Helping inner–city street kids get their lives back together
Inner-city street kids are one of the most vulnerable groups in our society. Homeless, troubled by family problems and prone to drug and alcohol misuse, they are often in danger of getting into more problems further down the track.
These are the kids the Kings Cross and Central Sydney Adolescent Unit (KXCSAU) reaches out to seven days a week.
Celebrating 20 years in operation this month, KXCSAU makes more than 3,600 contacts with young people a year and has recently expanded to cover The Rocks, George Street, the city entertainment precinct and Darling Harbour.
There are also plans to develop an adolescent consultancy service to provide advice to DoCS’ Community Services Centres in the Metro Central region.
The unit, which includes a Manager Casework, a casework specialist and nine caseworkers, recently relocated from Redfern back to Kings Cross.
Marian Booler, Manager Casework has been with KXCSAU since the start and says the unit has helped more than 11,100 clients.
“Doing this job, you may not know the effect you have on a person’s life straight away, but knowing your intervention makes them think and brings them around – that’s important. It’s because I know that some of the kids we followed up and supported in the early days went on to have great lives, that I’m still here now,” Ms Booler said.
Laurie Matthews, who manages the Bondi-based youth refuge Caretakers Cottage, refers young people to KXCSAU and says its workers are very experienced in dealing with troubled kids.
“They are very good at working with kids who suffer from low self esteem and poor intellectual abilities; kids who have a big chip on their shoulder, who are incredibly angry and damaged,” Laurie said.
“The workers respond intuitively, are not fooled easily and they hang in there with the kids until the cows come home.
“The KXCSAU is a very accessible part of DoCS. They are a great sounding board, they often know the history of the kids or they can find out the background really quickly and their personal approach is unique.
“The KXCSAU does a great job in focusing on kids who otherwise would fall through the cracks and get locked into the juvenile justice system,” he said.
Snapshot of the Kings Cross and Central Sydney Adolescent Unit
Who they help
Young people aged 12 to 18 years in Sydney’s inner-city and eastern suburbs who are homeless or frequently run away from home; are involved in known or probable sex work; are involved with known sex offenders; have substance abuse or mental health issues; threaten self harm or have disrupted education.
They also work with young people who experience persistent and ongoing parent/adolescent conflict, or who are involved in criminal activity.
What they do
- Caseworkers walk the streets and talk with young people who they assess to be at risk. They regularly work alongside Kings Cross and City Central Police conducting patrols and checking local strip clubs to ensure that there are no under-age people working there.
Caseworkers assist young people to return home or find alternative accommodation. This involves returning young people to various suburbs of Sydney or other states. - Caseworkers work with young people referred by community agencies or DoCS’ Eastern Sydney Community Services Centre to identify their needs, reduce the risk of harm, engage with their families provide or coordinate support services and ensure their safety, welfare and wellbeing.
- They conduct interviews and crisis counselling, make risk of harm assessments and referrals to services such as alternative accommodation and counselling.
Referrals
DoCS Helpline, NSW Police, community agencies and young people and their families and friends.
Hours of operation:
Monday to Wednesday 9am to 5pm
Thursday and Friday 9am to 2am
Saturday and Sunday 10am to 2am