The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) has welcomed the progress made to transfer responsibility for the provision of education at Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre from the Department of Justice to the Department of Education.

The NIHRC made a visit to the centre yesterday, focussed on the centre’s education facility.

Speaking after the visit, NIHRC Chief Commission Les Allamby said: “The Commission would like to thank Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre for the opportunity to visit today.

“We welcome the progress being made to transfer responsibility for the provision of education from the Department of Justice to the Department of Education.

“We have seen first-hand the operations of the Centre and met with the children and management team. The Commission was impressed with the ratio of staff to children.”

The NIHRC has continually recommended that the provision of education to children in custody become the responsibility of the Department of Education. It has also called for immediate action to ensure children are only held in pre-trial detention as a last resort.

Mr Allamby said: “The remand of children in Woodlands remains a concern. Northern Ireland needs legislative reform to ensure that children are only held in pre-trial detention as a last measure and to ensure appropriate investment in alternative to custody arrangements.

“Today’s visit will help us to benchmark education in Woodlands and we look forward to visiting again once the new arrangements are bedded in. It will also inform our engagement with the Government and the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.”