JERSEY’S Children’s Commissioner has warned that the plans to transform a secure facility that houses some of the Island’s most vulnerable children into a “specialist campus” must be “progressed without delay”.
Carmel Corrigan praised Children’s Minister Richard Vibert’s proposal to transform Greenfields into a children’s home with step-down unit, emergency bed, and remand bed.
Under the Minister’s plans, the site would also benefit from a multi-disciplinary team, including staff from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), to provide additional support.
Dr Corrigan, who was appointed as Jersey’s Children’s Commissioner last year, said: “I welcome the proposals for development of the Greenfields site that were outlined by the Children’s Minister last month.
“I am aware that the plan to develop all children’s social care, including the residential estate, of which Greenfields is a part, has been a focus for Children’s Services and the Minister for the past year.
“It is encouraging to know that there is a plan in place for this, and that a business case is being considered. It is imperative that this important work is properly resourced and progressed without delay.”
Dr Corrigan also called for the transformation to “resolve the inherent contradiction and challenge of Greenfields in providing secure accommodation for children in conflict with law and those who are admitted on welfare grounds”.
“I believe the current plans for the Greenfields site, if and when they are in place, will provide more and better options for all children in need of secure care, irrespective of their route to this,” she said.
“The importance of a change in approach to children in need of secure accommodation – that recognises all such children as vulnerable and as in need of care, whether admitted through justice or welfare routes – cannot be underestimated.”
The Children’s Commissioner said that her office will remain in “close contact” with all those involved in the progression of the Greenfields plans to ensure that children, their rights and welfare remain at the “very centre” of what is put in place.
“These are long-term plans that will, hopefully, bring about positive, long-lasting systemic change that will uphold children’s rights and protect their welfare,” she added.
Former Education Minister Inna Gardiner also praised the latest Greenfields proposals – which come more than half-a-decade after independent inspectors said the “prison-like” building should be demolished.
She said: “I welcome the plans to transform Greenfields, and I’m looking forward to seeing a business case and proof of concept.
“I hope there will be some consultation with the stakeholders who will be using it and they will see progress – with a spade in the ground before the next election.”
Advocate Darry Robinson, who specialises in children’s care proceedings, has for many years been arguing for a therapeutic home for some of the Island’s most vulnerable children.
He described the current facility at Greenfields as “like a prison” and “an awful place to put children”.
But the advocate commended the new plans as “a real step in the right direction”.
“I think it’s really positive, and it’s really needed,” he said.
“I think this is making all the right noises, and it seems to be they’re going in the right direction.”
But he said that more information was needed to determine if the new provision would be the therapeutic facility that has long been called for.
“Once we’ve got more information, we’ll be able to talk about whether or not it’s going to have the resources that are required by the number of children who are in Jersey right now and some who are placed off-island,” said Advocate Robinson.
“Wouldn’t it be great if we could bring some of them back and look after them in Jersey, because they’re Jersey children?”
