Inspectors praise care standards at Juvenile Justice Centre

An inspection report on the Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre (JJC) has praised the standard of care and the child-centred ethos in place at the Bangor facility.  View report page

CJI’s Brendan McGuigan welcomed the progress made in the three years since the last inspection and effort made to address the needs of children within the centre’s care which included changes in education and healthcare provision.
 
“While fewer children are being detailed in custody, we remain concerned by the volume of  short term admissions to the centre and have also urged JJC management to work with partners including the police, prosecution and court services to understand why there has been a 21% increase in the number of children from a Catholic background being sent to the facility,” said the Chief Inspector.
 
Mr McGuigan also voiced his support for closer alignment between the JJC and the neighbouring Lakewood Secure Care Centre, which he indicated could lead to further improvements in the care provide for children in a secure setting and create an opportunity to share costs.