Youth crime workers Natalie Joyce, Tara Mason and Fallon Roberts, from Centacare in Tamworth, say there needs to be another avenue for children who don't fit into the school system.
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"Not every child is built for Monday to Friday school," Ms Joyce said.
"Not every child can sit in front of a teacher for that many hours a day."
Ms Roberts, executive manager of family and well-being injustice services, said there needed to be alternatives, such as youth agriculture programs, to steer children away from a life of crime.
"They just love it (agriculture programs) because they're outside, they're learning new skills and relational skills," Ms Roberts said of the program Centacare has run in the past.
"They're not in a school environment but they gain career employment skills they can take on. That's where the investment needs to be."
Ms Roberts said "a range of children" came through Centacare, and that "sadly, a lot of them have domestic violence at home. So it's safer to be out of the house than it is to be in the house".
Ms Joyce is a case worker with the Keep on Track (KOT) program run by Centacare on Marius Street, for 10- to 17-year-olds who don't qualify for the more intensive Youth on Track (YOT) program led by Tara Mason.
"I get in there and work with the ones who are on the outer circle of the kids who are already in trouble," Ms Joyce said.
Ms Joyce receives many referrals from schools for children and teenagers who have been suspended, or parents and concerned family members often contact Centacare directly.
"I go with the kids to a park or we go shoot hoops, we go fishing, we do whatever they want to do, to give them someone to talk to about what's going on in their world," Ms Joyce said.
She was then able to refer them on to other services, such as Headspace, if necessary and/or she continues to see them regularly on a weekly or fortnightly basis, working with teachers and parents.
Ms Joyce's colleague, Ms Mason, is the team leader of the more intensive YOT program, established in Tamworth in 2016, designed to redirect children and teenagers who are already committing crimes.
"Our main focus is to keep young people out of custody," Ms Mason said.
Ms Mason said her YOT team stepped in after the children and teenagers had already had contact with police, to work out their "high risk areas" and find out why they were offending.
"It could be drug use, alcohol, mental health issues, or there could be other things happening at home... every young person is different," Ms Mason said.
"And then it is just about making sure the support is provided around them. So there's a lot of liaising with stakeholders, and communication towards family and the young person as well."
Ms Mason said children attended the YOT program on a twice-weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis, depending on their level of risk for offending.
Kids Help Line 1800 55 1800
Lifeline 13 11 14
Domestic Violence Hotline - 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
Aboriginal Counselling Services 0410 539 905
Elder Abuse Hotline 1300 651 192
Mens Referral Service 1300 766 491
Mens Line 1300 789 978
