The former White Hoe children’s secure unit on the outskirts of Douglas was relaunched this week by Social Care Minister Chris Robertshaw.
The unit which is run on behalf of the government by the St Christopher’s charity, offers community-based support and education as well as secure accommodation for children and young people who are in trouble with the police, on remand or at risk of harm.
To mark the reopening it has been renamed Cronk Sollysh, which in Manx Gaelic means Hill of Light.
In June last year the Manx Independent reported the unit was reducing its bed spaces and Unite union regional industrial organiser Steve Salter said he believed vulnerable youngsters could be put at risk as a result. After writing to St Christopher’s to outline his concerns, Mr Salter said St Christopher’s had told him the Department of Social Care had asked them to look at ways of making savings.
He told the Manx Independent: ‘The fact this is a service we may need at some point in the future and it may lead to vulnerable young people not getting the care they require.’
But the latest statement from the Department of Social Care said there had been a reduction in the number of young people needing secure care and the new service was to provide secure accommodation along with education and support to reintegrate them into society.
The new facility offers three bed spaces but it can be increased to a maximum of seven – the capacity of the original unit – at short notice if demand dictates.
St Christopher’s head of children’s residential services Steve Taylor said the unit had housed no more than three young people between 10 and 18 in recent years so it made better practical sense to use the space more productively.
The new services offered for children in care and other vulnerable youngsters, as well as those resident at the unit include family mediation, restorative justice programmes, where offenders put something back into the community, group work on personal safety and building self confidence.
There is also support from teaching staff giving help with homework, careers advice, further education choices and accredited lifeskills training covering everything from time management to cookery.
Mr Taylor said the alterations had been designed to allow them to revert easily to seven beds if required.
‘The key now is community work and kids who are not resident can benefit, not just a select few.’
