Early Action Groups
Early Action Groups are a multi-agency case management coordination for children aged 8–16 years who are at moderate/high risk of future offending (‘at-risk young people’) and their families. They provide early intervention responses that address the factors contributing to young people’s offending behaviour, including family functioning, educational disengagement, substance use, negative peers and pro-criminal attitudes.
As part of the Townsville Stronger Communities initiative, an Early Action Group has operated in Townsville since 2016. In February 2023, the Queensland Government announced a plan to tackle the complex causes of youth crime and strengthen community safety. Prominent in the plan was the need to invest in programs proven to make a difference, including the expansion of Early Action Groups to Mount Isa and Cairns.
Purpose of Early Action Groups
The purpose of the Early Action Groups is to contribute to addressing the underlying factors that lead to young people offending, improving the functioning of high-risk young people and their families, and building a stronger and safer community. They do this by bringing a multi-agency strategic and operational response to help address complex cultural, social, and economic factors that negatively impact at-risk young people, families and communities.
Each of the Early Action Groups will:
- Pro-actively identify and case manage 20 at-risk young people and their families to divert these young people away from the justice system.
and
- Develop place-based solutions to improve better outcomes for young people who are at high risk of entering the Youth Justice system.
Target Group
Young people referred to Early Action Groups for support will be:
- aged 8–16 years
- not subject to a statutory order with Youth Justice or Child Safety
- coming to the attention of police or Youth Justice and have offending risk factors
- assessed as moderate or high risk of offending.
Multi-agency approach
Early Action groups comprise membership from the following government agencies:
- Queensland Police Service
- Department of Youth Justice, Employment, Small Business and Training
- Department of Child Safety, Seniors and Disability Services
- Department of Treaty, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Communities and the Arts
- Queensland Health – Hospital and Health Services
- Department of Education
- Department of Housing
- Department of Corrective Services
Together, these agencies work in partnership with community stakeholders to establish and/or add value to existing place-based solutions to ensure young people and their families connect to services which can address underlying factors contributing to a young person’s offending behaviour. This may include initiatives which improve access to the National Disability Insurance Scheme, specialist mental health, education or housing services. Project proposals will be tabled and endorsed through the Leadership Group.
Townsville Early Action Group
The Townsville Early Action Group is co-located with the Queensland Police Service's Rapid Action and Patrols team in Condon.
Contact us
Email: NQR_EAG_Townsville@cyjma.qld.gov.au
Telephone: (07) 4789 9550