Question & Answer – JCP Youth BEAST Program

December 3, 2025

Ms WEBB question to MINISTER for CHILDREN and YOUTH, Ms PALMER

Thursday, 13 November 2025

I asked the minister in relation to a news article published in The Examiner newspaper on 22 October 2025 regarding the operations of JCP Youth, which included the following statements regarding the organisations collation of a database. I quote:

We patrol through the CBD; we have hotspot patrols around the northern suburbs, we identify what young people are out on the street.

And quote again:

Information on young people is then logged into a software program to enable JCP Youth’s staff to monitor where, when and with whom they saw a young person.

Can the government:

(4) Confirm whether these patrols are operating under the BEAST program and if so, is this activity included as part of the funding agreement provision?

(5) Clarify the legal basis for JCP Youth to be broadly recording young people ‘out on the street’ if it is not being done under a government funded program.

(6) Detail how many participants of the BEAST program that come under the 54 full time placements are recorded on the database.

(7) Clarify whether JCP Youth has provided any information to the government in regards to this database and if so, whether any of that information collection, retention and sharing with government adheres to Schedule 1, Personal information Protection and Principles of the Personal Information Protection Act 2004.

(8) Provide full details of the software program used and the type of information being recorded by JCP Youth about young people as part of this surveillance activity, including –

(e) any stated purpose for that information collation,

(f) the duration for which the information is kept;

(g) any data management access restrictions and protections applied to the database and its contents;

(h) who has access to this software program and the information it contains on young people, including their personal details and their location; and

(i) how access to data and information contained on this program is managed, recorded and audited.

ANSWER

Mr President, I have the following answer:

(1) I’ve been advised the activities outlined in the newspaper article are part of a broader youth engagement and response model delivered under the JCP Youth BEAST program. The programs are designed to provide proactive, community-based support to young people, particularly in areas where there may be emerging risks or concerns. I’m advised the Department for Education, Children and Young People referred BEAST participants may participate in JCP Youth programs on an opt-in basis and the activities are within scope of the current funding agreement for DECYP funded participants. DECYP referred BEAST participants must have parent or guardian consent in addition to individual participant consent to participate.

(2) Broadly recording young people’s movements is not a requirement of the agreement between JCP Youth and DECYP. Under its funding agreement with DECYP, JCP Youth is required to adhere to relevant legislation, including the Personal Information Protection Act. The department has contacted JCP Youth for further information and I have requested the department provide me with an update as soon as the information is available.

(3) Under JCP Youth’s funding agreement, DECYP-referred participants are required to be recorded in JCP Youth’s case management system –

Ms Webb – It’s not the question; you know that. The database referred to the surveillance database. The question is about are they recorded on that database?

Ms PALMER – Yes, it’s a requirement of the agreement that they are recorded. DECYP-referred participants are required to be recorded on JCP Youth’s case management system.

Ms Webb – That’s the software program they’re talking about logging into when they surveil children on the streets?

Ms PALMER – I will take that on notice. That’s my assumption, but I will take that on notice.

Ms Webb – I’m not asking about their client database, I’m asking about the surveillance database.

Mr PRESIDENT – The minister will take it on notice.

Ms PALMER –

(3) Under its funding agreement with DECYP, JCP Youth is required to adhere to relevant legislation, including the Personal Information Protection Act.

(4) Under JCP Youth’s funding agreement with DECYP, every encounter with DECYP-referred participants is required to be logged in the JCP Youth Case Management System which stores information for seven years and includes a reporting function. The department has contacted JCP Youth for further information and I have requested the department provide me with an update as soon as the information is available.