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Media Release: Launch of the Youth Courts Therapeutic Justice Model
1. On 13 March 2026, the Honourable the Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon officially launched the Youth Courts Therapeutic Justice Model ("YC TJ Model") at the Family Justice Courts (“FJC”) Workplan 2026.
2. The YC TJ Model applies to matters in the Youth Courts (such as family guidance applications, care and protection applications, and cases involving youth offenders). It provides a stronger framework for the courts to engage children and young persons who need guidance, protection and/or rehabilitation, and their families. It involves a judge-led process where the Court, the Panel of Advisers, the child or young person, the parents or guardian of the child or young person, and stakeholders in the youth justice eco-system, come together in a “Whole of Community” approach to find appropriate solutions for the child or young person within the framework of the law.
3. Under the YC TJ Model, the four main objectives are to:
a. Provide a child or young person in need of guidance, protection and/or rehabilitation with opportunities to move towards a positive and meaningful future;
b. Identify and address underlying issues resulting in or affecting the child’s or young person’s behaviour or circumstances, as far as possible, together with the issues presented before the Court;
c. Where appropriate, and without compromising the wellbeing of the child or young person, preserve and strengthen family relationships by equipping the child's or young person's family with skills to better support the child or young person; and
d. Cause the parents or guardian of the child or young person (who remain primarily responsible for the care and welfare of the child or young person) to prioritise the welfare, protection or rehabilitation of the child or young person, and to work with stakeholders on solutions that help the family move towards their best possible future.
4. To achieve these objectives, the YC TJ Model applies the following five Therapeutic Justice ("TJ") approaches to Youth Courts ("YC") proceedings:
a. "One Family, One Team" Approach: A single multi-disciplinary team will, as far as reasonably practicable, be assigned to handle all YC proceedings involving the same family.
b. Collaborative Teams Approach: When a family has YC proceedings and ongoing Family Court proceedings, the YC and Family Court teams will collaborate to facilitate the efficient and effective management of the related matters.
c. School Reintegration Network: When a child or young person has been continuously absent from school, the YC may make a referral to the Ministry of Education to facilitate the reintegration of the child or young person into the school.
d. Visionary Map (“VM”) and Written Promise for Change (“P4C”): The VM is a series of guided questions meant to serve as a tool for reflection. The P4C is a voluntary written statement by the child or young person setting out his or her commitment to behavioural change through concrete and measurable actions.
e. Care Conference: This is a structured dialogue facilitated by a Court Family Specialist (“CFS”). It is held where the CFS and YC Judge believe that additional engagement with the child or young person and his or her parents or guardian, and relevant stakeholders will benefit the child or young person by recognising the crucial role of family support in the rehabilitation journey.
5. The development of the YC TJ Model was undertaken by a team from the FJC working alongside the Ministry of Social and Family Development, the Ministry of Education, the Attorney-General’s Chambers, social service agencies and FJC’s TJ Consultative Committees. Going forwards, the FJC will continue to explore how TJ can be applied to other areas where family dynamics strongly shape behaviour and outcomes.
6. Announcing the launch of the YC TJ Model and these initiatives at the FJC annual workplan event, Presiding Judge of the FJC, Justice Teh Hwee Hwee, said, "The Youth Courts Therapeutic Justice Model strengthens how we engage young persons and their families – ensuring that accountability is understood, support is mobilised, and the young persons are redirected and set on a path to a better future.”
Issued by: Singapore Courts
13 March 2026
Topics:
Court initiatives
2026/03/13
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