Meet the AMBIT Programme Team

I am the joint Programme Lead for AMBIT at Anna Freud. As a Mental Health Nurse and Systemic Practitioner, I have specialised in work with young people with multiple, risky problems in both outreach and secure settings, utilising the AMBIT approach. I have contributed to a number of key publications and the development of AMBIT, and have trained and consulted with hundreds of workers in AMBIT in the UK and internationally.

I jointly lead the AMBIT programme. The AMBIT framework supports teams to improve their capacity to help clients who have multiple needs and who may find professional help hard to trust. AMBIT works with a wide range of teams and services across the health, social care, justice, education and community sectors both nationally and internationally. We disseminate AMBIT via several methods, including training, post-training implementation support, supervision, consultation, evaluation activities and strategic partnerships. I qualified as a Clinical Psychologist in 2010 and have since specialised in working with young people and their families in community outreach services. I worked as a therapist on the Multi-Systemic Therapy START trial in the UK and have also held clinical lead roles in a range of innovative multi-agency projects. This has included working in an edge of care team for adolescents in Children’s Social Care, in a youth-led multi-agency project for young people who are gang affected, and in a local authority multi-agency team to prevent the permanent exclusion of children and young people from mainstream education. I am committed to focusing on how we can apply what we learn from young people, families and frontline workers to the design and adaptation of helping approaches to ensure that they are accessible, inclusive and effective for those who experience multiple forms of marginalisation, oppression and exclusion in our society.

James is joint Deputy Director for the AMBIT programme and is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist. Since qualifying in 2007, James has worked primarily within the NHS in Child and Adolescent Mental health Services (CAMHS) in London, then in Cambridgeshire. James first became connected with AMBIT in 2011 as the lead psychologist in a regional adolescent inpatient service, helping develop the AMBIT model on the unit, then moving into training others in the approach. James is a systemic practitioner and is particularly interested in working with people with multiple needs, alongside supporting the systems around them to improve the help on offer. James leads on the evaluation of the AMBIT program and jointly leads the AMBIT international study group. James continues to work in NHS CAMHS and in private practice.

Rebecca is joint Deputy Director for the AMBIT programme. She progressed to this role having become a Lead Trainer in 2019. Her journey into AMBIT started in 2014 whilst working for Wandsworth Local Authority. In the 18 years she spent in Wandsworth, Rebecca’s roles included work as a team manager in the Evolve Team (who support young people and young adults impacted by gangs, youth violence and exploitation), and as a Youth Offending Team Practitioner. She came to Wandsworth having qualified as a Probation Officer in 2003, with experience of working with adults in the criminal justice system, particularly those convicted of violent offences. She has also run a social enterprise supporting young adults impacted by the justice and social care systems, and worked as a freelance trainer.

Dickon is a Consultant in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and has worked for than thirty years in the NHS, where he leads a team for young people with substance use and multiple other needs, and is Mental Health Lead for the planned new Cambridge Children’s Hospital on the Addenbrookes site. Alongside this, he has been Medical Director and Designated Safeguarding Lead at Anna Freud for nearly twenty years. Prior to his medical studies, Dickon completed a degree in Anthropology and Comparative Religion, and his interest in marginalised and excluded populations began through working with street homeless in London in the 1980s and 1990s. With Peter Fuggle, he co-founded AMBIT, and he now works as a consultant to the AMBIT Programme at Anna Freud. He has published widely on mentalizing, evidence-based approaches to treatment, AMBIT, fatherhood, and is known as a lively and engaging speaker and teacher.

Peter is a clinical psychologist who has worked in child mental health throughout his career. He currently works as a Consultant to the AMBIT team at Anna Freud in London. He worked for many years in the NHS in London as Clinical Director of Islington CAMHS, and was particularly concerned about the children and young people with major needs who did not come to the main services that were provided. This interest led him to join a group at Anna Freud who were concerned about the same issue, which resulted in the development of the AMBIT approach. He has been involved in publishing two books on AMBIT. Most of his time now is spent on supervision, training and writing.

Dr Kate Budge is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist currently working within NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Kate has experience of working with children and young people across health and social care, alongside youth justice settings, within community, crisis, and inpatient services. Kate has worked with young people deemed to be at risk of criminal and sexual exploitation and those affected by gang involvement, and has a particular interest in working with young people and families who may struggle to access and make use of traditional offers of help. Kate joined the AMBIT programme in 2022 as an Assistant AMBIT Trainer and supports the programme team with delivering training.

Gema Hadridge is a SWE registered Social Worker. She has worked across a range of settings in health and social care services within early years, adolescent and adult services, both within the community and social services and also inpatient settings. She works as a lead trainer in the AMBIT team, and runs trainings within the Early Years and MBT-F at the Anna Freud. She also is a social worker in an adolescent social work team in Brighton & Hove. Gema’s practice and training is influenced by her work as a social worker and mentalization practitioner. She is also trained in systemic practice and Theraplay®.

Mercy is the AMBIT Project Manager, whose previous employment background has included working within mental health services, community development and the EDI sector. Mercy joined the AMBIT Programme in 2023.

Briony joined the AMBIT team in 2023 after completing her MSc in Gender and Sexuality studies. She has previously worked in the early years sector and is passionate about work that breaks down barriers and emboldens young people to use their voices.

Assistant AMBIT Trainer

Assistant AMBIT Trainer