Tag Archives: TUSLA

A JUDGE has stated that children “might as well be weeds on the side of the road” if a parent doesn’t provide for them and ensure that they get an education. Judge Mary Larkin made her comment at Kilrush District Court where she warned a mother of two school-shy children that she faces spending time in prison if her children’s attendance at education doesn’t dramatically improve. One of the children, a 16-year-old girl had a 100% absence rate and missed all available school days in 5th year in school before leaving school for Youthreach last summer. Solicitor for the Child and Family Agency (CFA), Kevin Sherry said that the girl’s school attendance has been ‘horrendous’ and ‘dire’. Mr Sherry said that the girl had an 82% absence rate in Junior Cert and is in danger of losing her Youthreach placement after missing 60% of days. Solicitor for the mother, Patrick Moylan told the court that his client’s daughter just wouldn’t …

A BESPOKE video and series of interactive maps that introduce newly arrived Ukrainian people to vital county services has been developed by the Clare Children and Young People’s Services Committee (CYPSC). The project, led by Tusla staff member Sinead Collopy, coordinator with the CYPSC in Clare, is an information and signposting initiative delivered in the Ukrainian language. Identifying gaps in service provision and signposting is one of the Clare CYPSC’s key strategic aims. Together with other CYPSC partner agencies, the initiative gathered momentum as numbers of Ukrainians arriving in the county increased rapidly. The Clare Ukrainian support video introduces Ukrainians to the county, simply explaining where the main towns and cities are and what facilities are available, from transport links to educational services. The video also describes what the principal industries are, from farming and tourism to manufacturing parks and industrial estates. There are four maps to cover areas in Clare – Ennis; Shannon; Kilkee village and Kilrush town in …

ACTION on bullying in schools is to be reviewed and updated to take account of cyberbullying, Clare’s Fianna Fáil TD has been told. In response to a parliamentary question from Deputy Cathal Crowe, the Minister for Children outlined a number of responses being undertaken to make the online sphere safer, including a review of school policies that date back to 2013. Responding to Deputy Crowe’s question, Minister Roderic O’Gorman said the Department of Education is soon to update its interventions in relation to bullying. He noted that Minister Norma Foley’s Department has already published a strategy document for schools.  “My colleague the Minister for Education has also brought forward significant policy initiatives in this area this year including the publication of the new Digital Strategy for Schools in April, which focusses on further embedding the use of digital technologies in all teaching, learning and assessment activities and includes building awareness and knowledge around online safety,” Minister O’Gorman said. “The Department …

New project looks to enable frontline practitioners achieve best outcomes for children CAMPAIGNER against domestic abuse Luke Harte has described a new resource launched in County Clare as a crucial step towards giving all children the best chance in life. The information resource for frontline practitioners ‘Listen, Hear, Act’ is aimed at providing enhanced awareness and understanding of children living with domestic abuse was launched on UN International Day of the Child in county Clare. The resource provides insight on how children don’t just witness domestic violence as passive bystanders, but see it, hear it and feel it. An in-depth project, it has been undertaken jointly by The Clare Local Area Network Opposing Violence Against Women (CLAN) and has been funded by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The project also provides information on how to identify the signs of domestic abuse in children, as well as a roadmap on how to access suitable services to help …

A JUDGE has ordered that three young children who are alleged to have been stripped and flogged by their father will remain in State care for a further year. At the family law court in Ennis, Judge Mary Larkin extended the Interim Care Order (ICO) for the three children to October 2022 after a TUSLA social worker told the judge that the welfare and health of the children would be put at adverse risk if the court didn’t grant the order. The social worker told Judge Larkin that a Garda file concerning the allegations against the father is currently with the DPP. As part of a Garda investigation, the children were interviewed by specialist Garda interviewers. The children were removed from the care of their parents in September 2020 and have been cared for by foster carers on behalf of TUSLA since. Judge Larkin first granted the ICO last September after hearing that the couple’s son told a Childcare Support …

SUPPORTING mental wellbeing and resilience is the aim of a project which has recently scooped a major award for students at St Joseph’s Secondary School in Tulla. Ten Transition Year (TY) pupils created an innovative mental health tool which won them an ‘Investing in Children’ Award for the Child and Family Agency, Tusla. The aptly named ‘I-Can – Mind My Mental Health’ tool was created and developed to support the well-being and resilience of young people. I-Can is a pocket-sized tin can which contains daily mindfulness and coping strategy activity cards that young people can use on their own, with family members, or in a group. It also comes with a QR code which, when scanned, links to a bank of further mindfulness resources and activities hosted on the Tusla website. I-Can stemmed from the need for an accessible tool to support young people to adapt through the various stages of Covid-19, managing their lives with a positive, resilient outlook. …

A RESOURCE pack for professionals working with children and families, ahead of what is expected to be a particularly difficult Christmas for people affected by domestic abuse has been developed by a network of agencies including An Garda Síochana, Tusla, community support services, legal services and health service providers in County Clare. The Domestic Abuse Resource Pack has been undertaken jointly by The Clare Local Area Network Opposing Violence Against Women (CLAN)* and Tusla Clare Prevention Partnership and Family Support (Clare PPFS) and is supported by Safe Ireland. The network group decided to be proactive ahead of what is expected to be a very difficult time for many families, by launching an interactive, one-stop-shop, of relevant information and supports for those subjected to domestic abuse, their families and the professionals on the frontline supporting them.  This specially designed interactive document and information booklet will be available on the Clare Haven Services website not just at Christmas, but will remain active as …

TWENTY-TWO investigations have been referred to the new specialist Garda unit tasked with investigating sexual and domestic crime, since the Clare unit was set up this summer. The Divisional Protective Services Unit (DPSU) opened in May and became fully operational a month later, according to Detective Sergeant Paul English who made a presentation to the Joint Policing Committee last Monday. There is now a unit in every Garda division, Sergeant English noted, tasked with investigations into areas involving vulnerable adults, sexual crime, online child exploitation, domestic abuse, trafficking, organised prostitution and victim liaison. He also told JPC members that while there had been a drop, during the lockdown, in the number of survivors coming forward to organisations such as Rape Crisis Midwest (RCMW), there had been a noticeable increase as the country reopened. Of the 22 investigations referred to Clare’s DPSU, 18 related to sexual assaults, including rape; two concern child exploitation and two involve coercive control. Giving an overview …