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lllllllk Youth justice custodial practice manual Secure Services (http://intranet.dhs.vic. gov.au/youth-justice- custodial-manual) DHS.3004.030.0578 If you pr int and store this document, you may be looking at an outdated version and this may impact on your duty of care. Always check the latest version in the Youth justice custodial practice manual on the OHS intranet before taking action under this procedure. Please make sure the printed procedures are kept securely. Youth Justice custodial Services Practice fvlanual (http://intranet.dhs.vic.gov .au/youth- justice-custodial-manual) >Sentence management (http://intranet.dhs.vic . gov .a u/youth-justi ce-custodial-manual /sentence-management) >Young people's legal entitlements ( http://intranet.dhs .vie. gov . au/youth-justi ce-custodial-manual/ sentence-management/young-peoples-legal-entitlements) > Personal vis its ( http://intranet.dhs.vie. gov .a u/youth-justi ce-custodial-manual /sentence-management/young-peoples-legal-entitlements/personal-visits) Personal visits Visits from the key people in young people's lives are an important part of supporting them in custody and easing their transiti on back to the community. Staff should follow the processes below to ensure visits are planned and conducted safely. When to use this procedure When organising and supervisi ng young people's personal visits. What else you need to know Make sure you have read and understood the following procedures: Client searches (http :/Iintra net.d hs. vie.gov.au/youth-justice-custodial-manual/emergency- safety-and-security-proced ures/client-related-safety-processes/client-searches) Contact with victims (http://intranet.dhs.vic.gov.au/youth-justice-custodial-manual/emergency- safety-and-security-procedures/client-related-safety-processes/contact-with-victims) • Prohibited items (http://intranet.dhs.vic. gov .au/youth-justice-custodial-manual/emergency- safety-a nd-security-p raced ures/operati ona1-safety-processes/prohi b ited-ite ms) Visit safety: refusal of visitor and termination of visit (http://intranet.dhs.vic. gov.au/youth- justice-custodial-manual/emergency-safety-and-security-procedures/client-related-safety- processes/visit-safety-refusal-of-visitor.-termination-of-visit) Young people's clothing personal property and money (http://intranet.dhs.vic. gov.au/youth- justi ce-custod ial-ma nua I/sentence-management/admission-to-custody/young-peoples- clothi ng. -personal-property-and-money)

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Page 1: DHS.3004.030.0578 lllllllk · DHS.3004.030.0583 • If it is appropriate to do so, provide authorisation for these items to be brought in. Unit staff After visits • Report any signs

lllllllk :·~ ~ Youth justice custodial practice manual Secure Services

(http://intranet.dhs.vic.gov.au/youth-justice­

custodial-manual)

DHS.3004.030.0578

If you print and store this document, you may be looking at an outdated version and this may impact on your duty of care. Always check the latest version in the Youth justice custodial practice manual on the OHS intranet before taking action under this procedure. Please make sure the printed procedures are kept securely.

Youth Justice custodial Services Practice fvlanual (http://intranet.dhs.vic.gov.au/youth-justice-custodial-manual) >Sentence management (http://intranet.dhs.vic.gov .au/youth-justice-custodial-manual/sentence-management) >Young people's legal entitlements

( http://intranet.dhs.vie.gov .au/youth-justice-custodial-manual/sentence-management/young-peoples-legal-entitlements) > Personal vis its ( http://intranet.dhs.vie.gov .au/youth-justice-custodial-manual/sentence-management/young-peoples-legal-entitlements/personal-visits)

Personal visits

Visits from the key people in young people's lives are an important part of supporting them in custody and easing their transition back to the community.

• Staff should follow the processes below to ensure visits are planned and conducted safely.

When to use this procedure

When organising and supervising young people's personal visits.

What else you need to know

Make sure you have read and understood the following procedures:

• Client searches (http :/Ii ntra net.d hs. vie.gov.au/youth-justice-custodial-manual/emergency­safety-and-security-proced ures/client-related-safety-processes/client-searches)

• Contact with victims (http://intranet.dhs.vic.gov.au/youth-justice-custodial-manual/emergency­safety-and-security-procedures/client-related-safety-processes/contact-with-victims)

• Prohibited items (http://intranet.dhs.vic.gov.au/youth-justice-custod ial-manual/emergency­safety-a nd-security-p raced ures/operati ona 1-safety-processes/prohi b ited-ite ms)

• Visit safety: refusal of visitor and termination of visit (http://intranet.dhs.vic.gov.au/youth­justice-custodial-manual/emergency-safety-and-security-procedures/client-related-safety­processes/visit-safety-refusal-of-visitor.-termination-of-visit)

• Young people's clothing personal property and money (http://intranet.dhs.vic.gov.au/youth­justi ce-custod ial-ma nua I/sentence-management/admission-to-custody/young-peoples­clothi ng. -personal-property-and-money)

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Staff responsibilities

Find your role in the list below to see what your responsibilities are:

• PY JP unit staff • PYJP Unit Supervisor • Malmsbury administration staff • YJW1 - Key Worker • Unit Coordinator • Designated unit staff- Malmsbury • Unit Manager • Unit staff • Unit Manager or On Call Manager after hours • Operations Manager • General Manager

PYJP unit staff

When an approved visitor requests a visit

• Check on CRIS or with the Key Worker that the visitor is an approved visitor on the young person's list.

• Enter the day and time of the visit into the CRIS visits section and unit Day Book by 5.00 pm the day prior to the visit.

When a non-approved visitor requests a visit

• Tell the visitor they are not allowed to visit as they are not on the approved visitors list and that they can write to the General Manager to appeal the decision.

• Give the visitor and the young person as much notice as possible. If the young person wants to have them added to the approved visitors list, revise the list with them, using the flowchart 'How does the Key Worker complete a visitor list for a young person?'

PYJP Unit Supervisor

Once daily bookings are taken

• Fill out the PYJP Client Visitor Notification form and email the next day's visits list (marked 'confidential') to Reception on [email protected]. Include advice on which visitors will require escort (new visitors and those with a history of introducing prohibited items of disruptive behaviour) and professional visitors who will need to wear a duress

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pendant.

Malmsbury administration staff

When family members and friends phone to book a visit (calls are accepted between 9.00 am Monday and 4.30 pm Wednesday)

• Check that all proposed visitors are on the approved visitor's list. • For approved visitors, fill out a visitor's pass, to be kept at Reception and given to visitors

when they arrive. • Monitor the number of visits booked for each day. If numbers become too high for either the

Saturday or the Sunday, you may need to suggest to callers that they change their visit to the alternative day.

When a non-approved visitor requests a visit

• Advise the visitor that they are not allowed to visit as they are not on the approved visitors list and that they can write to the General Manager to appeal the decision.

Each Thursday

• Complete an Excel spreadsheet with details of all planned weekend visits and email to all relevant unit staff.

YJW1 - Key Worker

When working with a young person to develop their approved visitor list

• See the flowchart 'How does the Key Worker complete a visitor list for a young person?' • Confirm the identity of each person on the visitors list and their relationship to the young

person and enter these contacts on CRIS. • If a potential visitor is rejected from the list, advise them of this and let them know why. Enter

this person as an unauthorised contact on CRIS with an explanation and document this as a case note.

• Submit the list including the names of people rejected and reasons to the Unit Coordinator for final approval.

When working with a young person under 18 to develop their visitor list

• Consult the young person's parent or guardian when developing the visitor contact list. • If the parent or guardian raises concerns about someone on the list, note this on the list to

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help the Unit Coordinator decide whether to approve the contact.

When working with a young person who is a Child Protection client to develop their visitor list

• Call the young person's Child Protection case manager, explain the purpose and contents of the list and seek their opinion on each proposed person. Record this opinion in writing on the list submitted to the Unit Coordinator for approval.

After the Unit Coordinator approves the young person's visitor list

• Place a hard copy on the young person's file and an electronic copy on CRIS. • Place a photocopy in the relevant locations specified in finalisation of visitor list section.

After visits

• Observe the young person's behaviour and document this in a case note (for example, who visited, how it went, any concerns).

Unit Coordinator

When deciding whether to approve a contact on the visitor list if a young person is a Child Protection client

• Seek advice from the young person's Child Protection case manager. While the view of the Child Protection worker should be taken into account, youth justice has the discretion not to allow any contact that would jeopardise the safety of the precinct or the young person.

When a young person wants to list a co-offender or current youth justice client as a contact on their visitor list

• If this is appropriate, provide written permission and enter this approval and reasons for approval as a case note in CRIS. If you are unsure whether this is appropriate, talk to the Unit Manager.

When a potential visitor is deemed inappropriate

• Tell them that they have not been approved to visit and, if appropriate, the reason why. Document this in CRIS as a case note.

When a young person wants to change named contacts on their visitor list

• Make sure all relevant information and permissions have been obtained. • Update, initial and date the new contact list and return it to the key worker to update records

as necessary.

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When deciding how visits should be supervised

• Assess the risk level using risk assessment procedures and determine the appropriate staffing level to ensure robust supervision of the visit.

A visitor makes a request to visit outside of regular visiting hours - this includes young men admitted to Malmsbury after the weekly visits list has been finalised

• Consider the request, weighing up the significance of the visit to both parties, the reason the visitor can't attend during regular visiting hours and the impact on the young person's daily schedule. If you decide there are exceptional circumstances and the visit is appropriate, make arrangements according to the instructions provided in this procedure .

Designated unit staff - Malmsbury

During weekend visits

• Go to Reception to receive and escort visitors. • Escort all visitors to and from designated visit areas.

Unit Manager

When a young person wants to list a victim of crime who is also their family member or significant person on their visitor list

• Contact must not occur if there is legal reason to prevent it, for example a court order. • If there is no legal reason, use the criteria and process in the contact with victims procedure.

When reintroducing banned visitors

• Develop a plan to gradually reintroduce the visitor, using the guidelines contained in the section on reintroducing banned visitors.

Malmsbury Unit Manager

When a personal visitor asks to bring in clothing or shoes for a young person going to court or on leave

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• If it is appropriate to do so, provide authorisation for these items to be brought in.

Unit staff

After visits

• Report any signs of disturbance or distress to the Unit Manager or after hours the Duty Manager.

• If there is suspicion of prohibited items, follow Search and Observation procedures.

When it is necessary to terminate a visit for inappropriate behaviour such as introduction of prohibited items

• First try to negotiate with the young person and visitor to modify their behaviour. If this is unsuccessful, terminate the visit using guidelines contained in Visit safety

• Give reasons for the termination of to the visitor and young person. • Record the time of termination and reasons for termination in CRIS in the young person's

visitor's tab. • Document the termination in the young person's case notes in CRIS. • Complete a client incident report or significant event case note if necessary.

Unit Manager or On Call Manager after hours

If there is suspicion that a prohibited item has been introduced

• Approve a strip search of the young person. • Ensure the young person is placed on constant observations until they have been searched. • Determine whether observation needs to continue once the young person has been

searched - this should occur if the young person is distressed or agitated , or ifthere is any indication that they have used a substance brought in by a visitor.

Operations Manager

If a prohibited item is discovered during the search process

• Using the procedure on prohibited items, decide on a process for managing the item. This could include handover to police, return to visitor, or disposal.

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General Manager

When a banned visitor makes a request to recommence visiting

• Consider the request using a risk assessment approach. If the visitor is to be reintroduced, ensure the Unit Manager develops a plan for this to occur, using the guidelines contained in the section on reintroducing banned visitors.

The procedure in detail

• Background • Approved visitors list • Booking visits • Parkville-specific procedures • Malmsbury-specific procedures • What visitors can bring in • Searches of visitors • Supervision of personal visits • After visits • Refusal or termination of visit • Reintroduction of banned visitors • Visitor's clothing • Screening of female visitors wearing face coverings

Background

Visits from the key people in young people's lives are an important part of supporting them in custody and easing their transition back to the community.

Having regular visits allows young people to maintain their connections with family and other significant people, and maximises the support they have available to them, both while in custody, and following release .

Approved visitors list

In the days after admission, each young person and their Key Worker should develop a visitors list - refer to flowchart 'How does the Key Worker complete a visitor list for a young person?'

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The visitors list will normally be similar to those on the young person's approved phone contact and mail list, so it makes sense to develop all three lists at the same time.

The Key Worker must confirm the identity of each person on the visitors list and their relationship to the young person. When speaking with potential visitors nominated by the young person, staff must:

• inform the visitor that photographic identification will be required when visiting • explain that visitors under 18 years of age must be supervised by an approved adult visitor.

The Key Worker enters these into the young person's visitors section in CRIS. Please note that visitors cannot be entered onto the CRIS system unless they have already been added as a relationship.

The Key Worker can check the visitor's name in CRIS for alerts or information, but must not breach their confidentiality to check for things like previous criminal record.

If a visitor is determined to be inappropriate, you must still enter them into the young person's visitors section in CRIS as an unauthorised contact, and include an explanation of the reason.

The Unit Coordinator must notify a potential visitor that they have been deemed inappropriate. This should also be documented in CRIS as a case note.

The Key Worker must provide the visitors list to the Unit Coordinator for final approval. This should include the names of people who have been rejected from as visitors and the reasons for this.

If the young person is under 18

The Key Worker must talk to the young person's parent or guardian when developing the visitor list.

If the parent or guardian believes that someone is not an appropriate visitor, staff must note this in writing on the list to help the Unit Coordinator decide whether to approve the contact.

If the young person is a Child Protection client

The Key Worker must call the young person's Child Protection case manager, explain the purpose of the visitor list and seek their opinion on each proposed person.

The Key Worker must record this opinion in writing on the list submitted to the Unit Coordinator for approval.

While the view of the Child Protection worker should be taken into account, youth justice has the discretion not to allow any contact that would jeopardise the safety of the precinct or the young person.

Visits from co-offenders and current youth justice clients

Co-offenders of the young person and current clients of youth justice are not allowed as visitors unless the Unit Coordinator has given written permission for this to occur.

This may be considered if, for example, the co-offender is a sibling or partner of the young person.

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If the Unit Coordinator is unsure whether this is appropriate, they should consult with the Unit Manager for a determination.

This permission and the reasons for approval must be recorded as a case note on the young person's file and in CRIS.

Visits from victims of the young person's crimes

Young people are not permitted to have visits with victims of crimes they have been convicted of unless the victim of crime is also a family member or other significant person connected to that young person.

In circumstances where there are no legal reasons to prevent contact (for example, a court order), and where that person wishes to have continued contact, the Unit Manager is responsible for deciding whether the young person can have contact with this person.

The criteria and process set out in the section on contact with victims should be used to guide this decision.

Finalisation of the visitor list

After the Unit Coordinator approves and signs off the list, the Key Worker must place a hard copy in the client's file and an electronic copy on CRIS.

A photocopy must also be placed at Reception in each precinct.

Changes and additions to visitors on the approved list

Alterations to the young person's approved visitor list can only be made once the Unit Coordinator ensures all relevant information and permissions have been obtained .

Once the Unit Coordinator is satisfied that all relevant information and permissions have been obtained, the Unit Coordinator must update, initial and date the new visitor list.

The key worker should update other records on the young person's file, in CRIS and in the specified locations above.

Booking visits

Staff should use the Client Personal Visits Checklist provided at the end of the instruction to assist in planning for client visits.

Visits for young people on remand

All visits must be booked by 5.00 pm the day before the visit is scheduled.

When you take a booking you must do the following:

• Check that the visitor is an approved visitor on CRIS and is on the young person's approved visitors list. If the person is not approved to visit, you must inform both the visitor and the young person that the visit will not proceed, giving them as much notice as possible. You

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must tell the visitor that they can appeal the decision in writing to the General Manager. They will not be permitted to visit until the General Manager approves the visit.

• Ask the visitor if they intend to bring any items in for the young person. These must only be items from the approved list. Tell the visitor that all items will be searched before being given to young people.

• Enter the day and time of the visit into the CRIS visits section and unit Day Book by 5.00 pm the previous day.

• Notify the G4S Reception using the instructions contained in PYJP specific procedures, below.

Visits for sentenced young people - Parkville

All visits for Saturday and Sunday must be booked in by 5.00 pm by the Thursday before the visit is scheduled for Parkville.

All visits on public holidays must be booked in by 5.00 pm the day before the public holiday.

When you take a booking you must do the following:

• Check that the visitor is an approved visitor on CRIS and is on the young person's approved visitors list. If the person is not approved to visit, staff must inform both the visitor and the young person that the visit will not proceed, giving them as much notice as possible.

• Young people can request changes and additions to the list using the process outlined above. The caller should also be advised that they can appeal the decision in writing to the General Manager.

• Ask the visitor if they intend to bring any items in for the young person. These must only be items from the approved list. Tell the visitor that all items will be searched before being given to young people.

• Enter the day and time of the visit into the CRIS visits section and unit Day Book by 9.00 pm the previous day.

• Notify Reception using the instructions contained in PY JP-specific procedures and Malmsbury-specific procedures, below.

Visits for young people at Malmsbury

Malmsbury administration staff are responsible for booking weekend visits using the following process.

• Phone calls are taken from family members and friends who want to book a visit between 9.00 am Monday and 4 .30 pm Wednesday.

• Administration staff check that all proposed visitors are on the approved visitors list. • Once visitors are approved, administration staff fill out a visitors pass. This is kept at

Reception and given to visitors when they arrive. • Administration staff taking calls will monitor the number of visits booked for each day. If

numbers become too high for either the Saturday or the Sunday, they may need to suggest to callers that they change their visit to the alternative day.

• If a visitor is not on the approved list, administration staff must advise them that they are not allowed to visit unless they are placed on the list. Young people can request changes and additions to the list using the process outlined above. The caller should also be advised that they can write to the General Manager to appeal a decision.

• On Thursdays, administration staff complete an Excel spreadsheet with details of all planned weekend visits. This is emailed to relevant unit staff.

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Parkville-specific procedures

Visit times

Young people on remand can have personal visits during the week at the following times:

• between 1.00 and 2.00 pm (during lunchtime) • between 3.30 and 5.00 pm (for young people aged under 15 years of age or who attend

school) or • between 3.00 and 5.00 pm (for young people aged over 15 years of age or who attend

TAFE).

Young people on remand also have personal visits between 1.30 to 4 .00 pm on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.

The Unit Coordinator must approve any visits outside these hours - on exceptional circumstances only.

For sentenced young people, visiting hours are between 1.30 to 4.00 pm on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.

The Unit Coordinator must approve any visits outside these hours - on exceptional circumstances only.

Visitor numbers

Young people can have up to three visitors booked at anyone time, unless approved by the Unit Coordinator.

There should not be any more than four young people having visits at any one time to make sure visits are manageable.

Visitor registration

Instructions for registration of visitors are contained in the 'Reception building - visitor processing' procedure.

The Unit Supervisor uses the PYJP Client Visitor Notification form, to email the next day's visits list (marked confidential) to Reception (see email link below in Additional information), including advice on which visitors will require escort (new visitors and those with past history of introducing prohibited items or of disruptive behaviour) and professional visitors who will need to wear a duress pendant.

Visit locations

Parkville Youth Justice Precinct- Yannabil Centre.

Malmsbury-specific procedures

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Visit times

Personal visits are held at Malmsbury on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays between the hours of 1.30 to 4.00 pm.

Visitor numbers

Young people can have up to five visitors at any one time. Unless there are extenuating circumstances (for example family visiting from a long distance), young people can only have visits on Saturday or Sunday, not both days.

Bushfire safety

At Malmsbury, no one can visit on 'catastrophic' fire-alert days. On days of 'extreme' fire danger, the General Manager will decide whether visitors are allowed.

Visitor registration

At the Malmsbury Youth Justice Precinct, personal visitors must sign the visitors book on arrival and when they exit. During their visit, all visitors must pin a visitors pass on their clothing. All visitors must produce photographic identification upon arrival.

Over holiday periods such as Christmas and Easter, the total number of visits at any one time will be determined by the General Manager or Operations Manager.

Visit location

Most visits are conducted in the visitor's centre.

All Ulabara clients have visits in the unit. For clients in the Admissions Unit, a decision should be made about the location of the visit- either in the unit's dining area or in the visitor's centre - on a case-by-case basis.

Tables should be arranged so that each group of young people and visitors have the maximum amount of distance between them.

Staff must search the visiting areas completely before and after the commencement of visits. All searches must be documented in the day book.

What visitors can bring in

Any items visitors bring for young people must be given to staff as part of the sign-in process.

Gifts are only allowed for the young person they are visiting and must have been pre-approved at the time the visit was booked .

Visitors are given a receipt for these items to ensure all items are accounted for.

Once the items have been registered, they are to be collected by unit staff who examine them and give them to the young person if they are acceptable.

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Items provided to young people through visits are to be accounted for as part of their personal property.

While these items can be brought in at a visit, the Unit Supervisor must ensure that young people's personal property is within permitted limits.

Parkville Precinct

Visitors to Parkville are permitted to bring the following items in to be screened and placed in young people's property (all other items are to be treated as a prohibited item):

• up to five educational or special interest magazines • a maximum of two original music recordings - with their original cover • a reasonable quantity of photographs • socks or underwear and suitable clothes for court if required • any magazines, books or other authorised items brought in to the precinct must comply with

the entertainment materials guidelines.

Visitors can purchase vending machine tokens at Reception. One unopened can of drink and one sealed chocolate bar or packet of chips (to be consumed during the visit) can be purchased.

Malmsbury Precinct

Approved items for personal visitors to bring in are:

• Clothing or shoes for young people if they have further court appearances scheduled or will be participating in temporary leave. This must have prior approval from the relevant Unit Manager

• Up to five pairs of socks and five pairs of underpants • A reasonable quantity of appropriate photographs.

Visitors can purchase vending machine tokens at Reception. One unopened can of drink and one sealed chocolate bar or packet of chips (to be consumed during the visit) can be purchased.

Searches of visitors

All visitors entering or leaving a youth justice facility (other than a judge or a magistrate) must, if asked, submit to:

• a formal search - a search to detect the presence of drugs, weapons or metal articles carried out by an electronic or mechanical device or a sniffer dog, or

• a frisk search- a search of a person or of their possessions. This can include a quick running of the hands over the person's outer clothing or using an electronic or mechanical wand over the outer clothing.

Visitors may also be asked to hand over any items they are carrying or place any clothing that can be conveniently and voluntarily removed to be screened electronically. This search will always be carried out by someone of the same sex as the person being searched.

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Supervision of personal visits

The Unit Coordinator assesses the risk level and determines appropriate staffing levels to ensure robust supervision of visits. At a minimum:

• lfthere are two or more young people having visits at the one time, there should be at least two staff supervising visits.

• Staff should move throughout the visiting area and constantly monitor the behaviour of young people and their visitors.

Unless determined otherwise by the Unit Coordinator, young people and their visitors can greet and farewell each other with a quick hug and a kiss.

You must be vigilant in observing this to make sure that no objects are passed between them at this time.

Other than these greetings, physical contact between young people and their visitors should be kept to a minimum during the visit.

After visits

To guard against the introduction of prohibited items, all young people must receive an strip search after each personal visit.

You should observe the young person's behaviour after their visit and include information in daily case notes on who visited and how the visit went. Ideally this will be the young person's Key Worker, but in their absence, the Unit Supervisor will allocate this to another staff member.

Any signs of disturbance or distress should be reported to the Unit Manager or after hours the Duty Manager.

In cases where the visit has been terminated for the introduction or suspected introduction of a prohibited item, you must:

• Carry out a strip search of the young person with the Unit Manager's approval. • Carry out a full search of the visiting room and any other areas where the visitor spent time. • Ensure the prohibited item is secured in the illegal or legal prohibited item safe for safe

storage before being handed over to police or disposed of. • Ensure the young person is placed on constant observations until the searches have been

completed.

The Unit Manager or On Call Manager is responsible for deciding whether observation needs to continue once the young person has been searched -this should occur if the young person is distressed or agitated, or if there is any indication that they have used a substance brought in by a visitor.

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Refusal or termination of visit

If at anytime a visit does not commence, or is terminated, because of the behaviour of the young person or the visitor, the guidelines contained in the visit safety- refusal of visitor, termination of visit procedure must be followed.

Reintroduction of banned visitors

On occasion, a visitor may be banned from visiting the precinct. The most common reason for this is the introduction of a prohibited item during a visit.

The section on visitors - personal contains information for staff on terminating a visit because of inappropriate behaviour.

A visitor who has been banned can apply in writing to the General Manager to be allowed to resume visiting .

Once the General Manager has agreed for this to occur, the Unit Manager must ensure a plan is in place to gradually reintroduce the visitor via a staged approach.

The Unit Manager will use risk assessment processes to formulate a plan for the reintroduction of the visitor. The detail on how the visit is to be managed, including staffing level and location, should be included in the plan.

The plan to reintroduce the visitor should be linked with an Individual Behaviour Management Plan for the young person, outlining a response to the particular behaviour and specifying how visits are to be managed in the future.

The first visits following a visitor ban should be non-contact and should be closely monitored. This may mean the visit occurs in an area other than the usual visit room, for example in an interview room in Control.

It will also require staff to arrange the furniture in the space to ensure that the visitor and the young person are not within touching distance of each other and that they are both within the staff member's sight.

Young people and their visitors should be located at the two respective ends of the table, allowing for maximum distance between them.

Physical contact between client and visitor is not allowed during a non-contact visit.

You should clearly document the outcome of the visit in the young person's case notes. The Unit Manager will monitor the situation to make a decision on how future visits will be managed.

If the non-contact visits are successfully managed, with no incidents, contact visits can be reintroduced.

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It is essential that you are vigilant and continue to closely monitor visits.

You must also continue to record the visit's procedure in the young person's case notes and update their individual behaviour management plan as appropriate.

Visitor's clothing

Visitors must wear appropriate clothing when entering the precincts.

Appropriate clothing simply means avoiding revealing clothing and T-shirts with offensive words or images; wearing footwear that is suitable to an office type environment; and keeping jewellery and cosmetics to a minimum.

As all visitors to the Precinct are screened by security staff, personal visitors who are inappropriately dressed may jeopardise their entry to the Precinct.

Visitors wearing the items listed below may result in a refusal of entry to the precinct:

• very short skirts • high cut shorts or football shorts • singlets, tank tops, midriff, sleeveless or strapless tops (or dresses with similar tops), where

it is deemed to be inappropriate • see through clothing of any type • thongs • jewellery that may pose an occupational safety risk.

The reception staff at the entry point of the precinct will monitor and determine appropriate dress standards for all young people's visitors.

In addition, the following items are not permitted for security purposes:

• hats, beanies or caps (children under the age of five exempt) • heavy or padded coats, parkas, anoraks, jackets • hooded tops (children under the age of five exempt) • fluorescent tops/t-shirts are not to be worn by visitors.

Screening of female visitors wearing face coverings

When a female visitor is wearing Islamic dress that includes a face covering there is a need to ensure cultural sensitivity during the identification and screening processes.

Processing of female visitors wearing face coverings, particularly frisk searches if used, should be conducted by female staff only.

Islamic headscarves cover the head but do not obscure the face (for example a hijab or chador). In these cases, the identification and screening processes proceed as usual.

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Other coverings, such as the niqab or burqa, may partially or completely obscure the woman's facial features. When one of these is worn, the usual processes for identification and screening apply with the following exception.

The visitor may leave her face covering in place for most of the screening process. Prior to entering the secure area, she wi ll be asked to accompany a female staff member into an area allowing for privacy to uncover her face for identification purposes, cross checking with the identification photo.

Women wearing face coverings can still be asked to undergo retinal scanning, but this should be done with sensitivity, by a female staff member.

Additional Information

• Email Reception at Parkville Precinct (mailto:[email protected]) • How does the Key Worker complete visitor list for a young person? (102.0 KB . MS Word)

(http://intranet.dhs.vic.gov.au/youth-justice-custodial-manual/additional-information/practice­guidelines/case-management2/How-does-the-Key-Worker-complete-visitor-list-for-a-young­person.doc)

Last updated: 15/12/2014

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Authorised by: Ian Lanyon, Director Secure Services

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