NORWEGIAN PARLIAMENTARY OMBUDSMAN National Preventive Mechanism ANNUAL REPORT 2019 64 Jong Youth Centre 25–26 September 2019 The NPM conducted an unannounced visit to Jong Youth Centre on 25–26 September 2019. Jong Youth Centre is a state-owned child welfare institution with the capacity to house up to five adolescents aged between 13 and 18 with serious substance abuse problems. The average time spent at the institution is eight months. In summary, Jong Youth Centre came across as a pleasant place, decorated with consideration for the residents who were to stay there. However, the kitchen and basement, which included an activity room for the adolescents, were locked and only available to the adolescents upon request and there was sufficient staff available. Jong Youth Centre 1 «Læringsbasert rusbehandling» in Norwegian. Jong Youth Centre has, since 2010, been one of two child welfare institutions that have ­implemented a method based on contingency management1 for treatment of alcohol and drug abuse. The method is a new form of treatment for adolescents with an alcohol or drug problem in child welfare institutions. The method is knowledge­-based, but it has not been previously tested in child welfare institutions or in ­institutions where people are placed against their will. The ­method’s handbook outlines research that ­gives grounds for scepticism in relation to using the method in the context of an institution. However, there appeared to be little knowledge or recognition of the limitations of the method among staff and management.