New home opens for young trauma victims
First of its kind therapeutic community launches in Dundrod
A local charity has opened a new care home in County Antrim.
The therapeutic community house will become home to children who have been exposed to serious trauma.
The facility in a country house in Dundrod, aims to help six to twelve year-olds with experience of severe adverse childhood experiences
In 2017/2018 there were 3,109 children in the care of the HSC Trusts.
This was the highest recorded number of children in care since the introduction of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995, representing 71 children per 10,000 of the child population.
Mary Ryan, CEO of MACS, says there is a high demand for the new service:
"At present there are a small, but significant number of young children in NI who have experienced unimaginable early childhood trauma.
"These children have complex needs which can include developmental delays, difficulties in communicating and, or regulating their emotional responses and behaviours.
"Without the appropriate support these children’s placements inevitably breakdown and they are moved from pillar to post throughout their young lives.
"We are excited to be able to offer the five Health and Social Care Trusts in NI this additional, alternative setting for the children who really need it."
She added: "The community will be staffed by house ‘parents’ who work longer than usual shift patterns to provide continuance of care.
"This is important for children who have attachment difficulties because of a lack of early consistent care from their parents and primary care-givers.
"A child psychologist will also be on site regularly working as part of a multi-disciplinary team which draws on skills from social work, teaching and social pedagogy, occupational therapy and psychology."
"Being able to live an ordinary life should never be underestimated. MACS raised the capital investment internally, but we are enormously thankful to Building Change Trust for their early support and to Bryson Charitable Trust and Victoria Homes Trust who helped us renovate the building.
"We look forward to working in partnership with the HSC Trusts and welcoming the children into MACS therapeutic community."