Rehab Facility Plans For Brig-Y-Don Children's Home

Thursday, 13 June 2019 15:44

Work is underway to create the first dedicated rehab unit for Jersey teenagers and young adults.

The Silkworth charity group is looking to purchase the Brig-Y-Don residence from Brightly to help treat 16-to-25-year-olds addicted to drink and drugs.

Silkworth Chief Executive, Jason Wyse, told Channel 103 there's currently nowhere in the island that provides rehabilitation services for young people:

"There's not a lot of suitable properties in the island - Jersey's a small island. We've been in negotiations with Brightly, who own the Brig-Y-Don property, which are still ongoing. We don't know what's going to come from that - maybe we'll be successful, maybe we won't - but either way, we're on the lookout for a suitable property that we can use to provide these services."

Mr Wyse says if the facility does launch, it will complement other services already offered in the island:

"We have a great Youth Service in Jersey, who provides wonderful support. The drug and alcohol service also provides great support through a Youth Worker. What we're offering would actually support what's currently being offered - which isn't specific to education or a residential basis. What we've got currently is great, but we need more. What we're potentially going to be offering is groundbreaking and pretty unique."

Silkworth hopes a service could be up and running within months once a suitable location is found.