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Parental Mental Health and the Impact on Children
Get PDFReportOver recent years there has been considerable attention on child and adolescent mental health and the lack of support available to them. However, there has been a lot less focus on parental mental health. This is despite the fact, we know from research, and from first-hand experience within our services, that children living in households with parental mental health issues can face significant disadvantage in terms of their mental wellbeing and overall development.
This briefing explores the need for greater attention on this issue. If children are to thrive, it is vital they grow up in a positive and loving environment with parents responsive to their needs. When this is impaired due to parental mental health issues, support must be available to mitigate and reduce the potential harm and negative impacts on children.
The briefing will set out levels of prevalence of parental mental health and wellbeing issues within Ireland, before outlining the impact it has on parents and their parenting, taken from the direct views and experiences of families who have been through the issue and the staff supporting them. It will then focus on the impact this has on children.
The report outlines that many families are not in a position to deal with parental mental health issues on their own. In particular, those facing additional adversities and disadvantages, which may have been the cause of or compound mental health issues. These issues include substance misuse, domestic violence, poverty and deprivation and unsuitable and insecure accommodation.
Finally, we highlight the support and recommendations parents told us they would like to see put in place in the future. The quicker families can access the support they need, the less likely parental mental health issues will negatively affect children, ultimately improving their opportunities to positively develop and grow and generally experience better quality childhoods
TLC Bloom for Professionals (Poster)
No full textPosterPoster for professionals working with children experiencing domestic violence
Food Insecurity in Ireland: Impact on Children and their Parents
Get PDFReportThis is the 2024 Barnardos and ALDI Ireland Food Insecurity Report. The research found that food insecurity in families with children is worsening. An increasingly large proportion of children are living in homes where parents are; cutting back or going without meals themselves to feed their children; cutting down on essentials such as clothing, electricity, and heat in order to make sure enough food is on their table; and borrowing or resorting to food banks to provide themselves and their children with sufficient food. The Barnardos and ALDI research shows that even more parents are cutting back on their own food, borrowing money for food, relying on food banks, and cutting back on spending on other household activities, including clothing, household bills, medical costs and children’s activities. More parents are worried about their ability to provide their children with sufficient food, as families continue to struggle with cost-of-living pressures
The Real Cost of School in 2024 - Back to School Survey (Report)
No full textReportFor 20 years, Barnardos has highlighted the costs incurred by parents in preparing their children to return to school each September, reporting on the pressures parents are directly experiencing in providing for back to school costs.
Although the Irish Constitution guarantees all children have a right to free education in Ireland, this has never truly been the case. In Budget 2023, the Government took a progressive step towards making it a reality by providing free schoolbooks to all primary school students and the junior cycle in secondary school. However, despite this development, school expenses remain high for many parents, with some finding themselves in financial distress each summer as they try to meet back to school costs.
It is important the Government continues the positive momentum and builds on recent actions to provide a truly free education to all children in Ireland. Barnardos calls on the government to prioritise these five steps:
1. Extend free schoolbooks to all children in the senior cycle
2. Mandate all schools have an affordable uniform option
3. Increase back to school allowance increase and expand eligibility
4. Increase capitation rate and end voluntary contributions
5. Reduce the cost of digital devices schools place on parent
Annual Report 2023
Get PDFAnnual report2023 represented a challenging year for Barnardos, the impact of the rising cost of living and the ongoing housing crisis has seen an increase of 25% in the numbers of children and families we work with in our targeted services and increases in waiting lists across many of our projects.
In spite of these challenges, we remain committed to delivering an excellent standard of care and importantly recognising our staff for their work and commitment.
This report outlines the areas of our work and financial details for 2023
Wellbeing Programme
Get PDFInformation sheetBarnardos Wellbeing Programme supports the positive mental health and wellbeing of children, parents and significant others in their communities, by empowering them to develop wellbeing practices that support them to be calm, present and resilient. It equips them with the tools to manage their emotions effectively, cope with difficult situations and sustain good relationships with others
Online Gaming: Exploring the Pros & Cons of Gaming
Get PDFReportBarnardos Online Safety Programme engaged with over 700 children from 3rd to 6th class, about the pros and cons of online gaming. Results show that while online gaming is a positive part of children’s lives, there is also a real need to improve safety functions.
The survey was undertaken as a part of the Barnardos Online Safety Programme to help inform its work with children, parents and teachers. This September (2023) marks the final year of a five-year partnership between Google.org and Barnardos to deliver online safety workshops across the country reaching over 79,000 children to date. The focus groups and survey results indicate that there are both benefits and potential harms in children playing games online
Child to Parent Violence
Get PDFInformation sheetInformation sheet on dealing with child to parent violence
Early Intervention Service
Get PDFInformation sheetChildren who grow up in circumstances of socio-economic deprivation and a continuous cycle of trauma would struggle to reach their developmental milestones without direct intervention and support. They would be unlikely to stay in education and develop the basic skills necessary for adult life, such as the ability to solve problems and make and sustain friendships
ChildLinks Issue 3: Pedagogical Approaches in Early Childhood
No full textBarnardos journal ChildLinksThe choice of pedagogical approach in an early childhood setting is an extremely important aspect of quality provision to ensure the best possible health, wellbeing and learning outcomes for young children. Choosing an appropriate approach is complex, and requires knowledge and understanding across a range of factors. While there are many different pedagogical approaches available, and settings may choose to use a blend of approaches, some warrant particular consideration. This issue of ChildLinks considers how pedagogy influences the experiences children have in early childhood settings. It also looks at the factors in play when considering age-appropriate approaches for young children, and examines some of the key pedagogical approaches.
In the first article in this issue, Marie Willoughby from Barnardos explores what we mean by pedagogy, examining the educator’s role both in choosing an appropriate pedagogy and in putting it into practice.
Dr Geraldine French of Dublin City University then considers slow relational pedagogy, which encompasses all that educators do within relationships, environments and experiences in their daily care of young children, looking at why it is important and how it can be achieved. Later in the issue, Sharon Byrne considers an Infant Mental Health Approach in Early Childhood Education and Care, outlining how Youngballymun focuses on improving wellbeing and learning outcomes for children in north Dublin. Milica Atanackovic from Early Childhood Ireland later highlights the Reggio Emilia Approach and how this approach is disseminated in Ireland.
Also in this issue, Dr. Christina Tatham from the University of Sheffield considers third space pedagogy, outlining a study that explores the complex, superdiversity of children, and suggesting a third learning space, one beyond the formal learning spaces, where children explore multiple identities, funds of knowledge, and cultural and linguistic repertoires. Cecilia A. Maron-Puntarelli from Indiana University in the U.S. then gives an overview of her research, reflecting with her former university students about the classroom activities that shaped their adoption and implementation of play pedagogy during their early years of teaching, and considering the influences that support or inhibit play as a pedagogical practice. Finally, Dr Carmel Conn, Associate Professor at the University of South Wales, explores findings from a study carried out in primary schools with an early years provision in the UK that considered what constitutes inclusive pedagogy for young children in mainstream settings