These measures address recent disruptions and staff shortages at Banksia Hill and will assist in managing detainees in accordance with contemporary best practice and standards.
Approximately 40 Youth Custodial Officer recruits have commenced at Banksia Hill over the past two months, helping address staff shortages which have affected operations.
Recruits underwent an intensive training program which included sessions dealing with how to work with traumatised young people and those with cognitive impairments.
Further recruitment is underway with additional recruit training courses planned for May, July and September.
Since February, Corrective Services has reduced unscheduled lockdowns, enabling regular routines to resume and increased out-of-cell hours for young people across the Centre, including in the Intensive Support Unit (ISU).
The Department commenced refurbishment of the ISU late last year with tenders currently in the market to upgrade infrastructure across the facility.
The WA Government has committed $25.2 million to create a more therapeutic response at Banksia Hill for young people at risk. This includes building a $7.5 million Crisis Care Unit and structural improvements to the ISU, where care is provided by a multidisciplinary team.
The Department is developing a new operating philosophy and service model that will better enable the delivery of services to young people using trauma-informed principles in line with child safe practices.
This includes new or refined assessment and intervention frameworks, a redeveloped therapeutic culture that supports positive behaviour management, individualised case planning and promote cultural responsivity through culturally led and designed service provisions.
The Department supports both recommendations made by the Inspector of Custodial Services in his report into the Banksia Hill ISU which was tabled in Parliament today, noting that the recommendations align with current and proposed practice changes and service reform projects.
Director General Dr Adam Tomison said Banksia Hill is more calm and orderly following recent months during which a difficult cohort of young people presenting with challenging behaviours disrupted operations.
“A small number of individuals were regularly damaging the facility, frequently assaulting staff and attempting serious self-harm,” Dr Tomison said.
“Meeting the complex needs of those young people, combined with staff shortages led to an increase in lockdowns, reduced access to some services and made it difficult to provide meaningful out-of-cell time across the centre, especially in the ISU.
“The improvements and reforms are helping return the centre to normal and safer operations, allowing the ISU in particular to sustainably address the needs of at-risk young people.”
Further information about Banksia Hill Detention Centre is available on the Banksia Hill getting back on track news story.
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