Youth Justice and Child Protection: The Children’s Court in Western Australia

This chapter provides a summary of three key findings from an evaluation of the Children’s Court in Western Australia (WA). The key findings emerged from an analysis of interviews and focus group discussions with a total of 74 participants (12 Judicial Officers and 62 key stakeholders). The first key finding is that the legislation is being hampered by two interrelated factors: (a) elements of cultural slippage in youth justice policy and practice and (b) system-wide resource impoverishment. The second key finding is that resources are particularly scarce in rural and country regions of WA and this compounds the challenges faced by the Children’s Court with respect to ensuring successful outcomes for Aboriginal children, their families and communities. The third key finding is that there was a general consensus amongst Judicial Officers and stakeholders that multisystemic reform of the youth justice and care and protection jurisdictions is needed to address the issue of over-representation of young Aboriginal people, their families and communities in WA.