spotlight
When systems designed to protect do harm
What comes to mind when you think about the child protection or youth justice system? Protection and safeguarding? Rehabilitation? Trauma-informed care? These two complex and often interacting systems are intended to keep children, young people,...
Current research shows that children who are "dual-involved" in both child protection and youth justice systems are prone to criminalisation when these systems don’t interact effectively. This system failure is known as systems abuse. Dr Claire Paterson-Smith, Dr Tatiana Corrales, and Dr Patricia McNamara presented their preliminary findings on their important, if troubling, research: The criminalisation of children in care in England/Wales, New South Wales and Victoria. Their research highlights the urgent need for positive systemic change, and what we can do in our day-to-day practice to move us in the right direction.
