Craigavon & Banbridge is a designated Attendance Centre

The main areas covered by the Youth Justice Agency Community Services Craigavon and Banbridge include Portadown, Lurgan, Brownlow, Banbridge and Dromore.

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The Craigavon and Banbridge Team

Dermot Magorrian: Centre Manager I qualified as a Social Worker in 1993 having graduated from Edinburgh University with an MSW and CQSW. I worked initially in residential care in the Belfast area from 1993 to 1995. In 1995 I took up employment with Newry and Mourne HSS Trust in a Family and Childcare team. In 1999 I joined Whitefield House before moving to the Youth Justice Agency Craigavon and Banbridge where I have been manager since 2004.

Noreen Gibson: Social Worker I qualified as a Social Worker in 1997 with a Dip SW having been employed in a variety of roles with Craigavon and Banbridge Trust since 1974, including residential, aftercare and family and childcare. Following my diploma I worked in the Young Person's Project working with families at risk of family breakdown. It was from there that I was initially seconded to Youth Justice Agency Community Services before taking up a permanent post in Craigavon and Banbridge in 2004.

Tim Strain: Social Worker I qualified as a Social Worker from the University of Ulster, Jordanstown with Dip SW and Dip HE in 1999. Following this I took up employment with Craigavon and Banbridge HSS Trust, within the Child and Family Care Directorate. I was based in Bocombra Children's Centre for approximately one year and then transferred to Edenvilla long term residential unit for a further four years. In 2004 I worked with Child and Family Care team in Brownlow for one year before beginning a three year secondment to the Youth Justice Agency in Craigavon. In 2006 I joined the Agency on a permanent basis.

Ursula McGivern: Social Worker My introdution to working with young people was within youth and community work and I qualified with Dip Youth and Community work from University of Ulster Jordanstown in 1989. Following this I took up employment with Down and Lisburn Trust in a residential care centre. In 1994 I obtained my Social Work qualification and continued work in Down and Lisburn Trust in their Family and Child Care and Aftercare service teams. I joined Youth Justice Agency Community Services in 2004 and have worked in the Craigavon and Banbridge area since.

Ian Coulter: Social Worker I qualified from the University of Wales, Bangor with a Dip SW in 2001 and took up employment with Conwy Social Services, Children and Families Services. In 2003 I returned to Northern Ireland and worked for the South and East Belfast Trust until 2005 when I joined Youth Justice Agency Community Services. During this time I have worked in a number of the Agency's Community Services centres.

David Carville: Administrator I have been employed with Youth Justice Agency Community Services since March 2008. I graduated from Liverpool University in 1995 with an LLB (Hons) In Law. I have previousy worked in Water Service, Rate Collection Agency and Account NI. I have successfully completed my first year Institute of Accounting Ireland exams.

WHAT WE DO

Referrals are accepted from Youth Court, Probation Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI), PSNI, Social Services and from other Directorates within the Youth Justice Agency such as Bail Support, the Juvenile Justice Centre and the Youth Conference Service

Statutory Responsibilities: We are responsible for a number of Statutory orders made by the Youth Court; Attendance Centre Orders, Community Responsibilty Orders, and Reparation Orders. The Centre also has responsibility for the supervision of court ordered and diversionary youth conference plans. In partnership with PBNI we also supervise the community element of Juvenile Justice Centre Orders.