From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
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The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, today announced the allocation of €700,000 in Dormant Accounts funding to 37 community and voluntary organisations. This additional funding increases counselling, psychotherapy and therapeutic services to children and young people experiencing social and economic disadvantage in communities around Ireland. It will help to address unmet need and reduce waiting lists for community-based counselling services.
The aim of the fund is to increase counselling and psychotherapy and other therapy types (play, drama, art and creative therapy, bereavement support) to children and young people who are socially/economically disadvantaged and who without support cannot access these services.
Minister O’Gorman said:
“I am delighted to provide €700,000 in Dormant Accounts funding to Tusla to build on their existing work in supporting children, young people and their families, particularly in aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic where community-based services are reporting a large increase in families seeking support for children and young people.
"This measure will help to address improved accessibility and availability of counselling, psychotherapy, therapy services to disadvantaged children and young people around the country.
"Prevention and Early Intervention measures such as counselling, psychotherapy and therapeutic supports can improve the quality of children’s home lives and family relationships, increase educational attainment and support good mental health."
Under this measure in 2023, €700,000 has been allocated to community and voluntary organisations, which are existing service providers under Tusla’s Family Support Services Counselling funding programme, to increase counselling/psychotherapy/therapeutic services to children and young people experiencing social/economic disadvantage in communities around Ireland. These services have existing contracts with Tusla and as such meet governance, compliance and Children First guidelines.
Tusla’s Family Support Services Counselling Funding supported 224 community and voluntary sector organisations in 2021 (latest figures) to provide low cost community-based counselling/psychotherapy and other therapy types including play, drama, art and creative therapy.
