Objective

The Children’s Court Youth Diversion Service (CCYD) is a pre-plea option that provides an opportunity for young people appearing before the criminal division of the Children’s Court to:

  • accept responsibility for their behaviour
  • understand the harm caused by their actions
  • complete a diversion plan, involving activities intended to reduce the likelihood of further offending
  • have the charge/s discharged, on successful completion of the diversion plan
  • avoid the stigma associated with a criminal record, and its impact on future life opportunities.

CCYD complements the existing suite of options available to divert children and young people from further progression into the criminal justice system. Other options occur pre-court (police cautions), pre-plea (Ropes - a one day interactive education program) and post-plea (deferral of sentence and group conferencing). 

Eligibility

CCYD targets young people with limited or no criminal history who would otherwise be sentenced to an outcome not requiring supervision from youth justice.

The young person’s history and circumstances of their offending are considered in determining whether diversion is appropriate. There are no automatic exclusions regarding the nature or type of offence eligible for diversion, apart from offences that carry a mandatory penalty.

Eligibility is informed by consultation with the young person, their family or carer, legal representative and Victoria Police prosecutors.

Legislation

The Children Youth and Families Act 2005 (External link) require both the prosecution and the accused to consent to diversion.

Approach

Diversion coordinators:

  • attend all scheduled sittings of the Criminal Division of the Children’s Court
  • conduct assessments following prosecution consent and a magistrate’s referral
  • provide advice to the court on the young person’s suitability for diversion
  • develop a plan, tailored to the young person’s circumstances
  • engage the young person to foster completion of the diversion plan
  • report back to the court on a young person’s compliance with the court’s direction.

The diversion plan may contain a range of activities for the child or young person. The diversion plan is:

  • designed to build upon or strengthen the individual’s protective factors
  • promote reparation of harm caused by the offence/s
  • proportionate to the offence/s before the court.

The approach used by the Children’s Court Youth Diversion Service is underpinned by research that shows that over-intervening can increase a young person’s risk of reoffending.

Contact CCYD

Central email: ccyd@justice.vic.gov.au (External link)

Region Office location Courts

Loddon Mallee

Bendigo

Level 2/10-16 Forest Street, Bendigo VIC 3550

Tel: (03) 5440 6100

Fax: (03) 4433 9002

Bendigo

Echuca

Castlemaine

Maryborough

Kyneton

Mildura

59 Madden Street Mildura VIC 3500

Tel: (03) 5021 6100

Fax: (03) 5021 6111

Mildura

Robinvale

Swan Hill

Ouyen

Kerang

North West Metropolitan

Broadmeadows

25-27 Dimboola Rd, Broadmeadows VIC 3047

Tel: (03) 9936 9100

Fax: (03) 9936 9101

Melbourne

Broadmeadows

 

Reservoir

909 High Street, Reservoir VIC 3073

Tel: (03) 8256 9200

Fax: (03) 8256 9201

Heidelberg

Neighbourhood

Justice Centre,

Collingwood

Werribee

87 Synnot St, Werribee VIC 3030

Tel: (03) 9974 4500

Fax: (03) 9974 4515

Werribee

 

Sunshine

Address: 499 Ballarat Road, Sunshine VIC 3020

Tel: 1300 403 168

Fax: (03) 9055 5504

Sunshine

 

Grampians

 

Horsham

21 McLachlan Street, Horsham VIC 3400

Tel: (03) 4344 14444

Fax: (03) 4344 1401

 

Hopetoun

Horsham

Edenhope

Nhill

St Arnaud

Stawell

Ballarat

22 Camp Street, Ballarat VIC 3353

Tel: 1300 177 422

Fax: (03) 4334 5201

Ararat

Ballarat

Bacchus Marsh

 

Barwon South West

Geelong

Level 2, State Government Offices, 30-38 Little Malop Street (corner of Fenwick Street and Little Malop Street), Geelong VIC 3220

Tel: (03) 5226 4540

Fax: (03) 5381 9710

Colac

Geelong

Warrnambool

769 Raglan Parade Warrnambool  VIC 3280

Tel: (03) 4504 5555

Fax: (03) 4504 5500

Hamilton

Warrnambool

Portland

Gippsland

Bairnsdale

7 Service Street, Bairnsdale VIC 3875

Tel: (03) 5150 4500

Fax: (03) 5150 4586

Sale

Bairnsdale

Orbost

Morwell

9-11 Hazelwood Road, Morwell VIC 3875

Tel: (03) 4141 1400

Fax: (03) 4141 1444

Latrobe Valley (Morwell)

Wonthaggi

Korumburra

South East Metropolitan

 

Dandenong

165-169 Thomas St, Dandenong VIC 3175

Tel: (03) 8765 5444

Fax: (03) 8765 7575

Dandenong

 

Frankston

431 Nepean Highway, Frankston VIC 3199

Tel: (03) 9784 3280

Fax: 9874 3111

Frankston

Moorabbin

Ringwood

60-62 Maroondah Highway, Ringwood VIC 3134

Tel: (03) 9871 5199

Fax: (03) 9870 6688

Ringwood

Box Hill 

883 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill VIC 3128

Tel: (03) 9843 6000

Fax: (03) 9843 6100

Box Hill

Hume

Seymour

Level 1, 8-10 Elizabeth St, Seymour VIC 3660

Tel: (03) 5771 1600

Fax: (03) 5771 1610

Shepparton

307-331 Wyndham St, Shepparton VIC 3630

Tel: (03) 5832 1500

Fax: (03) 5831 1851

Cobram

Seymour

Shepparton

Wangaratta

119-121 Murphy Street, Wangaratta VIC 3676

Tel: (03) 5723 6444

Wodonga

9 Watson St, Wodonga VIC 3690

Tel: 1300 159 469

Benalla

Corryong

Mansfield

Myrtleford

Wangaratta

Wodonga