Youth Justice Worker
Youth justice workers supervise young people on community orders or in custody and help them find a way out of the justice system.
- Median salary*
- $91,000
4.1%vs last year, before tax
- People employed
- 3,700
0.0%vs last year
- Projected growth*
- +4.5%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- Low
- automation risk
- Average hours*
- 38/wk
−2h vs all jobs
- Shortage status*
- Not in shortage
national
The work happens in youth justice centres, community offices and courts, and it is mostly a state or territory government job, though some community organisations employ youth justice workers too. The role carries statutory responsibility for a young person's order, which is what separates it from youth work in a community program and from adult probation. A worker might spend the morning supervising in a custody unit and the afternoon writing a report the court will rely on.
How much do youth justice workers earn?
The median full-time salary for a youth justice worker is $91,000 per annum, before tax, up $19,100 since 2018.
Pay is set by state and territory public sector agreements, so the figure differs between jurisdictions and shifts with each bargaining round. Shift work in custody usually attracts penalties and overtime, which is often where take-home pay pulls ahead of the base rate. Your classification level and whether you hold a relevant degree both move you up the scale.
What does a youth justice worker do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Supervising young people on community orders and in custody
- Assessing each young person's risks and needs
- Writing and reviewing case plans with the young person and their family
- Liaising with courts, police, schools and health services
- Running or arranging education, employment and drug and alcohol programs
What skills do youth justice workers need?
Employers look for casework and client support, counselling and support work, community engagement, backed by ICMS fluency and strong written communication.
Specialist skills
- Casework and client support
- Counselling and support work
- Community engagement
- Regulatory compliance
- Risk and internal controls
Software and tools
- ICMS
- Microsoft Office
- CRIS
- Outlook
- Excel
General skills
- Written communication
- Problem solving
Is the job growing?
About 3,700 people work as youth justice workers in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 4.5% over the decade to 2035. That's modest growth: demand is steady rather than booming.
How do you become a youth justice worker?
Here's the path most youth justice workers take, step by step.
- 1Study a relevant qualification
A bachelor degree in social work, psychology, criminology or youth work is the usual qualification for the role, and about 38% of youth justice workers hold one.
- 2Or start with a diploma
A diploma of youth work (CHC50425) or community services can get you into residential and support roles first, and some workers move across to youth justice from there with experience behind them.
- 3Apply through a state or territory department
Recruitment is run by the youth justice department in your state or territory, and it includes a working with children check, a police check and, in some places, a medical or psychological assessment.
- 4Complete induction and on-the-job training
Expect structured training in the legal framework, case management systems such as ICMS or CRIS, and report writing, followed by supervised casework before you carry a full load.
Ready to apply as a youth justice worker?
Whether you're working toward becoming a youth justice worker or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can a youth justice worker move to?
Moving into Probation Officer typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $4,900 a year more on average.
| Move to | Typical pay change | Overlap | Retraining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Probation Officer Supervision and case management in youth justice carry into probation work, though a degree and further study are required. | +$4,900 | 55% | requalify |
| Family Violence Practitioner Assessment and safety planning with young people at risk carry into family violence work, but a degree and further study are required. | +$0 | 84% | requalify |
| Drug and Alcohol Counsellor Understanding of trauma, risk and young people's substance use carries into alcohol and drug counselling, with substantial further study. | −$3,100 | 67% | reskill |
Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.
Who works as a youth justice worker?
The typical youth justice worker is 35 years old; 61% are women, 67% work full-time, and full-timers average 38 hours a week.
- 35
- Median age
- 61%
- Female share
- 67%
- Full-time
- −2h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being a youth justice worker?
The job has a steady rhythm of appointments, unit shifts and reporting, punctuated by court dates and incidents that have to be handled calmly and by the book. The pressure comes from the young people themselves, the families around them and the legal deadlines that do not move. It suits someone who can hold a boundary, stay even-tempered when a plan falls apart, and keep working with a young person who has just tested every rule.
What people like
- You see progress in the same young person. Because you stay with a case for months, you notice a young person back at school or holding down a job, which is hard to see in a role with a short contact.
- The work is genuinely multi-agency. A single case can involve a school, a mental health team, a family and a magistrate, and you are the person who keeps those threads together.
- Clear procedures and public sector conditions. The legal framework, case systems and supervision mean you are rarely guessing what to do next, and leave, super and salary progression follow the public sector agreement.
- No two days look the same. A court appearance, a home visit and a session in a custody unit can all land in the same week, which keeps the work varied.
What people find hard
- Some young people come back into the system. You can do everything right on a case and still see the same person return to custody, and that is part of the job rather than a sign you got it wrong.
- The reporting load is heavy. Court reports, case notes and reviews are continuous and have to be accurate, because they inform decisions about a young person's liberty.
- Shift work and custody rosters. Custody and after-hours supervision means evenings, weekends and public holidays, which can be difficult to balance with family life.
- Incidents and aggression are real. Young people in custody are often distressed, and workers are trained in de-escalation and restraint because physical incidents do happen.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ youth justice workers?
Public Administration and Safety employs the largest share of youth justice workers, followed by Health Care and Social Assistance.
Top employing industries
- 1Public Administration and Safety
- 2Health Care and Social Assistance
- 3Education and Training
- 4Other Services
- 5Administrative and Support Services
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Bachelor degree | 38% | |
|---|---|---|
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 24% | |
| Certificate III/IV | 20% | |
| Postgraduate | 10% | |
| Other | 8% |
Will AI replace youth justice workers?
Youth justice work rates as low exposure to AI because most of it happens in person: supervising a young person in a unit, running a session, meeting a family in a community office. Case management systems such as ICMS and CRIS already hold orders, alerts and file history, and AI tools are beginning to help with drafting notes and summarising files, which trims paperwork rather than the need for a worker. Anything affecting a young person's liberty, safety or family arrangements is decided under legislation by people.
Share of typical working time by exposure level
- Supervising young people in custody or on community ordersThis is time in the same room or the same building as the young people on your caseload, covering a shift on a unit or checking in on someone at home.35%low
- Risk and needs assessments and case planningScreening tools give a score to start from, but the plan depends on what you notice talking to the young person, their family and their school.25%low
- Case notes, court reports and file recordsSoftware already pulls order details and history into a report template, and drafting tools can summarise a file, though a court report still has to reflect your own assessment and be signed off.20%moderate
- Liaison with courts, families and other servicesCoordinating a court date, a school placement and a health appointment happens through phone calls and meetings with named people, and those relationships hold a case together.20%low
Common questions about becoming a youth justice worker
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much do youth justice workers earn?
$91,000 per year, before tax, is the median for youth justice workers working full time. Pay follows the state or territory public sector agreement, so shift penalties in custody, your classification level and whether you hold a relevant degree all affect what you take home.
How do you become a youth justice worker?
Most people enter through a bachelor degree in social work, psychology, criminology or youth work, or through a diploma in youth work or community services plus experience in a related support role. Recruitment runs through state and territory departments, and you will need a working with children check and a police check before you start. Custody roles in some states involve additional training in safety and restraint.
Are youth justice workers in demand?
Youth justice workers are currently not in shortage, and employment is projected to grow 4.5% over the decade to 2035. The work is funded by state and territory governments, so openings follow corrections and community services budgets more closely than the wider labour market.
Will AI replace youth justice workers?
Little of this job is exposed to automation because most of it happens in person, supervising a young person in a unit or sitting with a family in a meeting room. Case management systems already hold orders, alerts and history, and drafting tools are starting to help with notes and file summaries, which cuts paperwork time rather than the number of workers. Decisions about a young person's order or custody follow statutory criteria and a written assessment that a person prepares and signs.
What can youth justice workers move into?
The case management and supervision skills carry into probation officer roles, which pay $4,900 more, and into family violence work, where assessment and safety planning with young people at risk is closely related. Both moves usually need a degree and further study. Workers also come into youth justice from residential youth work and family support roles.
What is the difference between a youth justice worker and a youth worker?
Youth justice workers carry statutory responsibility for young people on orders or in custody, which brings court reports, formal risk assessments and legal obligations. Youth workers generally support young people through community programs without that authority over someone's order, although the two roles use many of the same skills.
Related roles
- Probation Officer
- Family Violence Practitioner
- Drug and Alcohol Counsellor
- Residential Youth Worker
- Family Support Worker
- Youth Worker
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