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Early Years eNews: Issue 2
No full textNewsletterAs things are changing so rapidly at the minute we will be sending out some extra issues of Early Years eNews to keep you updated on what is happening in Barnardos and in the wider secto
Growing Stronger Together: 1990 - 2020. Barnardos Group Support Service to Women whose Children were Adopted: Personal Experiences over Three Decades
No full textBookletIn 1977, Barnardos set up an Adoption Advice Helpline. Attitudes towards single mothers were slowly changing and this was reflected in developments in the adoption world. Mothers began contacting Barnardos Adoption Advice Helpline in small numbers initially. Some of those who got in touch wanted more than a phone call and asked could they come in to meet with us. We realised that the one question all of the birth mothers who contacted us had was ‘I don’t know another woman who has had a baby adopted, are there other people like me?’. Many of these women had never spoken to another mother in the same situation and, as a result, had felt very alone and isolated, unable to share with family and friends. We began to arrange one-to-one meetings between mothers to enable them to share common experiences and support one another. We soon began seeing the huge benefits to be gained from this opportunity for sharing and the idea to start the groups was hatched. Barnardos Post Adoption Service has been offering a confidential group support service to mothers since October 1990. The meetings provide an opportunity to talk about their experiences and perhaps prepare for contact with a now adult son or daughter. To mark the 30 year anniversary of the Post Adoption Service we invited mothers to send us their experiences of parting with children for adoption and of taking part in the Barnardos groups. We are very grateful to those who sent us their stories, poems, artwork and songs and for allowing us to reproduce them in this booklet. The participants showed great courage in coming to the groups and opening up about such painful issues, which are ongoing for many women. Birth mothers tell us they have found a “safe place” in Barnardos where they get support and understanding from one another and that through this, many have been helped to move forward with their lives. Hopefully these stories will add to our understanding of how things were at a particular time in our history for some women in Ireland who found themselves single and pregnant
Supporting One Parent Families During and After the COVID-19 Crisis: Joint NGO Submission to the Special Committee on COVID-19 Response
Get PDFPaperA coalition of organisations supporting children, families, and vulnerable groups in Ireland has submitted recommendations to the Special Committee on COVID-19 Response, urging that the needs of lone parents and their children be prioritised in the national response to the pandemic’s socio-economic fallout. One-parent families, predominantly led by women (86%), are disproportionately affected by social issues, and COVID-19 has intensified these challenges. Lockdowns and restrictions have compounded pressures on lone parents, including increased costs for food and energy, childcare closures, home-schooling demands, and disputes over access to children. Even before the pandemic, lone parents faced higher risks of poverty, insecure employment, homelessness, debt, and energy poverty compared to other households with children.
In response, the coalition successfully advocated for several supportive measures: ongoing family income supports, special arrangements for parents losing child maintenance, a moratorium on energy disconnections, continued school meal programmes, and extended Fuel Allowance. However, as Ireland reopens, gaps remain—particularly regarding childcare and school access. The coalition warns that without robust, ongoing support, lone parents risk long-term unemployment, deepening child poverty, and increased homelessness. They call for immediate action to ensure parents have adequate income and maintain labour market connections, preventing further harm to vulnerable families
ChildLinks Issue 2: Children's Mental Health
No full textBarnardos journal ChildLinksAccording to the World Health Organization, fear, worry and stress are normal responses to perceived or real threats, and at times when we are faced with uncertainty or the unknown. It is no wonder then that the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions have caused many of us to feel isolated, anxious and stressed. It is not just adults who have been impacted by recent events, however. Children have been particularly affected by COVID-19 as their normal day-to-day lives, including school, meeting with friends, visits to see Granny and sporting activities, have all been disrupted. Furthermore, children will be affected by what they have heard and what they understand about the threats the virus poses to health. We do not yet know the long-term effects of COVID-19 on the emotional well-being of children and adolescents, but it is important to consider the potential impact on their mental health and how these might be mitigated. The first article in this issue of ChildLinks focusing on Children’s Mental Health considers how Barnardos, in an effort to respond to the changes brought about by COVID-19, has promoted activities to help children and parents understand the connection between their bodily reactions, emotional responses and behaviours during this unprecedented time, in other words between heart, body and mind. The article outlines the aim of strategies used to expand children’s windows of tolerance, create environments in which children feel safe, and promote a connectedness for children, both with themselves and with others. The next article in this issue outlines the work of Crosscare Teen Counselling, looking specifically at family context as a significant factor when considering mental health issues of adolescents. It poses questions to consider about the COVID-19 pandemic and the potential impact it may have on adolescent mental health. With the advent of the pandemic, our world has been dominated by reports of increasing viral transmission and the mounting death toll. As adults we may feel unsure about how to approach conversations or find the words to talk about what is happening, or avoid talking with children about the situation altogether. Elizabeth Rapa and Louise Dalton from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford discuss how opening lines of communication with children about their understanding of the situation is a key component in protecting their long-term psychological health. In the next article, child therapist Louise Shanagher describes the methods she uses to introduce the practices of mindfulness and self compassion to children in creative, playful and experiential ways. We then look at Buddy Bench Ireland, an award-winning not-for-profit, evidence-led, positive mental health initiative for Irish primary school children. The final article outlines the Triple P Fear-less programme, a specialist programme that supports parents and helps them to learn new cognitive behavioural strategies for anxiety management, encouraging them to apply these themselves for all their children
Evaluation of Barnardos Community Family Support Service in Youghal
Get PDFEvaluationThe aim of this evaluation was to assess the performance of Youghal Community Family Support service two years on from its establishment in 2017. Youghal urban area is home to 7,075 people, 5,276 adults and 1,799 children (Health Atlas, 2020), and a socio-demographic profile of the town shows that significant populations within the town experience varying degrees of disadvantage. Barnardos in Youghal aims to provide support to children and families in Youghal, in order to have a positive impact on children’s’ social-emotional wellbeing, educational outcomes and overall family functioning
Guidance for Childminders: Settling in and Developing Relationships
Get PDFBookletStarting with a childminder is a major life transition for both young children and their families, especially if it is the first time the child has been away from their parents for more than a few hours. Such a big change can be stressful for everyone. It is really important for the child, both now and later in life, that their early experiences of big changes are good learning experiences. The learning and care environment plays a major role in a child’s development, and it significantly affects their later outcomes and life chances. As a childminder, how you support children, especially very young children, through such changes really matters. It is also important that you respond sensitively to any anxieties parents may have as they move towards trusting you to take care of their precious child. This resource offers guidance on how you can develop relationships with children and families to support children’s transition into your care
Early Years eNews: Issue 4
No full textNewsletterThere is a now a plan in place for the early learning and care sector starting with the provision of care for children in the homes of essential healthcare workers from 18th May, overseen by DCYA. Then, by the end of June, early childhood settings will reopen for children of essential workers and by the end of July, settings will be open for all children. There is much discussion ahead about how settings can operate in line with government and health advice and we will keep you updated on this
Barnardos Manifesto regarding General Election 2020
No full textFlyerThe children and families that Barnardos work with have been affected by traumatic life events such as abuse, parental mental health, bereavement and addiction. In 2019, we saw a marked increase in the number of children being referred to our services with more complex needs. While most children in Ireland are doing well, at least one-fifth have poor economic, social and educational outcomes. This group must be a priority for the next government. Successive governments and the political system is failing to adequately address the complex issues facing this cohort of children. Through targeted investment and reform, the next government can ensure that public services deliver a real and sustainable change for families. The priorities set out in our manifesto are based on our work with over 18,000 children and families across Ireland and our experience and expertise in this area
The Real Cost of School 2020: Back to School Survey Briefing Paper
No full textPaperThis year is like no other for children returning to school in September. The Covid-19 pandemic had a major impact on schooling in the first half of the year, when schools closed from 12th of March to the end of June of this year. With no notice parents and children had to come to grips with home-schooling, often while parents also tried to work full time from home. For other parents, losing work through job loss or furlough added to the uncertainty and stress. The impending return to school has been at the forefront of parents’ minds, long before the usual August back to school period. There has been an enormous amount of uncertainty and widespread conjecture on what the new school term will be like; but one thing is certain, school will not be the same again. “I have no clue on what it will be like when she goes back and if she will be safe.” In light of what has happened and the new challenges facing families with school age children, this year the Barnardos’ Back to School Survey not only examined the cost of returning to school in September but also the experience of families during school closures and their attitudes about returning to school amid the global pandemic. The findings show parents, struggling to do the best for their children’s education, exacerbated by a lack of communication, clarity and support from the State. While parents are still feeling the burden of the cost of sending their child to school, their overwhelming concerns this year are how their child will cope with socially distanced school life; if their child will be safe; will the Government’s Roadmap for Reopening Schools be implemented in time for the start of school term; and what will it mean for their child
Mindfulness in Early Learning and Care
Get PDFBookletWe live in an age that recognises the importance of good mental health and openly discusses and promotes emotional well-being. It is also a time, however, when we, as a society, are feeling more anxious than previous generations. This is particularly true for children (Bitsko et al., 2018; Dooley, O’Connor, Fitzgerald & O’Reilly, 2019). In recent years, there has been an increase in awareness, understanding and scientific research into the impact of mindfulness on our mental health. This resource highlights
the benefits of mindfulness, both for your own wellbeing as an early childhood educator and for the children you care for and educate. It also offers you practical ways to incorporate mindful moments into the everyday in your early learning
and care setting