The Department of Justice and Community Safety has announced that personal visits to all Victorian youth justice precincts have been suspended to reduce the risk of COVID-19.
The Department said the decision was not made lightly but it was necessary to protect the health and safety of young people and staff in the facilities.
“Visits will resume when health authorities say it is safe to do so,” the Department said.
“It is important that young people continue to have regular visual contact with parents, carers and other approved personal visitors,” it said.
“Instead of face-to-face visits, young people and their visitors may have contact using phone and Skype.”
The Department said professional visits were still permitted but would be limited to essential visits only.
It said Youth Justice had implemented a new procedure for assessing whether professional visits were essential.
“Families and young people will be kept informed about any further changes to visits or Youth Justice’s response to coronavirus,” it said.
The Department said all essential professional and contract visitors to the facilities would be subject to screening questions related to COVID-19.
“If a visitor fails the screening questions they will not be allowed to enter the Youth Justice Precinct and asked to leave,” the Department said.
