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CAMHS is a specialist service for people under the age of 18 with moderate to severe mental health difficulties

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child and adolescent mental health services

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Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

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CAMHS is a specialist service for people under 18 with moderate to severe mental health difficulties. Find out what difficulties CAMHS can treat, who can refer you to CAMHS and what to expect after a referral

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Employee Assistance Service - Free counselling service for school staff

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Employee Assistance Service - Free counselling service for school staff

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Employee Assistance Service / Spectrum.Life (formerly Inspire Workplace Services)

The Employee Assistance Service (EAS) is arranged and managed by the Department of Education & Skills and provides teachers and immediate family members, i.e. partner, spouse or adult child (aged 18 and over) residing at the same address as the employee, with access to confidential counselling and assists in coping with the effect of personal and work-related issues. Counselling is provided on issues such as health, relationships, addictions, bereavement, stress, conflict, critical incident and trauma.

The service is free and confidential and available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to teachers in schools. The service is provided by Spectrum.Life.

Contact Details:

Free Phone: 1800 411 057

The contact details for SMS is Text 'Hi' to 087 145 2056 and for Whatsapp is 087 3690010

Login to the Spectrum.Life website

See here to view the Spectum.Life Employee Assistance Service flyer, which includes marketing distribution guidelines.

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Counselling - Irish National Teachers' Organisation

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The Employee Assistance Service (EAS) is arranged and managed by the Department of Education & Skills and provides teachers and immediate family members, i.e. partner, spouse or adult child (aged 18 and over) residing at the same address as the employee, with access to confidential counselling and assists in coping with the effect of personal and work-related issues.

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However, research in our Now You See Us study suggests that another quarter of pupils will have moderate SEMH needs, which are much harder for educators to identify, but which can have a significant impact on pupils' learning.

Using the Boxall Profile ® is the best way to identify and address these hidden issues, to ensure that every child and young person gets the support they need to engage fully with their education.

Boxall Profile ® assessments are not designed as a diagnostic tool for specific mental health conditions, learning difficulties or developmental difficulties. Instead, assessments are designed to help professionals understand and work more effectively with children and young people, in a way that's sensitive to the needs of the child or young person being assessed.

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SEMH Assessment & Emotional Behavioural Toolkit for Children - Interventions & Strategies

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Unlock the potential of pupils aged 4-18 with the Boxall Profile® Online. Expertly assess and address SEMH needs, providing tailored strategies for classroom success. Elevate understanding of SEMH and ensure every child thrives.

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Naturally we want to shield children from pain. Giving a child difficult news about a death or serious illness is not easy at a time when you can be overwhelmed by grief yourself. It's normal to be unsure about what to say, and how to find the words your child can understand.

Conversations about death are steps in a journey. Once you tell a child about a death or serious illness, you will need to have ongoing conversations as the child takes in and processes the information. The importance of support from family, friends and care settings (such as crèche or school) cannot be underestimated - much of children's understanding of the world comes through family and the significant adults in their lives.

Children grieve in different ways depending on their personality, age and their understanding of death. Children need information and explanations in order to make some sense of what has happened. Be honest and talk in language that children understand. Information and reassurance help a child make sense of a loss.
Children can experience a variety of grief reactions
Emotional responses may include fear, anxiety, confusion, anger, sadness, relief,
loneliness, guilt, isolation.
Physical responses may include low energy, interrupted sleep or eating patterns, unexplained aches and pains.
Behavioural responses may include lack of concentration, temporary dis-improvement in
school work, memory loss, 'acting out', aggression, irritability or regression to behaviour
more commonly associated with a younger age (such as bed wetting, thumb-sucking, or baby talk).
Social responses may include loss of self-esteem and confidence, withdrawal from
friends and activities, or a fall-off in school attendance.

Children may exhibit none, some, or many of these responses. All bereaved children and young people need to be heard and have their need for information, simple explanations and
reassurance met after a loss.
Talking to children about suicide
This is often considered one of the most difficult conversations to have. However, it is better a child hears it from a parent or someone in their immediate family circle rather than indirectly. How much information you give depends on the child's age and personality. Suicide can be explained in stages, in the first instance you might explain that the person has died, and then there may be details of when and where, and that the person caused themselves to die because in their mind living had become too hard for them. Be aware of the shock factor. Repeat key information later. Check with them as to what they have understood.

The child may be angry and frustrated and have questions you can't answer, and you may have to explain that you don't have all the answers.Very often children imagine that they caused the person to die, and with suicide children worry that they could have done something to prevent it. Reassure them that this is not the case.

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The First Steps in Talking to Children about Grief - Irish Childhood Bereavement Network

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Sharing difficult news with children Naturally we want to shield children from pain. Giving a child difficult news about a death or serious illness is not easy at a time when you can be overwhelmed by grief yourself.

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Children grieve in their own way after a death or loss. Their reactions will depend on the nature of their loss. There is no right or wrong way to grieve.

As they get older, they understand death better and they may need to talk about their grief again.

Talking about death and loss

After a death, it's important to tell children about the death.

Tell the child what has happened as soon as possible. The person closest to the child should tell them if possible.

Use simple and clear language that they will understand. It may seem unkind to use words such as 'dead'. But phrases such as 'gone to the angels' or 'gone to sleep' can be confusing. Check to make sure they understand what has happened.

Talk about the person who has died. You could do this using photos, games, memory boxes or stories. This helps children to share and talk about emotions.

Signs of grief in children

The way children show grief is different from an adult.

How children react to death and loss depends on:

their age and understanding of death

their bond with the person who died

the reactions of other members of the family

their personality

Some common reactions to bereavement or loss in children include:

emotional responses such as fear, sadness, anxiety or anger

physical responses such as low energy, changed eating patterns, tummy aches

social responses such as loss of self-esteem, or withdrawal from friends, activities or school

sleep disturbances such as nightmares, waking up early or fear of the dark

behavioural responses such as lack of concentration, memory loss, aggression or overly good behaviour

acting like a younger child such as being clingy, wetting the bed or their clothes, or sucking their thumb

These symptoms become less intense over time. But they may reappear around special dates such as anniversaries, birthdays or Christmas.

Children may ask questions about death again as they grow older and need more information.

Supporting a child who is grieving

Most children find a way to cope with loss. It helps if they have a supportive adult to guide them and give them clear information.

There are things you can do to help with their grief:

try to keep up a routine for the child - familiar activities can help them feel more secure

let the child know that it is OK to feel lots of different things and who they can talk to about them

share your feelings with them - you can say that you too feel sad, angry or fed up

give them ways to express their grief such as drawing, making cards or using puppets

include children in grief rituals - younger children could make a card, older children may want to view the body or take part in the funeral ceremony

tell the child what to expect if they want to go to a removal or funeral

tell the child's school about the changes in their life

When to get help

Most children are resilient. They can adjust to changes in their lives and settle into new routines.

But a small number of children need more help to process their grief.
Find a list of organisations that provide support for bereavement and loss Supporting someone who is grieving

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supporting children after a death in the family

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Children grieve in their own way after a death or loss. Their reactions will depend on the nature of their loss. There is no right or wrong way to grieve. As they get older, they understand death better and they may need to talk about their grief again.

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Children do not fully understand death. They don't realise death is permanent and will happen to everyone. It's important they know that the person has died, is not simply 'asleep', and that they will not return.
Reactions
Although babies, toddlers and preschool children may not understand the concept of death, they may sense the person's absence and pick up on the distress of those around them. They may become withdrawn or have loud outbursts of crying or display clinginess to others. Also some regression in relation to toilet training, sleep routine, soother or thumb sucking may occur.
How to support
Maintain their routine as much as possible to reassure them.

Play familiar music and games.

Keep regular mealtimes and prepare favourite foods.

Give extra time to comfort when necessary.

Encourage asking questions and answer as honestly as you can.

Continuing memories: photo albums and creating memory boxes are a great way to do this.

Encouraging asking for help - come up with ways that your child can indicate when they need support or reassurance. You can role
model this too.

Create time and space for immediate family to reassure the child after losing a significant person.

Children of this age gradually learn that death is final and that all living things will die at some time.
Reactions
Initial shock may be followed by very little reaction. Some children may experience night terrors, trouble sleeping, tears, separation anxiety, repeating the same questions and may expect the person who has died to come back.
How to support

As with younger age continue to encourage asking questions, continuing memories, asking for help and reassurance.

Be factual about what has happened. Children don't need to know every detail but giving them facts will help them build and maintain trust.

Use the words 'died' and 'dead' to help them understand that the person is not coming back.

Explain rituals as they are happening and include children where possible.

Children may regress (want to sleep in carer's bed, look for extra comfort).

Let staff in their school and clubs know what has happened as they may form part of the child's wider circle of support.

Children at this age have the capacity to understand death can have different causes and impacts on the people around them.
Reactions
At this stage expect a lot of specific questions about how and why the person died and could it have been prevented. As they understand more about the permanence of death they may be deeply shocked, afraid and angry. They may not want to participate in games and sports with their peers as enjoyment may seem disloyal to their loved one. They may also avoid talking about the person who has died.
How to support

As with younger ages continue to encourage asking questions, continuing memories, asking for help and reassurance.

Create a culture in the home that all questions are okay even if you don't have all of the answers.

Make time as a family to remember your loved one.

Support the development of friendships and the exploration of new activities making sure that schools and clubs are aware of what happened and how they can support.

Acknowledge the difficult transition from primary to secondary school without their loved one and also celebrate the achievement with them.

Remind children that the additional challenges they experience as a result of grief is not their fault.

This age group understands that death is irreversible, universal, and has a cause.
Reactions
Teenagers are already coping with changes that come with moving to secondary school and puberty. Generally they will respond to the death in ways that are recognisable in their personality (if usually anxious may become more worried, if they usually anger easily they may express anger towards their unfair loss). On
the other hand some teens may react in a way that is opposite to how they usually are (an outgoing teen may become withdrawn).

Frustration, anger, a sense of great unfairness, overwhelm, and anxiety are all emotions that could be said to be common features of both adolescence and of grieving.
How to support

As with younger ages continue to encourage asking questions, continuing memories, asking for help and reassurance.

Processing grief whilst also experiencing significant developmental shifts can be intense. This is a challenge, but also normal so try to be patient and understanding.

Show how normal it is for grief to come and go. It can catch us off guard and it is okay and normal to get emotional and feel very sad. It is also okay to experience moments of joy, laugh at funny memories.

Ask questions and listen more than giving guidance. Ask what might be helpful for them, don't assume.

Have realistic expectation of performance and grades which may fluctuate for a period of time following the death. Ensure that school staff are aware of what has happened so that they can also have realistic expectations and
provide support.

Remind self-critical teens that the extra challenge of grieving, in addition to coping with the challenges of being a teen, is not their fault.

Give them time to see their friends as peers can be an important source of support.

Regularly offer opportunities to talk to you without putting too much pressure on them to do so.

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Children and Grief by Age & Stage - Irish Childhood Bereavement Network

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Children do not fully understand death. They don't realise death is permanent and will happen to everyone. It's important they know that the person has died, is not simply 'asleep', and that they will not return.

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Child protection procedures for Primary & Post-primary

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Child protection procedures for Primary & Post-primary

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Any deficiency is considered by the department as serious and school management will be advised that the issues identified should be addressed without delay. Where a subsequent recommendation is made in a publishable report, the inspector will inform school management that the department expects the board to use the school response form to confirm that the issues have been addressed.

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Mental Health services for children and young people in Ireland

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Mental Health services for children and young people in Ireland

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It can be an overwhelming experience for a parent when your child is experiencing difficulties with their mental health. Sometimes, mental health issues can be eased by getting support from family or friends. Other times, mental health issues can be more complex and difficult to deal with.

You can access a range of free supports and resources to help you manage 'mild' mental health challenges and protect you child's mental health and wellbeing. These include websites like spunout.ie and yourmentalhealth.ie. You can also contact helplines and advocacy services that are funded and supported by the HSE. For example, 50808, Childline, and Samaritans.

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has published a directory of the different services and supports available for parents, children and young people. You can also find information on helplines for parents and parenting courses.

If you need more support, there are mental health services specifically for children. The service or organisation you go to depends on what your child is going through, and whether it is considered 'mild', or more 'severe'. Even when a mental health difficulty is categorised as 'mild', that does not mean it is not serious or important. All mental health difficulties can be distressing and have a significant impact.

Knowing what mental health services there are and how to access them isn't always easy. Here we describe the main services and how they can help.

Your family doctor

Primary care services

Specialist services

Private mental health care services

Non-profit organisations

If your child is experiencing mental health difficulties, contact your GP.

You can visit your GP along with your child or young person. The HSE has a list of questions you, or your child, might find useful when you are talking to the GP or other healthcare professional.

Explain what you're worried about and any changes, however big or small, you have noticed in the last weeks or months. Your GP is likely to ask lots of questions. It is important to tell the GP everything you are concerned about so they can either advise what to do next, or give you a referral for the right services, if appropriate.

Your GP may want to meet or talk with your young person alone for some time. That's normal.

Your GP will identify the right support or service for your child, based on:

Their age

The type of symptoms they are experiencing

The severity of their symptoms

Their level of risk

The next level of supports and services are sometimes described as primary care services. These are designed for people who are going through 'mild to moderate' mental health difficulties. The types of support offered at this level tend to be brief and last for a specified length of time.

Jigsaw offers free one-to-one mental health support for young people aged 12-25 with mild to moderate mental health concerns. Referrals for young people under 18 are accepted from parents and health care professionals. You can email or phone your local Jigsaw service to ask for an appointment.

HSE Primary Care Psychology services are based in local primary care centres all over Ireland. They provide a broad range of free services to children aged 0 - 17 years of age. Each primary care centre usually has a team of occupational therapists, psychologists, nurses and social workers. Services include individual therapy, group-based therapeutic work for children, adolescents and parents, and various types of assessments. Referrals are accepted from healthcare professionals.

Family Resource Centres are run by the Child and Family Agency Tusla around the country. They deliver free community-based supports to children and parents, and some services have access to counselling.

The next level of supports and services are designed for people who are experiencing moderate to severe mental health issues. The services at this level are sometimes described as specialist services. They are usually led by psychiatrists, and most of the people who are accessing supports at this level will have a clinical mental health diagnosis. To access these supports and services your child will need a referral from your GP or healthcare professional.

CAMHS

The main specialist mental health support for young people under the age of 18 is child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). CAMHS is designed for young people with moderate to severe mental health difficulties.

CAMHS prioritises referrals based on risk, which means people who are considered at highest risk will be seen sooner, and those categorised as lower risk will wait longer to be seen. CAHMS assesses and treats conditions including:

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Moderate to severe depression

Anxiety

Eating disorders

Self-harm

CAMHS have 3 levels of referrals:

1. Emergency referral is when there is a significant risk to the young person's safety, such as suicide attempt, significant self-harm or a severe eating disorder. These referrals will be prioritised and seen quickly.

2. Urgent referral is where there are high concerns for the young person but it is not a crisis or emergency.

3. Referrals are categorised as routine when there is no immediate risk.

Specialist services are also for people who are experiencing severe and complex mental health issues and need intensive support. This can involve a stay in a hospital or a similar supported living setting where a team of mental health professionals can monitor symptoms and give specialist support and treatments.

Inpatient treatment can be helpful if your child's symptoms are so severe that they are making it difficult for them to function, if their safety is at risk, or if they also need some physical health treatment because of their mental health issues.

Mental health professionals in private practice all over Ireland provide therapy sessions for young people under 18. You should check what experience they have with working with young people, the type of support they offer, and the cost per session before making an appointment. You do not need a referral from your GP, you can just make appointments directly.

Not all therapists are trained in the same way or have the same qualifications. Spunout has information to help you understand the difference between counsellors and psychotherapists and the types of therapy available.

Some charities and organisations offer services you might find useful when looking for support for your young person. Some of these organisations receive HSE funding.
Call 999 or 112 if you or someone you know is about to harm themselves or someone else.

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Mental health services for children and young people in Ireland

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Find out what services are available for children and young people and how to access them.

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Jigsaw - Mental Health service for young people aged 12 - 25

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Jigsaw - Mental Health service for young people aged 12 - 25

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Study and work

Before this, I worked with Foroige for a number of years and then in the HSE West GAF Youth Health Advice café as Teenage Health Co-ordinator and from here to Jigsaw Galway.

This was a natural move to make and I was excited to be joining what was a new innovative service working with young people around their mental health and wellbeing. It felt like the beginning of something greatly needed in our community that would make a difference in the lives of young people and families in Galway. I love my work and the people that I have worked with in the past and present. They're a great bunch.

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Jigsaw Galway | In your area | Jigsaw Youth Mental Health

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Meet the team and find out all the details you need to get in touch with the Jigsaw service in Galway, for youth mental health support.

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Meath Emotionally Based School Avoidance Pack Final PDF Version Jan 2023

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Tackle Bullying is a national website to counter bullying and cyberbullying for young people, parents and teachers.

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Bí Cineálta Procedures to Prevent and Address Bullying Behaviour

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Bí Cineálta Procedures to Prevent and Address Bullying Behaviour

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Bí Cineálta Procedures to Prevent and Address Bullying Behaviour

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Numerous studies have shown that, above all other factors, it's the teacher in the classroom who inspires, cultivates and enthuses learning. A teacher affects eternity, and can never tell where their influence will stop. In our unflinching efforts to enrich the lives of our pupils, every day, our role as the teacher has become extraordinarily busy. The role of the teacher has now gone far beyond teaching and learning in the classroom, teachers need to be supported in these varied and ever evolving roles from class teacher, tutor, to counsellor and confidant to our young people. Thankfully there are many CPD opportunities for teachers to support their roles including and very importantly in the area of Teacher Wellbeing.

When you're busy, it can be hard to find the time to take proper care of yourself. However, self-care is not a reward for hard work, it is part of the process. It's the careful repetition of simple habits, which work together to soothe you and make sure you're at your optimum-emotionally, physically, and mentally. Implement simple self-care habits every day by regularly including in your life a little bit of love and attention for your own body, mind, and soul.

Schools can apply for in-school support in the area of Teacher Wellbeing. Your Advisor will tailor the support to meet the bespoke needs of your school. To apply for this in-school support, click here. To access and download a range of resources to support your wellbeing, click on the images and links below.

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Numerous studies have shown that, above all other factors, it's the teacher in the classroom who inspires, cultivates and enthuses learning. A teacher affects eternity, and can never tell where their influence will stop. In our unflinching efforts to enrich the lives of our pupils, every day, our role as the teacher has become extraordinarily busy.

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WHY JOIN FÓRSA

We win! We protect your job, increase your wages, fight for your rights.

Benefits like: Salary Protection Scheme with free access to MyDoc GP; €5,000 critical illness and personal accident cover; €5000 death benefit for you and your spouse/ partner; €5,000 illness benefit if out of work for more than 12 months.*Terms and conditions apply

to begin industrial action next week in pay dispute

WHY JOIN FÓRSA

We win! We protect your job, increase your wages, fight for your rights.

Benefits like: Salary Protection Scheme with free access to MyDoc GP; €5,000 critical illness and personal accident cover; €5000 death benefit for you and your spouse/ partner; €5,000 illness benefit if out of work for more than 12 months.*Terms and conditions apply

Fórsa In Action

WARNING: We have detected that you currently have Javascript disabled. This website requires the use of Javascript, for the best possible viewing experience we highly recommend that you enable Javascript via your browser's options.

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With over 85,000 members, Forsa is the largest Irish trade union for the public service, and the second largest trade union in the state.

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Irish National Teachers' Organisation - Ireland's Largest Teachers' Trade Union

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The Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO), founded in 1868, is the oldest and largest teachers' trade union in Ireland. It represents 40,633 teachers at primary level in the Republic of Ireland and 7,086 teachers at primary and post-primary level in Northern Ireland.

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How to deal with school refusal and school avoidance

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How to deal with school refusal and school avoidance

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How to deal with School Refusal and School Avoidance - ISPCC

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School is a source of joy for many children. But for some parents, dealing with school refusal and school avoidance is a daily occurrence.

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A brief or short leave of absence from school for various circumstances and situations which may arise throughout the school year, for example, for reasons of bereavement, force majeure, testifying as a witness in court and so on. Such absences can be paid or unpaid / substitutable or non-substitutable.

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A brief or short leave of absence from school for various circumstances and situations which may arise throughout the school year, for example, for reasons of bereavement, force majeure, testifying as a witness in court and so on. Such absences can be paid or unpaid / substitutable or non-substitutable.

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Payroll services for teaching, non-teaching and retired staff on Department of Education payrolls

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Payroll services for teaching, non-teaching and retired staff on Department of Education payrolls

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Payroll services for teaching, non-teaching and retired staff on Department of Education payrolls

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Payroll Division currently deal with queries by email. A contact form is available online which facilitates queries being dealt with. If a telephone call is required to resolve the query, payroll staff will ring you back, so please provide a contact number.

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The Catalogue of Resources provides a non-exhaustive list of documents and resources that are provided by the Department of Education (DE), its agencies, support services, other Government Departments and their agencies and by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to assist the promotion of wellbeing across school communities.

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Wellbeing information for school staff - primary

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The Catalogue of Resources provides a non-exhaustive list of documents and resources that are provided by the Department of Education (DE), its agencies, support services, other Government Departments and their agencies and by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to assist the promotion of wellbeing across school communities.

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Rainbows Ireland - Supporting children with bereavement and divorce

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Rainbows Ireland - Supporting children with bereavement and divorce

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Rainbows Ireland - Supporting Children with Bereavement and Parental Separation

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Rainbows is 35 years in Ireland. We have learnt a lot from children and young people and what their concerns and worries can be. The focus of every session is on children/young people and is not on adult issues.

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Bullying in schools is a serious problem and it is the responsibility of school managements to deal with it.

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6 Methods of Intervention - Restorative Practice

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6 Methods of Intervention - Restorative Practice

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We've gathered resources for helping you implement a program of compassionate, creative and inclusive alternatives for responding to school discipline issues.

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Restorative Practice is based primarily on a set of core values and the explicit promotion and enhancement of particular skills such as the ability to empathise and to find solutions to specific problems. This practice allows for building trust between and with people. It provides a structured approach in the form of a scaffold, which helps build and sustain relationships, and provides a focus which allows for the potential growth of positive relationships to become established between people. It also provides a platform for dealing with conflict in a healthy manner when conflict occurs. The development of each relationship is based on a set of core values. These values include respect, and being respectful of everyone, including towards people someone maybe doesn't always see eye to eye with or even like.

Through the development of empathy, and promoting understanding of perspective taking, people can learn to respect each other and where someone is coming from in terms of their own expression of thought and feelings. In our efforts to show empathy, as human beings we are able to harness the notion of fairness into our relationships, and therefore can also account for our own actions and hold others to account for theirs.

To apply for in-school support in Restorative Practice for primary or post primary schools, visit https://dms.pdst.ie/support

In response to school requests for support in dealing with conflict and bullying, questions raised during the delivery of national seminars about the intervention and prevention of bullying behaviour, school visits by advisors, and a wider professional dialogue, a project emerged which set about introducing Restorative Practice in to a number of schools across the Republic of Ireland.

This report is an evaluation of the project, and highlights the steps taken, and how the project developed and progressed over the period from September 2018- March 2019. It includes an overview of the restorative practice pilot project, an examination of some of the relevant literature pertaining to both the value of RP and what it can achieve, and an outline of the rationale for approaching this project through a model of sustained support. Finally, it considers the findings of the project and concludes with the implications for future practice and engagement with schools.

The Restorative Practice Question Cards above are an integral part of the Restorative Practice Approach.

They are to be used as a support during restorative interactions and are one of many elements of the practice

The Childhood Development Initiative (CDI) works to improve outcomes for children, families and communities in Tallaght and throughout Ireland. CDI have recently launched a podcast series outlining current Restorative Practice in Ireland.

" Circles of Connection: Stories from Ireland about using Restorative Practices to Build Relationships".

Click the link below to listen to the Podcast. Enjoy!

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Restorative Practice is based primarily on a set of core values and the explicit promotion and enhancement of particular skills such as the ability to empathise and to find solutions to specific problems. This practice allows for building trust between and with people.

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Training - Restorative Practices Ireland

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By including information on these organisations, Restorative Practices Ireland does not in any way approve, endorse or recommend them, their staff or training.