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Staff Support and Supervision in Residential Youth Justice: An Australian Model

NCJ Number
232039
Journal
Residential Treatment for Children & Youth Volume: 27 Issue: 3 Dated: July-September 2010 Pages: 214-240
Author(s)
Patricia M. McNamara, Ph.D.
Date Published
July 2010
Length
27 pages
Annotation
This article describes the Staff Support and Supervision Program at a residential center in Australia.
Abstract
The role for staff within the residential youth justice facility is an intense one, offering both reward and challenge. Post-traumatic stress related to serious episodes of violence and vicarious trauma relating to the abuse and neglect derived from the residents' personal narratives are common. In recent years a residential center in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia has experimented with provision of a Staff Support and Supervision Program (SSSP). This article describes the context which gave rise to the program, its multi-theoretical underpinning, and its modus operandi. A qualitative evaluation highlights practice challenges and leadership techniques. The model is now being applied in two other Victorian youth justice centers. 105 references (Published Abstract)