Youth Justice South Contract Awarded

The main contract for construction of the new 32 bed youth justice residence in Christchurch, Youth Justice South, has been awarded to Fletcher Construction, Christchurch, Director Operational Support Services, Child Youth and Family Ken Rand announced today.

Work will commence on the Rolleston site in April 2004 and construction is expected to be completed by the end of June 2005. The residence will open in August 2005 following an intensive staff training period.

Once completed, the new youth justice residence will replace the current 20 bed youth justice unit at the Kingslea Residential Centre in Christchurch, and will increase the national youth justice capacity by a further 12 beds.

“The additional bed capacity increases the ability of Child, Youth and Family to place young people in appropriate and secure facilities, young people who may otherwise find themselves on remand in police cells.”

“This building project will also benefit the local community by bringing employment opportunities associated with the construction to the Selwyn area,” said Mr Rand.

Youth Justice South will be built to a campus design which houses young people in small, family-type groups. Staff will be able to work responsively with the young people, and tailor the delivery of social, educational, and cultural programmes to achieve better outcomes for young people in care.

This kind of therapeutic approach is in line with international best practice and aims to aid re-integration in to the community.

The new youth justice residence, Youth Justice North, opened in January in Auckland, also operates under this therapeutic model and added a further 15 youth justice beds.

Kingslea is being redeveloped to provide a modern ten bed care and protection residence, caring for young people in need of safety, stability and intensive care services. Construction of the new Kingslea facility is expected to be completed by April 2005.

A new 20 bed care and protection residence is also being redeveloped for completion late next year at the Northern Residential Centre at Weymouth in Auckland.

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