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Where is the assistance for our troubled youth? Help required
Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 11/11/2009 - 23:31
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Send to friendI have a 14yr boy who in the past 2-4 months has been before a judge between 3 and 4 times for car theft, numerous break and entering and has not attended school for 4-6 months.
Before my sons first facing of the judge I tried day and night for 1-2 months on the phone, email and searching many different ideas as to whom ever may be able to assist including many government, religious and many other organizations including (some months ago) Carol Martin, Robyn McSweeney and (more recently) Kate Ellis. My request was for some form of diversionary type program. Most of the answers were, "I'm sorry we have nothing to offer children in this age group" or "sorry if you don't live in our state or territory we can't take him on as different jurisdiction" or "is he aboriginal?" most have many options for him if he is Aboriginal...
The last visit to the magistrate I requested if the lawyer and Juvenile Justice team member would mention to her if she could prolong his curfue? Both replies were the same that she (the magistrate)doesn't like to place curfues on kids..I guess at the end of the day the magistrate and others really like their jobs and perhaps awaiting my sons return to her court as the curfue was working!!!
He was placed on an order that required he report by phone to the Juvenile justice team, which was breached in the first week which is now a warning. I do ask how many smacks on the wrists do these kids get??? My son also at this time was roaming the streets with a blanked off hand gun making threats to young children of which came to the attention of the police. Thankfully the police now have this gun in their possession!
I haven't seen my son since Fri 23 oct 2009, I do believe in this time he has created a problem for a local pilot where he and 2-4 other boys of simular age terrorised a local pilot with sticks at night at his home.
I went to work on 29 Oct to be approached by a woman from a local community who was as pleasant as she could in making me aware my son was going to be killed soon by some boys from another close by community. I later found he and his Aboriginal mates had beaten up one of the boys from the community. I rang the Juvenile Justice team member approximately 10 minutes after being alerted of what my son may face and informed her of this. She had to contact her boss to see what we could do as my request was to see if she could get him out of town as I was informed by her at the courts that with my son being on an order he wouldn't be able to leave town..My request was for him to be placed somewhere out of this town..She advised me to ring the police..They said they would go and have a talk with my son...So now I am waiting for the phone to ring or the tap on the door with the bad news...
Since I have found no joy in finding a diversionary type program for him the next best thing is Rangeview (Perth detention centre)as I feel this is better than where he is now and where he could end up!
I feel I have exhausted my search for assistance for him as to the reason I am here.
I don't know if its going to help my son or myself but if anyone has any ideas.
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More options.
I'm sorry to hear you're having so many problems with your son. It's a pity the magistrate wouldn't extend his curfew (since it was working).
As far as options go the level of discipline your child needs non-profit or religious organizations may not be able to help. In the United States their may be options for some type of foster care, but that would require you signing all your rights away as a parent.
The only other advice that might help finding the root cause of the problem. I wish there was more help for you, somehow. You might look here for more help http://fortroubledteens.com/
Re: Where is the assistance for our troubled youth? Help ...
This is a terrible situation and you have my deepest sympathy.
1 Get organised
2 Write down and date all of your experiences in a diary
3 Get a Jp to sign it
4 Update as often as situations arise and do step 3 again (and again and again)
5 Get an affadavit from the community worker if at all possible
6 Write a strong but unemotional letter briefly stating the facts to the Premier, cc to the Attorney General, the Chief Justice, the Governor, the United Nations Children's Dept, The Prime Minister and the Oppostion Leader and the Greens and various media organisations
6a enclose a list of all the people already contacted and their lack of response
(so that they dont put you back on the run around)
6b alert them that the JP signed diary notes will be going up on the internet so that the entire world can see how poorly the govt is behaving in relation to your child.
6c Make sure that the letter includes that the govt is responsible for all cost (sorry including funeral expenses) and make sure that the letter is not only signed by a JP but that they retain a copy of it.
6d Send by Registered Post to the govt only the Minister to sign and get a receipt sent to you. (compare signatures with what is on the net)
6e Keep copies of your notes and letters outside your home and preferably outside your state.
6f Include also that unless you receive personal contact with the Heads of Dept regarding their failure to assist you in not only keeping your son safe, and immediate action that you will be camping outside the Premiers Office with a media scrum until you get it.
6g State clearly what action you require.
7 Post your entire experiences online at Perth Indymedia and other reputable blogs as well as this one.
8 Try to get a plea to your son thru back channels to get him to return home.
9 If all else fails contact the bikies, they are caring people that DO get things done. Get them to bring your son home and keep an eye on him- Ive heard that theyve done this before. Theyre far more honest than politicians and have big hearts.
GOOD LUCK
Let us know how you fare with this
This blog shows up in Google searches so for the best results keep a civil tongue in describing the govt's failings its far more damning if you dont resort to gutter language or empty venting threats.
Re: Where is the assistance for our troubled youth? Help ...
Hi I thought I would wonder in and read this article since it co insides with one of my current.
It's not an easy experience I being able to control youth when they are young. It’s not easy being a young person these days finding friends of a mature status to fix on for correct guidance.
I was a foster child when I was young and seen plenty of people with such problems over years.
The problem is that when people are under the age of
14 there is not much any organisation can do unless they are in foster or adoptive care short or long term.
With young people sometimes they need to express them self’s to a point of letting out all their bad energy whilst they are young.
This means that they will continuously get into trouble, break the law, burn things, cause harm to others (maybe) due to being less popular at school, influence by others around them and mainly before of control and seeking independence earlier then we would want.
Choosing good friends is up to an individual but at the end of the day they will return to the roost due to the fact that the people they with move on in more ways than one or maturity kicks in and the realisation of the fact life will leave you behind if you don't sort yourself out.
My suggestion is that there is only one in this problem is ride it out. Move yourself to a community (leave a msg to travel cash with someone that they may contact later to find you local) or city better than the one you are in so when they come home to sort them self’s out, they locked in to the point of having to make new friends with better maturity and less recklessness.
Regards,
B J Hutton
Brett J Hutton