Though earlier this year, Home Affairs Minister Deputy Gregory Guida indicated that the “ambitious” multi-agency project would be based at the Bagatelle Lane site, officials have this week confirmed to Express that La Motte Street is also in the running.
The final decision is due to be made by the Corporate Asset Management Board – a group of senior civil servants responsible for assessing how best to make use of properties in the Government’s £1bn portfolio – by the end of the year.
The site would bring together a number of victim support services across Jersey into one building, allowing both adults and children who have been the victims of crime to have a single place where they can be supported.
Pictured: The former Heathfields site on Bagatelle Lane is one of sites shortlisted for the new centre.
As well as its wider victim support role, the centre would create a new home for Dewberry House Sexual Assault Referral Centre, which would operate within the building, but with a separate designated space for children, following the Icelandic model of Barnahus.
The two frontrunner sites for the service were identified following a feasibility study conducted by Project Manager Anthony Norman.
Elaborating on the move to relocate SARC’s services in future, Victim Service Manager Laura Osmand explained: “The reason we needed a new centre is because where we’re currently based, Dewberry House, obviously we’re growing and it’s not fit for purpose for our needs – for example there’s no disabled access.
“So… part of that feasibility has identified that we definitely need a new site, and part of that has been around how we’re going to grow services around victims.”
Pictured: Dewberry House and its services would have a specially separate and designated area in the new centre.
She said that Dewberry House’s services would be “enhancing” with the move, saying that it would bring “all the key agencies under one roof – so that the child doesn’t have to go to multiple locations in order to be able to access to help and support.”
She continued; “That kind of multi-agency would obviously be supported through professionals from children’s services, the police, victim services, consultant paediatricians, forensic medical examiners – so it would be a place where children could come, and they feel safe and it’s a welcoming place.”
Other services also included in the plans are Jersey Domestic Abuse Support, Victims Support Jersey, CAMHS, Letting the Future In, NSPCC, Adult Psychology Services.
She added that it would also continue Dewberry House’s practice of recording video evidence for courts, “putting the child’s personal and emotional needs first, so we can reduce any re-traumatisation, and gather best evidence so that if their case goes to court, we’ve provided both the forensic evidence but we’ve provided the therapeutic area for them as well.”
Ms Osmand added that they are estimating a completion date of 2024, and will be working with stakeholders and children themselves through the planning process.
Kate Briden, Group Director for Public Protection and Law Enforcement, said that £3,590,000 of the funds allocated to the service in the Government Plan would go towards building the centre between 2022 and 2024.
She added that while there is not a confirmed date for when the proposals will appear before the Corporate Asset Management Board to approve the site, the current ambition is for a decision to be taken by the end of the year.
Pictured top: The old La Motte Street Youth Centre is one of two sites currently shortlisted as the favourites for the new Victim Support Centre.