Understanding Current Staff Experiences, Practices and Needs in Supporting Young People with Neurodevelopmental Disorders in the Queensland Youth Justice System

Abstract

Young people with neurodevelopmental disorders are overrepresented in the youth justice system and face many disadvantages due to their impairments. The current study investigated what factors predict and contribute to the behavior of youth justice professionals working in the Queensland (QLD) youth justice system, utilizing a behavior change wheel framework. Eighty-one youth justice professionals participated in an online survey assessing capability, opportunity and motivation and additional open-ended questions capturing their recommendations for improvement. Results demonstrated that training frequency, capability, opportunity and motivation significantly predicted behaviors to identify and support young people with neurodevelopmental disorders (i.e., target behaviors). Capability (p = <.001) and motivation (p = .02) were significant independent predictors of the target behaviors. Examination of open-ended responses provided by the youth justice professionals identified several key areas, consistent with existing literature, which were in need of modifications to further support young people with neurodevelopmental disorders. These included: use of language, availability of resources, increased liaison with stakeholders, and knowledge and understanding of neurodevelopmental disorders. Overall, the current results provide helpful directions in terms of future targets for implementation strategies and interventions to better support young people with neurodevelopmental conditions who are involved with the QLD youth justice system.

Keywords:

• neurodevelopmental disorders
• fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
• youth justice
• youth justice professionals

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the Queensland Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs and a number of non-government QLD organisations for their support of this study. Special additional thanks to the QLD Department Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs for disseminating the survey to all relevant staff and providing a snapshot of staff demographic details for us to compare the current sample to. The authors would also like to acknowledge the youth justice professionals, who kindly volunteered their time to complete the survey, your contribution is very much appreciated and made this research project possible. MJG is supported by a Medical Research Future Fund Translating Research into Practice (TRIP) Fellowship (1167986).

Conflict of interest

HP is the developer of the Reframe intervention. The other authors have no conflicts to declare.