Victoria’s attempt to reduce violent youth offending is moving into classrooms, with the state to place social workers in 20 government schools as part of a broader early-intervention plan.
Premier Jacinta Allan and Education Minister Ben Carroll visited Sunshine College West Campus to outline the $5.6 million program, which will see Early Intervention Officers embedded directly in schools rather than working from external agencies. The aim is to reach children who are beginning to disengage from learning, relationships and routine, and who may be veering towards behaviour that could later draw them into crime.
The announcement follows data from the Council on Bail, Rehabilitation and Accountability, known as COBRA, which tracks a small group of young people aged 12 to 17 accused of repeated violent offences. The findings point to a clear pattern: chronic absence from school was common among those later implicated in serious incidents. According to COBRA, seven in ten of these young people missed school frequently, often for long stretches. More than half had been suspended, and three had been expelled from government schools.
The report also highlights that gaps in attendance tended to be followed by deteriorating mental health and troubling behaviour in the schoolyard, often well before anything reached the justice system.
The Government argues the new officers will help schools catch issues earlier. While teachers, support staff and principals already work closely with students at risk, the officers will provide dedicated case management and closer monitoring. Their role will include supporting families, keeping track of attendance, helping rebuild connections between students and peers, and bringing together community services when extra help is needed.
Officials stress that these officers are not police. They are trained social workers focused on prevention, not enforcement, and will work alongside wellbeing teams in each school. They will not be responsible for the highest-risk youth offenders, who remain within the justice system, but will focus on children who show early signs of drifting towards serious behaviour.
Site selection will be based on data and community consultation, with the first officers expected to begin in 2026.
Victoria’s approach draws loose inspiration from the Violence Reduction Unit established in Glasgow nearly two decades ago. That model combined policing with community-led programs and was credited in UK reporting with a sharp decline in violent crime, particularly among young people. While contexts differ, the Victorian Government points to such outcomes as examples of why early intervention and community presence matter.
Premier Allan said the state must respond on two fronts: ensuring consequences for violent offending, while doing more to prevent young people reaching that point. She described the new school-based officers as part of that preventative effort, aimed at identifying children most at risk and working with entire school communities.
Education Minister Ben Carroll echoed this, saying that positive peer relationships and steady engagement in learning had consistently acted as protective factors. He noted that schools already carry a heavy load and that dedicated officers would allow more focused support for students showing early warning signs.
Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny said COBRA’s findings reinforced the need for earlier attention, particularly for children facing instability at home. She said the data made clear that absence from school tended to precede more troubling behaviour, highlighting the need for coordinated support rather than a single-agency response.
While advocates for intervention welcome the investment, some education experts say it will be important to ensure the officers are well integrated with existing school teams and supported with timely access to external services. Others note that attendance issues often stem from broader pressures, including family instability, housing stress and mental health challenges, and argue that schools cannot shoulder the full responsibility.
The Government maintains that this is one part of a wider strategy aimed at tightening boundaries for young people while offering more structured guidance. It follows the recently announced lived-experience mentoring program, which pairs at-risk children with adults who have moved past their own experiences with youth crime.
Further details on the remaining VRU initiatives are expected over the coming months, with the Government signalling more community-based programs to follow.
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