Inter-agency co-operation for domestic abuse
North Tipperary providing support for children
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Members of the steering committee, pictured left to right: Edel Leahy, Family Support Team Lead, Silver Arch FRC, Nenagh; Sara Leahy, The More Family Support Project, Tipperary Youth Service, Templemore; Samantha Curtis, Home School Liaison for the Sacred Heart Primary School and Scoil Eoin Naofa, Roscrea; Mairead Keevey, Roscrea/Birr School Completion Programme Coordinator; Olive Carter, Team Leader, Barnardos, Thurles; Fionnuala Collins, TLC/Childhood Domestic Violence Co-ordinator, North Tipperary. Steering Committee members missing from photo are Yvonne Fitzsimons, Senior CFSN Coordinator, TUSLA; Patricia Whelan, Manager of Ascend, North Tipperary Development Company; Niamh Hogan, Family Support Coordinator, Barnardos, Thurles; Katy Croke, Clinical Manager, Jigsaw Tipperary; Michaela Usher, South-West Support Worker, MOVE Ireland; Martin Forrest, Men’s Development Network; Aisling Quinn, JLO, Nenagh, An Garda Síochána, Niamh O’Dwyer, Probation Services. PicasaImage 2 of 2
RIGHT: Community Garda Maureen Finnerty and Fionnuala Collins, TLC Co-ordinator. PicasaThe TLC intervention is an inter-agency facilitated group-based programme for children and young people aged 5-18 who have lived with domestic abuse. The programme is delivered over 12 weeks covering a number of key topics that support children in their recovery.
Group members will all be a similar age and stage of development. Each week the group follows a similar format and covers a different theme with a mix of activities, with core key messages that those attending are not to blame and that recovery after abuse is possible.
Mothers have the option of joining a mothers' group which runs concurrently, covering similar weekly themes. Currently there are groups running in Nenagh and Thurles.
Barnardos host the programme which is funded by Tusla and Cuan. The programme is delivered by staff from a broad range of agencies.
Referrals come from all those who may encounter young people who have been impacted by domestic abuse in the course of their work and also from parents. Currently most referrals come from Ascend and from although referrals also come from both Barnardos and Silver Arch Family Support Services, Tipperary Youth Service, the School Completion programme/Home School Liaison, Jigsaw and Cuan Saor.
Most of these agencies sit on the steering committee, which is chaired by TUSLA CFSN Co-ordinator, Yvonne Fitzsimons, and also has members from An Garda Siochana, Probation Services, MOVE Ireland and the Men’s development Network.
Most of the steering committee representatives have either facilitated themselves or have provided staff who attend a free training which guides the co-facilitation delivery of the programme. These staff, where resources allow, may be released by their agencies to facilitate the group work as a part of their wider remit to uphold the rights of young people to live free from abuse.
TLC Co-ordinator for North Tipperary, Fionnuala Collins, says: “We are fortunate in North Tipperary to have this support for children. An evaluation of the programme spanning over four years of group delivery in North Tipperary has shown the effectiveness of the programme which has now spread to other parts of Ireland.
“However, without the long-established relationships between key people in different agencies, effective interagency co-facilitation would not have been possible. I have witnessed how sharing responsibility provides the best possible practice to address this complex issue which has spin off impacts across many areas of life, from housing to mental health.
“Each representative brings unique insight and there is always mutual learning within and from the dynamic of the particular group, whatever the age cohort. The facilitators are provided with inter-agency supervision where they are invited to reflect on their practice and on the group’s development. An unexpected outcome are the friendships that can develop between the young participants and their sense of not having to cope on their own. Some even ask to do the group a second time!”
In 2024 groups were co-facilitated by representatives from Jigsaw and An Garda Síochána, from Ascend and TUSLA, from Tipperary Youth Service and Ascend, from Barnardos early years and Tipperary Youth Service, and from Barnardos and An Garda Síochána with the TLC Co-ordinator supporting logistics and supervision.
FURTHER DETAILS
Training in programme delivery is free and provides the basis for co-facilitation. For more information contact Fionnuala Collins TLC Co-ordinator on 086 0471042.