Kimberley bail houses close after ‘staffing issues’ forcing at-risk youth hundreds of kilometres from home

Some of WA’s most at-risk youth are being forced to live hundreds of kilometres from their families, after every bail house in the Kimberley was closed because of “extreme” staffing shortages. The Broome and Kununurra facilities, which offered accommodation and support for young people on bail, shut their doors in July, with the Department of Justice citing a “range of issues” affecting staffing levels within the NGO run facility. “We are aware temporary staffing issues are being addressed by the service provider,” the spokesperson said. “Young people in the Kimberley requiring bail placement are being considered for placement with family and community in the first instance or at another bail facility in the State.” However, Hope Community Services — the contractors employed to run the Broome Bail House since 2017 — say the staffing issues could be traced back to inadequate funding. “The recently announced increase in the indexation rate by the State Government, while welcomed, is not enough to address staff shortages, wages costs and housing requirements in competitive markets across WA,” Hope CEO Merinda March said. “It still falls short and puts the long-term provision of essential community services at risk.” The closure of the bail houses has forced many at-risk juveniles to reside away from family, including a 13-year-old Derby girl who was sent to live in the South Hedland bail facility, more than 700km from her home. The young teenager, charged with a string of offences relating to a burglary in Kununurra, appeared before a Derby Magistrate over video from South Hedland last week. During the hearing, her lawyer requested a change of bail conditions — the girl wanted to go home. It’s a situation restorative justice advocate Gerry Georgatos said would significantly affect mental health challenges faced by juveniles, and likely result in reoffending. “Bail houses keep kids in close proximity to whatever safety net they have, whatever family they have and whatever connections to have,” he said. “Of course, it’s going to affect one’s mental wellbeing. If left unsupported, these children will fare even worse and reoffending is almost guaranteed.” Mr Georgatos is one of the driving forces behind a class action against the State Government over the treatment of youth detainees in Banksia Hill. He said the closure of the bail houses is proof that injustices go beyond detention centre walls. “We’ve got to start treating these children as if they’re our own and give them support equivalent to what is in a family setting,” Mr Georgatos said. “If we can’t maintain bail houses, then what hope is there for the rest of it?” Mr Georgatos said he believed the closure of bail houses was beyond simply a staffing issue. “It’s a management issue that goes all the way to the heart of the government, all the way to the echelon that has responsibility for the professional development of a workforce.” Ms March said Hope Community Services is exploring different solutions to get qualified and experienced staff back in the Kimberley, including recruiting locally, nationally and internally. “We are absolutely committed to reopening this service with the coming weeks,” Ms March said. “We understand the importance of having safe bail houses at locations that enable young people to stay connected to family, community and country.” A 2019 inquest into the 13 deaths of children and young persons in the Kimberley region found proximity to country and community was a major factor in improving the wellbeing of at-risk children. Corrective Services Minister Bill Johnston said he was aware of the issues faced by Kimberley bail houses.