Publication
Keeping You and Your Child Safe + Mental Health and Wellbeing
From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Published on
Last updated on
If you are concerned that a child is being abused or neglected, you can access guidance on reporting your concern from Tusla and find the contact details for the social worker in your area. More information on keeping children safe in our communities is available at gov.ie/childrenfirst.
HSE and Tusla have developed a guide for families who have experienced sexual abuse, available at HSE.ie.
Comprehensive guidance on child safety in the home is available from the HSE. More information available at HSE.ie/Safety
If you think your child has been poisoned, call Public Poisons Information Line at 01 809 2166 . The National Poisons Information Centre also provide poison prevention tips
If your home isn't safe, support is still here. Information about domestic abuse services and supports during the COVID-19 pandemic can be found here at Department of Justice/StillHere.
Information on support services for women is available from Tusla - Child and Family Agency.
Information on support services for men is available from Men's Aid Ireland.
CARI is a professional, child-centred therapy and support service to children, families, and groups who have been affected by child sexual abuse or to children under 12 who are displaying sexually harmful behaviours. Visit CARI website
The ISPCC Support Line provides a confidential email and phone listening service, offering information, advice and emotional support to individuals who have family relationship or parenting needs, as well as those who may have concerns in relation to children. More information available at ISPCC.ie
The Webwise Parents Hub provides practical advice for parents on online safety. The Parents Hub features expert advice from professionals, information on privacy and parental control, cyberbullying, popular apps, and so on. More information available at Webwise Parents Hub.
The Council of Europe has produced a digital parenting guide providing guidance for the online protection of children from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse. More information available at Parenting in the Digital Age.
The National Parents Council (NPC) provide a number of online programmes to help and support parents. The Internet Safety Programme provides parents with the strategies to help their children to be responsible, effective and safer internet users. This session also looks at cyber bullying and setting rules and boundaries around children’s internet usage.
You can access this online session by clicking here .
Helpful information on topics such as anxiety, sleep, low mood and accessing appropriate supports and services can be found on mychild.ie. Click here for more information.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) is a HSE service which provides assessment and treatment for young people and their families who are experiencing mental health difficulties. Further information on CAMHS supports are available here .
Children’s Mental Wellbeing operate a range of online courses that promote mental health and well-being among children and young people. The courses are open to children, parents and those who work with young people in healthcare or educational settings. Click here to view the courses on offer.
Information on the various mental health services available to support children and young people including GP, primary care services, specialist services and private and non-profit organisations can be found on Citizens Information by clicking here .
Early Childhood Ireland (ECI) have published a series of articles which aims to address mental health and well-being concerns impacting young children in the post Covid-19 climate. These articles are targeted at families and early year’s educators and further information is available by clicking here .
Jigsaw provide a variety of resources in the area of youth mental health. These supports include eLearning, face to face services and talk online support. Further information is available here .
The Parenting Hub on the ISPCC website publishes articles in relation to parenting and parenting support on a range of helpful articles covering topics including managing your child’s anxiety, building your child’s resilience, online safety, introducing a new step-parent to your children, maintaining positive contact with your child after a separation and many more can be found on the ISPCC Parent Hub by clicking here .
It is just as important to be aware of and have treatment for mental health problems as it is for physical health problems in pregnancy. You can find information on mental health in pregnancy and the National Programme for Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Services at HSE.ie
Wellbeing advice for parents of young children is available from mychild.ie
Barnardos bring together a range of resources to support parents and their families in taking care of their Heart, Body and Mind. More information available at Barnardos.ie.
Cycling Ireland have some helpful tips on how to teach your child to cycle. Find more information at Cycling Ireland .
Let's Play Ireland is a Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth initiative designed to promote the importance of play among all people, young and old. The website includes a wide range of creative play ideas for both indoor and outdoor play activities for children of all ages.
The START campaign from safefood, the HSE and Healthy Ireland provides information and tips to support families on the importance of healthy eating, exercise and establishing good sleep routines. More information available at safefood.ie/START
Healthy Ireland’s “Healthy Eating Guidelines for 1-4 year olds” aim to help parents establish healthy eating habits. A Youtube video outlining the advice is available below.
Learn more about the health eating guidelines here.
Bodywhys is the national voluntary organisation supporting people affected by eating disorders. Bodywhys works to ensure support, awareness and understanding of eating disorders amongst the wider community as well as advocating for the rights and healthcare needs of people affected by eating disorders.
The Bodywhys national helpline can be contacted by calling 01-2107906 , or by emailing: alex@bodywhys.ie
Bodywhys have also developed a free resource for parents and families who may be having difficulties in addressing or understanding their child’s eating disorder. This resource gives a broad overview of the issues around eating disorders, as well as answering some of the most frequently asked questions families may have. The resource is available on the bodywhys website by clicking here .