JCP Youth boss denies child safety hotel room allegations raised in parliamentary committee
The founder of a program aimed at preventing at-risk boys from getting caught up in crime through “high impact experiences” has denied claims its workers spent nights alone with kids in hotels.
The director of a taxpayer-funded program aimed at preventing at-risk boys from getting caught up in crime has denied allegations its workers had spent nights alone with children in hotels.
In a parliamentary committee hearing this week, independent MLC Meg Webb raised potential child safety breaches within JCP Youth, saying she had been informed its workers from the “Beast” program had “regularly” stayed overnight in hotels with a young person alone.
She also said it had been brought to her attention that JCP workers were accompanying children alone on interstate trips.
After querying whether any “reportable conduct reports” had been made over JCP workers staying in a hotel or going interstate with a child, the session went into camera – clearing the room and stopping its online broadcast – while the discussion was thrashed out secretly.
But JCP Youth founder and director Will Smith had denied any of the alleged scenarios had occurred.
“No. JCP workers have never stayed in a hotel room alone with a young person. We have internal staffing policies for any overnight component of our programs,” he told the Mercury.
Mr Smith said JCP had facilitated interstate programs in the past, but never placed a staff member and a young person in a one-on-one overnight situation.
JCP Youth describes the Beast program as its “flagship mentorship and outreach” initiative for boys aged 11 to 17 at risk of entering or escalating within the Tasmanian youth justice system.
The program offers 24/7 support and “high-impact experiences” to teach leadership and life skills, with activities and overnight camps delivered over a 12-month period.
The state government will invest a total of $3.7 million to fund places for 54 boys, out of 90 boys, to go through the Beast program over three years.
At Monday’s committee hearing into the child sexual abuse commission of inquiry’s recommendations, Minister for Children and Youth, Jo Palmer, said she would take Ms Webb’s question on notice, while the department’s deputy secretary Peter Whitcombe said the allegations had not been brought to his attention.
“JCP is committed to providing that really safe and nurturing environment for children, in all aspects of the program they deliver, and as a department and as a Minster, we expect there to be absolute accountability around that,” Mrs Palmer said.
A spokesperson told the Mercury the government was still looking into the matter and yet to provide a response to Ms Webb.
The Minister said JCP was required to comply with child safe legislation.
Ms Webb also raised concerns in the hearing that other organisations were not “given a chance” to compete in a tender process to provide the youth outreach services awarded to JCP Youth.
On Wednesday in the legislative council, Ms Webb also raised concerns following reports that JCP workers had worn face-covering balaclavas in the organisation’s “blackout” program.
Tania Rattray, leader for the government in the legislative council, confirmed on Mrs Palmer’s behalf that the government had met with JCP over the concerns last month, and that no future “blackout” challenges were currently scheduled.
She said that meetings were held months to discuss operational matters and risks among department-referred participants.
Mr Smith told the Mercury that to date, JCP had never received a complaint about a staff member being left with a child overnight, that there had never been an investigation regarding those questions, “nor has any reportable conduct matter been substantiated against a JCP worker”.
More Coverage
Originally published as JCP Youth boss denies child safety hotel room allegations raised in parliamentary committee
