Critical review of the \Collaborative case conference referral pathway\" for exceptional needs Youth Justice clients - Tasmania"

This dissertation forms part of a broader review of the Tasmanian Youth Justice Collaborative Case Conference (CCC) process, which is currently being undertaken at a policy level. The Collaborative Case Conference program is currently practiced in the Northern Youth Justice Area only. Over the period since it was adopted by the North, it has evolved considerably, adapting to meet the needs of complex clients. The contribution of the CCC is recognised in the new Youth Justice Model of Care (MOC, 2012), which intends to evaluate the effectiveness of the CCC, and make recommendations as to its extension to other areas of the State. The purpose of this dissertation is to focus on one part of this overall review; the \Referral Pathway\" into the Collaborative Case Conference (CCC) process itself. In doing so it will raise issues for consideration within the current referral pathway in meeting the requirements of complex and exceptional needs clients entering the Youth Justice System. The aim is to propose a new referral pathway that is linked to a primary assessment that determines an early intervention approach. The dissertation has three specific objectives: The first section outlines the current Collaborative Case Conference (CCC) process which employs a horizontal and vertical response and both highlights and streamlines the referral pathway. To provide an overview of the CCC process this dissertation draws information from the Department of Health and Human Service Children and Youth Service Collaborative Case Conference Policy and Guidelines (2012). Secondly through a literature review lens this dissertation responds to the current CCC referral pathway by arguing that the one pertinent issue to successfully working with this target group is that complex needs require a higher level of collaborative expertise and therefore require an early intervention approach and subsequent pathway into the CCC process. Lastly this dissertation clearly outlines a new early intervention front-end approach into the CCC process. This new revised approach is put forward as the most effective way to respond to high needs complex clients that enter the Youth Justice System. The methodological insight for this dissertation is based on the assumption that a review on the referral pathway into the Collaborative Case Conference process will advocate as evidence for future policy change. Thus within a literature review framework this dissertation highlights that policy administrators need to understand that an early intervention approach into the Collaborative Case Conference process will deliver more effective and timely outcomes when supporting this high needs client group. The main policy implications of these findings are straightforward. To embrace research and develop an early intervention referral pathway into the CCC process. Through implementation of this policy collaboration will occur as an established early practice resulting in better outcomes for exceptional needs Youth Justice Clients."