New Youth Training Centre
Magill and Cavan training centres
Goals and services
Visiting rules Visiting times
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander support services
Feedback, suggestions and complaints

See Families SA youth training centres for contact details.

New Youth Training Centre

As part of a major overhaul of the Youth Justice System, a new 60-bed secure Youth Training Centre (YTC) is being built on a new site at Goldsborough Road, Cavan and the nearby existing 36-bed centre will be upgraded.

The centre will be funded by the sale of 15ha of vacant State Government land at the Strathmont Centre, Oakden, the future development of the existing Magill site and $5 million from contingency funds set aside in the State Budget.

The funding proposal developed by the State Government and the Department for Families and Communities builds a new Centre to replace the 46 rooms at Magill, upgrades the Cavan Training Centre for future use and has minimal impact on the State Budget.

The new YTC is being built on a 7.7 ha greenfields site at Cavan, with room to add further capacity in future budgets if necessary.

For more information visit the New Youth Training Centre Project page.

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Magill and Cavan training centres

The Magill Training Centre is the Admission and Assessment Centre in South Australia for all children and young people who are placed into criminal custody between 10 to 18 years of age.

The Centre receives all children and young people who have been arrested by the police and refused bail or who have been before a Court and remanded into custody.

The Centre is also a detention facility for:

• Children and young males between 10 to 14 years of age.
• Children and young females between 10 to 18 years of age.

Young men aged 15 to 18 years of age on long term remand or on a detention order are transferred to the Cavan Training Centre. This is currently the secure custody centre in South Australia for young males, between 15 to 18 years of age, who are on detention or being held on remand until their Court matters are finalised.

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Goals and services

Both centres seek to provide an environment where children and young people are provided with opportunity to:

• build upon their education
• learn new vocational skills, and
• address the issues that brought them into contact with the criminal justice system.

There are a range of programs available, including programs to improve their:

• education and vocational outcomes when they are released back into the community.
• social skills (eg confidence to resolve conflict in appropriate ways).
• personal and social relationships.

The centres work in conjunction with families and communities to plan and make decisions regarding the young person. Interpreters and cultural support persons will be available to help members participate in this process.

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Visiting rules

Visiting children and young people while they are in custody is an important way of helping families and communities to keep in contact and maintain important relationships with each other. However, the centres are secure facilities and as a result there are a number of security processes that must be undertaken.

• Visitors must bring photographic identification with them when visiting the centres (eg Passport, Driver’s Licence, Proof of Age Card or other card issued by a State or Commonwealth Agency). Please contact the centres if you do not have, or can not obtain photographic identification before your planned visit.
• Visitors are not permitted to bring any items into the centres without permission from the Centre Manager. Permission to bring any items into the centres can be obtained by completing a request form at least one week before visiting and presenting this request to the Centre Manager.
• Visitors may be searched before entering the centres.
• Visitors are provided with a locker to keep their belongings in whilst they are inside the centres. These lockers are secure. However, the centres cannot take responsibility for the items. Visitors are advised that items such as wallets, mobile phones, cigarettes, lighters and MP3 players are better left at home or in the car.
• Visitors to the centres will be subject to CCTV surveillance and recording for the duration of their visit.
• Visitors may be asked to participate in a contraband detection process undertaken by an electronic wand or a Passive Alert Dog at any time.
• A visit may be cancelled at any time if staff believe that it is warranted for any reason. Visitors suspected of supplying contraband to children or young people detained in the centres will be subject to police investigation. This may result in prosecution, criminal conviction and long term bans from the centres.
• Any person under 18 years of age who wishes to visit the centres must be accompanied by an adult.

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Visiting times

Visitors must book their visit 24 hours before visiting the centre. Bookings can be made at anytime between 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday to Friday.

Please note:

• Visitors will be refused entry on the day if they do not have a booking.
• Visitors cannot be changed with others without approval, 24 hours before hand.

Visitors are encouraged to discuss the visiting process with the Client Services Manager at anytime. The Manager will provide further information about what to expect, especially on the first visit, and will assist visitors to plan the visit in a way which is the most meaningful to the visitors and young person.

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander support services

Both the Cavan and Magill training centres acknowledges the significance culture plays in the positive growth and development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people within their family, cultural community and wider community.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people and their families are provided with a range of cultural support services including access to programs with the Metropolitan Aboriginal Youth and Family Service (MAYFS) and with support from an Aboriginal Case Management Consultant or the Client Services Manager. Where possible the centres seek to recognise and promote the right for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people to their cultural identities and practice.

Centre staff seek to involve the local Aboriginal community members in assuming a role in supporting Aboriginal young people placed on custodial-based orders, and designing appropriate support networks to support those young people whilst they are in custody.

Aboriginal family and community members are encouraged to contact the Aboriginal Case Management Consultant (Cavan) or the Client Services Manager (Magill) to discuss ways that the centres can assist to ensure that, where possible, visits and planning processes are culturally supportive. See Families SA youth training centres for contact details.

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Feedback, suggestions and complaints

All our youth training centres welcome feedback, suggestions and complaints as part of its commitment toward continuous improvement.

Customer feedback cards are available at the centres. If you are unable to visit the centres and would like to submit a Customer Feedback Card, please contact the relevant Families SA youth training centres for assistance.

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