A London area organization for youth in trouble with the law or in need of mental health care is closing its doors after more than 70 years of operation.
Craigwood Youth Services had provided support for children and teens in the London region since 1954.
“This has been an incredibly difficult decision,” wrote Claudia den Boer, interim executive director of Craigwood Youth Services, in a news release Monday. “Craigwood has been a cornerstone of support for countless young people and families over the decades.”
CBC News first reported in November that young people were being moved from a Craigwood facility that also acted as a provincial jail to Sault Ste. Marie. Staffing, and the ability to retain staff with competitive pay, were cited by the union as being a major issue at Craigwood.
At that time, the province said it was expanding secure treatment facilities in Oakville and Ottawa, and that it had established a task force to look at staffing and capacity issues. Craigwood’s facility in Ailsa Craig had 12 beds for female young offenders.
In her statement, den Boer said family were being connected with alternated services, and staff were receiving severance packages.
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