Frequently asked questions
and our best answersQuestion
How will I know if my youth is accepted into the Compass program?
Answer
After receiving the referral, we will contact you to arrange a time for you to speak to the Screening Committee. The Screening Committee will make a decision about your referral and contact you soon after the meeting.
Question
Once the youth is accepted into the program, what are the next steps before the youth moves to the care home?
Answer
An intake package containing a number of documents will be emailed to you. Prior to the youth moving to the care home, these documents will need to be completed, signed and emailed to us. If there are missing documents, we will contact you so that the process of bringing the youth into the program can be expedited.
Question
Why do I need to provide the education materials for the youth?
Answer
We ask either the youth’s parents or you to provide the necessary education materials to make a school placement in a local public school. Prior to the youth coming to this community, we need to make arrangements for the youth’s school plan so that they can start school soon after moving into the care home.
Question
How does the Youth Forensics Psychiatric Services (YFPS) program interact with the Compass (Youth Justice Homes) program?
Answer
The YFPS clinic on the North Island is a program operated by The John Howard Society of North Island, as is Compass. The two programs are separate from one another with differing roles and responsibilities.
The YFPS therapist provides the treatment component for the youth residing in a Compass care home, and Compass provides the home for the youth to live in while they are accessing treatment. The caregivers in the Compass homes may participate in elements of the treatment programming. The extent of involvement is determined by the youth and the YFPS therapist.
Question
Under what circumstances will the youth leave the Youth Justice Homes program?
Answer
Some of the circumstances for an exit from the program would include:
- When the youth has completed their treatment with YFPS, it will be time for them to leave the Compass care home.
- If the YFPS therapist suggests the youth is not progressing with treatment, consultation will occur with the Probation Officer, and a plan may be made for them to leave the treatment program, and the care home.
- If the youth is not abiding by the rules of the care home, and/or their probation/community sentence order, a consultation will occur with the Probation Officer and a subsequent plan may be made to exit the youth.
In all cases where an exit from the program is being considered, communication will occur with members of the youth’s team.