Overview
Many children and adolescents in contact with the youth justice system have a history with child protection. Children and adolescents who have had contact with both the child protection and youth justice systems (i.e. dual-system contact) have often also experienced abuse, mental health challenges and social disadvantages.
Due to these complex support needs, practitioners who work with children and adolescents are likely to encounter dual-system children and adolescents in services outside of those specialising in child protection or youth justice. These services might include mental health, substance use, housing, disability, children and families and social welfare services.
This is an informational resource that reviews the existing evidence to support non-specialist practitioners to develop foundational knowledge on this topic. It describes how common dual-system contact is, the profile and outcomes of those with dual-system contact and the drivers of dual-system contact. Understanding these factors can help practitioners make evidence-informed decisions that acknowledge the complex interplay between children and adolescents’ personal circumstances and systemic challenges.
This resource is part of a series that examines children and adolescents (aged <18 years) in contact with the child protection and youth justice systems.