Meath Community Resources and Supports Booklet – For Families with Additional Needs

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Families of children with additional needs are being brought up to speed on supports available to them, thanks to the publication of the Tusla and CYPSC funded Meath Community Resources & Supports booklet.

Launched in Navan on 29th February by Meath Child and Family Support Networks (CFSNs), the booklet is the culmination of 18 months work undertaken by the CFSN Coordination team in Co Meath, the working group, and parents. It was funded through Tusla Parental Participation Seed funding, Meath Children & Young People’s Services Committee (CYPSC) BOBF 2023 Programme funding and Navan library.

The need for the booklet arose through the Meath CFSNs, which realised how families were asking for signposting to supports while seeking/awaiting assessment.

As a result, a working group was formed to include interested CFSN members. Led by Jackie Jackson and Alice O’Halloran, Tusla CFSN Coordinators for Meath, it was made up of representatives from Navan Library, Primary Care Social Work, CDNT, Trim FRC, Navan FRC and Meath County Childcare Committee.

Following a mapping exercise, consultation with services and parents, it became clear that there were far more services and supports to be included than initially envisaged, resulting in a sizeable booklet that is packed with information.

Representatives of services listed in the booklet were present on the day, with stands placed around the room to meet parents before and after the presentation and speeches.

Speaking at the launch, mental health advocate Rory O’Connor, of Rory’s Stories, gave practical and helpful advice to the 80 parents present along with services in attendance, and highlighted how much value such an information booklet can bring to families who are desperate for support.

Click on the link below to access the Meath Community Resources and Supports Booklet

Meath Community Resources and Supports – Additional Needs 2024

 

Launch of Meath Emotionally Based School Avoidance Resource Pack

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On 1st March, 2023, a webinar was held to launch the Meath Emotionally Based School Avoidance Resource Pack. The Meath School Avoidance Working Group (coordinated through the Meath CYPSC – Children and Young People’s Services Committee), alongside our colleagues in NEPS (National Educational Psychology Service), HSE Primary Care Psychology, HSE CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service), TESS (Tusla Education Support Service), HSE and Enable Ireland Disability Services, Meath CFSNs (Child and Family Support Networks), and a number of community based services worked in collaboration to develop a ‘School Avoidance Resource Pack’ to deliver to schools across the county.

The webinar targeted Principals and Vice-Principals of Primary and Secondary schools in Co. Meath, and involved the above services speaking briefly about the service they offer, their role in relation to school avoidance and guidance regarding accessing this service for a student engaging in school avoidance. There was also an opportunity for a Question & Answers session at the end.

Further to the webinar, copies of the Meath School Avoidance Resource Pack were delivered to all schools in Co. Meath. The resource pack has been designed to provide schools, students and parents/guardians/carers with a School Avoidance Pathway. The pathway was developed by services working with young people who are experiencing difficulties attending school for various reasons. It is hoped that this pathway and resource pack will provide a guide for schools and parents/guardians/carers on the best way to manage school avoidance and the relevant services that may be of assistance.

Click on the link below to access the ebook of the Meath School Avoidance Resource Pack.

https://e.issuu.com/embed.html?d=meath_emotionally_based_school_avoidance_pack_fina&u=tusla1

This initiative was funded by Meath CYPSC from the DCEDIY BOBF Fund 2022/2023.

Louth Meath Domestic Abuse Resource Pack Ebook

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On July 1st 2022, Louth and Meath CYPSCs together with Tusla Louth Meath and its interagency Domestic Violence Partners launched a Resource Pack on Domestic Abuse. This initiative was led by the Louth and Meath CYPSC’s Safe and Protected from Harm sub groups in the respective counties in line with the Children and Young People’s Plans objectives to increase the knowledge and skills among practitioners on the impact of Domestic Abuse on children, young people and their families.

Click here to view the ebook.

 

Mind the Gap Workbook: Supporting Students to Successfully Start Second Level Education in Sept 2021

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In 2017, Navan School Completion Programme (NSCP) staff team with the support of Meath CYPSC, LMETB and Meath Springboard Family Support Services developed a workbook called;

“Mind the Gap” Transition Steps from Primary to Post Primary

The main aim of the workbook and its associated video is to assist young people successfully transfer from primary to secondary school. It encompasses exercises to help pupils negotiate second level time tables, teacher expectations, new environments and the journey from established social groups into new social relations.

In light of existing COVID 19 restrictions and in response to the needs of 6th Class pupils during this time, the Mind The Gap Steering Committee have taken the generous decision to continue to make the successful Workbook available online as a pdf. Please click on the link below to access the Mind The Gap Workbook.

Navan School Completion Programme MindtheGap Workbook

Hard copies of the Mind the Gap Workbook are available and can be ordered through [email protected]. The workbooks are very reasonably priced at €2 each to facilitate mass distribution. The Mind the Gap Steering Committee note from their experience that children absorb the learning best when completing hard copy material.

The online video resource that accompanies the workbook can be accessed by clicking on the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5eQVbZBs3I