioural challenges. We see this played out in the Territory and reflected in our numbers of children in care and youth offending,” Ms Gwynne said. “My office recognises that this is a critical issue and there is a serious and distinct gap in rehabilitative services which are individually tailored and appropriate for this cohort.”

Ms Gwynne said she was aware of the challenges in setting up something and attracting the right people.

“My experience is that rehabilitation services for children and young people are mainly accessed as a result of a court or youth detention referral. There is little in the way of community-based, family referral programs specifically child-focused,” she said.

“My view is that although existing programs are valid, we need to be acting well before the crisis point.”

The Department of Health was contacted for comment.