TasCOSS welcomes the Legislative Council’s vote in support of the Member for Nelson, Hon Meg Webb MLC’s, motion to establish an emergency taskforce to remove children from Ashley Youth Detention Centre (AYDC).
TasCOSS CEO, Ms Adrienne Picone, and a number of community service organisations, confirmed capacity and keen interest in establishing a taskforce to work constructively with the Tasmanian Government to ensure the children and young people detained at AYDC are removed from the facility and moved into safe and therapeutic community-based care.
“Our community organisations — who already know and work with Tasmanian families and children — stand ready to work alongside the Tasmanian Government to offer essential support and arrangements for those children currently locked-up at Ashley,” Ms Picone said.
“TasCOSS along with stakeholder groups, including the Commissioner for Children and Young People Tasmania, have long been calling on the Government to establish a taskforce to reduce the number of children at Ashley and have offered to work with the Government to identify and address the needs of all children currently incarcerated at Ashley and plan for their transition to community-based care.
“The Legislative Council’s vote in support of the creation of a taskforce should assure the Government that it has the backing of the community for urgent action to occur.
“TasCOSS and a group of community service organisations recently had a constructive conversation with the Minister about the support we can provide and we look forward to working collaboratively with the Government on progressing this crucial work to implement a therapeutic response, which upholds the safety and wellbeing of young people and provides the necessary resources and supports to aid their rehabilitation.”