Council of Ministers decision on former Haut de la Garenne site and children's memorial

04 July 2018

​The Council of Ministers discussed the findings of the former Haut de la Garenne site public consultation and the Citizens Panel’s recommendations for a public memorial this morning.

Ministers accepted the findings of the public consultation and have decided that the former children’s home should not be demolished. Ministers agreed to further work to establish the long-term use of the site and will engage with stakeholders on this.

Ministers also agreed in principle with the four recommendations of the Citizens Panel and will engage further on the detail of how to implement the recommendations. Ministers agreed to discuss detailed proposals after the summer.

Senator Sam Mézec, the proposed Minister for Children and who is leading the Government’s response to the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry, said: “This government is fully committed to the care and protection of our island’s children.

“Ministers unanimously agreed today with the consultation findings not to demolish the Haut de la Garenne site, but instead to ensure that it is redeemed through a positive use over the long-term. We also unanimously agreed that Jersey must remember and recognise the children who we failed in the past and that we should celebrate our island’s children.

“We will work on the details of implementing these decisions and come back with firm proposals in due course.”