Ó Cuív approves additional €3.5 million for counselling service to support families through difficult times

Over €3.5 million is being allocated to 560 voluntary and community groups nationwide which provide a wide range of marriage, child and bereavement counselling services and supports.

Announcing the grants, Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Éamon Ó Cuív T.D., today ( 30 ^th April 2010 ) said “a wide variety of organisations, from large counselling bodies to schools operating Rainbows groups for children to locally-based bereavement support groups, is receiving funding to support communities and families in difficult times.The grants are used to help people to deal with difficulties in their relationships, to help children whose lives have been affected by parental separation and to support families who have experienced the death of a family member.”

This round of grants brings the total funding for marriage, child and bereavement counselling services in 2010 to a total of over €11.4 million. Earlier this month, Minister Ó Cuív announced multi-annual funding for 29 major organisations of over €7.8 million. This will enable groups involved in counselling to help men, women and children through traumatic events and times in their families’ lives.

Grants are also being paid to suicide support groups, child counselling groups, women’s and men’s support groups as well as groups providing marriage preparation and marriage counselling.

“The services which are supported by these grants promote stable family relationships and the well-being of individuals, children and society in general. I want to encourage people to avail of these professional supports which are available in their own communities to help them through these difficult times”, said Minister Ó Cuív.

A county by county breakdown of total grants awarded is below.

ENDS

Note for Editors:

2010 Scheme of Grants for Marriage, Child and Bereavement Counselling Services