An emergency refuge unit which could house up to two children and one carer will be created at Greenfields, if a planning application is approved in a bid to keep up with demand that children’s services are facing.
Plans have been submitted to change a three-bedroom home Oakside House – which is currently used for staff accommodation at the St Saviour site – into a new residential unit.
The application, which has been submitted by Andrew Harvey Architects, was needed due to “the current lack of suitable accommodation” in the Government’s property portfolio “to cater for the demand that the Children, Young People, Education and Skills (CYPES) service is facing”, according to a cover letter supporting the application.
The building was “carefully chosen” due to its location at Greenfields.
“We do not believe that these works are controversial and look forward to a positive outcome,” the cover letter added.
The current staff accommodation was created in 1995 as part of the Les Chenes Residential School.
No external changes will take place as part of proposed works.
Children’s Minister Richard Vibert announced plans earlier this year to transform Greenfields into a children’s home with a step-down unit, emergency bed and remand bed.
The proposals were welcomed by children’s commissioner Carmel Corrigan who said the “specialist campus” must be “progressed without delay”.
Concerns were raised in May by Advocate Darry Robinson, who specialises in child protection cases, that the island did not have enough places for children in care.
Advocate Robinson called for a therapeutic unit to be created in Jersey to avoid children having to be sent to the UK.
But Constable Vibert recently revealed that the pace and extent of the Greenfields redevelopment will depend on if his funding bid is approved as part of the Government Plan at the end of this year.
“We have to wait to see if that’s voted on,” he explained.
“We have to see if the Government is willing to back the plan for children and improve their chances of going on to achieve more positive outcomes if they’ve been into the criminal justice system.
“So it’s very much in the Government hands. If they support it, then we will go forward.”