North Canterbury Site Proposed For Youth Justice Residence

Social Services and Employment Minister Steve Maharey has announced plans to build a new youth justice residence in North Canterbury.

Child, Youth and Family’s proposal to build the Youth Justice Residential Centre – South on rural land near Mandeville follows an earlier decision not to proceed at a site in Templeton.

“We need a new youth justice facility in the South Island as the Kingslea Residential Centre in Burwood is no longer suitable,” said Mr Maharey.

“The new facility proposed near Mandeville will serve an important function in helping to address offending by children and young people and get them back on the right track.

“A similar new facility recently opened in my home town of Palmerston North and has been operating very successfully.”

The proposed facility near Mandeville would provide a secure, purpose built residence for up to 40 children and young people (generally aged 14 to 17) placed in Child, Youth and Family’s care and control. The children and young people would have been arrested, remanded in custody by the courts or sentenced to supervision in a residential setting.

During their time at the residence, children and young people would receive education and programmes designed to address their offending behaviour, as well as individual counselling or rehabilitation services that may be required.

The centre is expected to cost several millions of dollars but exact details are being kept confidential for commercial reasons.

Community consultation on the proposed site officially began today, Mr Maharey said.

“Child, Youth and Family and I are very interested to hear what the public thinks about the proposed site. We see this proposal as a very positive one and we want the North Canterbury community to be closely involved in the development," Steve Maharey said.

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