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Our mission is to create brighter futures for children and young people. We do this by providing fostering, residential and support services where children and young people can feel safe and cared for. We support them to make positive relationships which give them the confidence to succeed.
In response to Island needs, in 2023 after a successful pilot, Manx Care worked in partnership with St Christopher’s Wraparound Therapeutic Services to launch Bridges – a provision with the ambition of contributing positively to the mental health and wellbeing of children, young people and families pre- and post-care.
With a focus on early intervention, the service offers AMBIT informed intensive therapeutic support (Adaptive Mentalisation Based Integrative Treatment) to families in crisis and experiencing difficulties that could result in a child or young person coming into care. The service works with both children and their families to effect positive change and safely maintain children within their families when appropriate.
Focussing on a whole family approach allows for the needs of all parties to be met, with better long-term outcomes as evidenced by the work of Bridges to date in collaboration with other leading agencies.
The offering has been formally shortlisted for the prestigious Family Support Award as championed by leading industry publication Children and Young People Now. This is in recognition of the achievements and impact on the community of the Isle of Man.
Of the news – Clare Maude, Wraparound Therapeutic Manager at St Christopher’s who has led the initiative on behalf of the charity has said: “We are delighted that our proactive and timely approach to working with families can help to prevent children and young people coming into care, and enable those we support to have a brighter future together.”
Julie Gibney – Assistant Director – Children and Families Social Work, Manx Care added: “We are thrilled that St. Christopher’s and Manx Care have been recognised in the Children and Young People Now Awards 2024. It’s great to see such an esteemed publication championing our collaborative work on an initiative that provides vital intensive support for families in crisis.
We’re so pleased to have made the shortlist alongside a number of excellent teams, all working to support children and young people to thrive. “
The awards ceremony takes place later this year in November in London, where all parties will find out if they have won overall in their categories. However, being successfully shortlisted as a finalist is already a great step in spotlighting the merit of such worthwhile work that makes a genuine difference for the children and their families in need of support.