We have developed a draft Youth Justice Strategic Plan (the Strategic Plan). It sets out what we will do over the next 5 years to improve the ACT’s youth justice system and outcomes for young people.

The Strategic Plan is based on evidence, research and existing government commitments, and explains how we will respond to youth offending. It recognises many young people in the youth justice system have experienced challenges such as poverty, neglect, abuse or family violence, and takes a trauma-informed approach.

The Strategic Plan recognises the impact of past experiences, focuses on helping young people early to stop them entering the system, and supports those already involved to heal, grow, return safely to the community and not reoffend.

A key focus is also Closing the Gap and reducing the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in detention.

The Strategic Plan recognises that reducing over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in detention requires sustained action in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Overall, the Strategic Plan aims to make the ACT youth justice system more supportive, fair, inclusive and focused on providing young people with the right help at the right time.

The Strategic Plan sets out our youth justice priorities for the next 5 years. It outlines 6 focus areas, with actions under each, and identifies 4 priority groups.

The Strategic Plan is our roadmap to co-ordinate our efforts across government and deliver on existing commitments, so most elements are already set. However, we want to make sure the detail is right and check we are on the right track.

We want your feedback on:

• Which parts of the Strategic Plan matter most to you?
• Is anything unclear or hard to understand?
• Do the 6 focus areas makes sense and are they named clearly?
• Do the actions sit in the right focus areas, or should any be moved?
• Are the priority groups right, should others be included, and do the actions reflect the groups' needs, experiences and strengths?
• Would anything else strengthen the Strategic Plan?

Your feedback will help share future work. We will run more engagement activities on key initiatives under the Strategic Plan as the reforms progress.

If you would like to work with us on future stages, you can express your interest in engagement activities.

Please read the draft ACT Youth Justice Strategic Plan with the above questions in mind.

You can then send us your feedback in a document or leave us a quick note.

Consultation closes 11 August 2026.

Remember you can also tell us if you are interested in future activities relevant to the Strategic Plan.

We value your feedback. It will help us finalise the Strategic Plan and set the direction and timing of future work.

Together we can build a youth justice system that better supports young people at every stage and helps create a safer community for everyone.

The ACT Youth Justice Strategic Plan will be our roadmap to improve the ACT youth justice system and achieve better outcomes for young people – whether they are at risk of entering the system or already involved in it.

The Strategic Plan focuses on addressing the root causes of harmful behaviour, supporting young people to stay out of the system and strengthening community connection and safety.

It brings together current government commitments outlined in strategies, frameworks, action plans and government responses to independent reviews. It also reflects what we have heard from young people, families and stakeholders through previous consultations.

The Strategic Plan aligns with major ACT reforms and the Australasian Youth Justice Administrators National Standards. It represents a whole-of-government approach, promoting coordinated service delivery across justice, health, education, housing, child protection and community services.

For more information, read the draft ACT Youth Justice Strategic Plan.