Community service orders

If your child pleads guilty to or is found guilty of an offence, a court can order that they do unpaid work in the community for a certain number of hours.

The Queensland Government organises the work and arranges for your child to be supervised while they’re doing it. Your child will also be allocated a Youth Justice officer.

For the court to make this type of order, your child has to:

• be 13 or older
• agree to do community service.

The court can only make this order if your child is found guilty of an offence that an adult could go to jail for.

Purpose

Community service orders provide a real consequence for young offenders. They help your child do something good for the community while making amends for their crime.

Completing these orders can help your child become part of the community again. They:

• show that they have accepted the consequences of their actions
• gain skills and knowledge through work
• become more mature as they organise their life and responsibilities
• can feel good about doing something worthwhile.

Hours

The court decides how much work your child must do—generally at least 20 hours. If your child is under 15, the most they can do is 100 hours, with no more than 4 hours a day. If your child is 15 years or over, they might have to do up to 200 hours, with no more than 8 hours a day.

The court will also set a time frame for your child to complete the work. This can be 12 months or less.

Type of work

Your child may do their community service with a Youth Justice youth worker or be matched with an agency that arranges the work, depending on:

• the nature and seriousness of the offence
• your child’s skills and ability
• your child’s age and cultural background.

Rules

Your child must:

• report to a Youth Justice officer within 1 business day of the order being made
• not break the law
• do the work in a satisfactory way
• follow all reasonable directions of their Youth Justice officer or youth worker
• tell their Youth Justice officer within 2 days if they change address, school or job
• not leave Queensland without permission from a Youth Justice officer.

What your child should bring

If your child is working outside, they need to bring a hat and sunscreen. They should also bring enough food and water to last the whole work day.

The Youth Justice officer or supervisor at the job tells your child if they need any protective clothing or equipment. Either the Queensland Government or the agency in charge of the job will supply protective clothing or equipment if it is required.

What your child should not bring

Your child should not bring:

• alcohol
• drugs
• weapons
• their friends.

Moving house

If you move house, you or your child must tell their Youth Justice officer your new address within 2 days of moving. Your child must get permission from their Youth Justice officer to leave Queensland.

Problems

If your child is sick and can’t attend work, they must provide a medical certificate. They must also tell their Youth Justice officer and supervisor.

If your child is having problems with the community service work, they must tell their Youth Justice officer and supervisor as soon as possible.

Your child must attend work when they’re supposed to. They need a very good reason for not going.