An event will take place in Douglas next week to highlight plans to better integrate young people’s mental health and wellbeing services on the Isle of Man.
Organised by Manx Care’s Integrated Mental Health Services team, the ‘Thrive Framework for System Change’ conference will bring together various specialists from across Manx Care with representatives from multiple agencies across Government, the private sector and the third sector to look at how the Thrive principles can be established effectively on the Island, for the ultimate benefit of children, young people and their families. The day will be facilitated by the experts from the UK’s national i-Thrive Programme Team from the Tavistock Centre in London – the team responsible for defining and establishing the Thrive Framework across the British Isles.
The Thrive Framework is needs-led, and aims to establish an integrated, multi-agency network that will support the mental health and wellbeing needs of children, young people up to the age of 25 and the adults who look after them. The support network is based on a defined set of principles, and aims to effect groups working together in partnership rather than entities working to support individuals in silos.
The event, which takes place at the Villa Marina on Thursday 16 June between 09:30 and 16:30, will establish a comprehensive picture of the current system of services for children and young people’s mental health across Isle of Man, understand the challenges that the individual delegates and their own services face, and assess the particular needs of their service users. During the day, delegates will take part in a number of facilitated workshops aimed at establishing a way forward for multi-agency working on the Island, including:
- The THRIVE Framework for system change: An Overview
- Mapping local provision and priorities
- Values, behaviours and culture change
It is open to any professionals and companies on the Island who seek to promote mental health awareness, those who help children and young people with their mental health and wellbeing needs, and those who support individuals either suffering from, or at risk of, mental health challenges. For example, this includes staff working across the broad spectrum of education, the care sector, the voluntary and charitable sector, and the health sector.
Dr. Mick Fleming, Manx Care’s Matron for Integrated Mental Health Services, commented:
'Establishing a multi-agency community support network for children and young people suffering with mental health challenges, and the adults who provide care for them, is key to ensuring that we can provide the right intervention at the earliest possible opportunity, and then deliver the appropriate level of support to them. Whilst Manx Care’s Integrated Mental Health Service is able to provide appropriate medical and psychological intervention, we know that we will achieve better outcomes for children and young people if all of the agencies on the Isle of Man are working towards, and are aligned against, a common set of principles aimed at delivering holistic care and support.
'We’re delighted to be hosting our conference in conjunction with the experts from the Tavistock Centre in London, and would urge anyone who’s not yet reserved their place to do so. It’s a really valuable opportunity to learn from the practitioners who developed the Thrive model and be a part of the change we’re looking to effect in the Isle of Man.'
Any individual or company who would like to attend the conference, which is being provided free of charge to delegates, or who would like further information about it should email Sarah Morton (Sarah.Morton@gov.im) no later than 3pm on Monday 13 June 2022.
