PRESS RELEASE: Minister O’Gorman allocates an additional €700,000 in Dormant Accounts Funding for counselling, psychotherapy and therapeutic services for children

Friday 12 May 2023

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 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”.

A list of the organisations and details of the funding allocations can be found in the link below:

Successful Applicants DCEDIY Dormant Accounts Funding