Minister for Children and Youth Affairs publishes the Interim and Final Reports of the Review Implementation Group of Oberstown Children Detention Campus together with the First Report of the Review Implementation Group Action Plan

The Board of Management at Oberstown Children Detention Campus commissioned independent reviews of 3 key areas at the Campus: Security Review, Health and Safety and Behaviour Management. The Board, in consultation with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, also commissioned an additional review of the overall operation of the Campus (Operational Review).

The external reviews identified the improvements necessary to ensure that the Campus meets its obligations to provide safe and secure care to young people and a safe and supportive work environment for staff.

To ensure the implementation of each of the reviews’ recommendations the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs established a Review Implementation Group in March 2017. The Group was chaired by Professor Ursula Kilkelly, Chairperson of the Oberstown Board of Management. It included representatives from Oberstown staff and management, the Board of Management, DCYA, a child development expert and also representatives of the IMPACT Trade Union.

The Work of the Review Implementation Group began in March 2017 and was completed in December 2017 with the report containing the collated recommendations from all of the reviews. The First Report of the Review Implementation Group Action Plan was completed in May 2018.

Minister Zappone said:

“I am delighted to publish the Interim and Final Reports of the Review Implementation Group of Oberstown Children Detention Campus. Since I established the Group, work to implement the recommendations of all the reviews has been underway, which is reflected in the First Report of the Review Implementation Group Action Plan.”

ENDS

Notes to the Editor:

Oberstown Children Detention Campus was established as a single entity on June 1st, 2016. The Campus has undergone major change moving towards a single Campus model designed to provide the best possible care and education to all young people under 18 years referred by the criminal courts. The Campus is now emerging from a challenging period of development.