ACTCOSS submission: Draft ACT Youth Justice Strategic Plan 2026-2031

ACTCOSS supports the direction of the draft Plan released for consultation by the Health and Community Services Directorate (HCSD). Raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 14 was a national first, a move that ACTCOSS has publicly supported.

ACTCOSS calls on the ACT Government to ensure the final Plan can be implemented effectively. The Plan should reflect the advice of the ACT Auditor General and include clear allocation of responsibilities, strong governance, evaluation processes, and transparent reporting to ensure accountability.

Recommendations

1. Revise the draft Plan so that it meets all five elements set out in the Auditor-General’s 2025 report.
2. Provide for two-year action plans under the Plan and publish the first of these. It should be costed, name the directorate and delivery partners responsible for each action, carry delivery dates, and state which actions are unfunded.
3. Establish a governance group for the Plan in partnership with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and publish its terms of reference.
4. Publish baseline measures and quantified targets in the final Plan and describe how the supporting data will be collected.
5. Commit in the Plan to an independent and funded evaluation, with the methodology published at commencement and a clear timeline for public release of the results.

Download the submission below to read more.