75683 (2024). Hon Willow-Jean Prime to the Minister for Children

75683 (2024). Hon Willow-Jean Prime to the Minister for Children: What learnings, if any, from the military-style academy pilot have been incorporated into the Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Amendment Bill?

Hon Karen Chhour: Corrected reply: The Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Amendment Bill provides for a military-style academy order as a new sentencing response available to the Youth Court for eligible young persons. The Pilot has informed the provisions in the Bill, for example that there is a minimum 12-week programme delivered in an Oranga Tamariki residence, and the military-style academy order is followed by a supervision order. The Pilot indicates that 12 weeks is a minimum time required for a young person to be in residence on a programme, but also that some young people may benefit from a longer period on the order. For this reason, the legislation proposes to allow for longer orders. The Pilot has also underscored the importance of supporting the rehabilitation of young people and their reintegration into communities, which the Bill allows for. The Pilot showed the value of individualised, tailored programmes supporting the educational and vocational needs of the young people, as well as the benefits of daily structure and routine, which are provided for in the Bill. The intention is for the legislation to be flexible enough to enable continuous improvement to meet the requirements of the eligible young people. The Pilot is also informing the development of regulations that may be required for areas of the legislation to come into force.