Sligo FRC supports individuals, families and communities to reach their full potential and in doing so help to build a stronger healthier community.
SUPPORTS TO PARENTS & FAMILIES
Family Support Service
Family support workers provide targeted home based support to families in their own homes in Sligo town, North Sligo and North Leitrim.
Work undertaken during these visits vary from:
- Advise on children’s behaviour
- De-cluttering
- Early years development & mirroring parenting
- Emotional support to parents
- Financial issues, welfare payments
- Food shopping
- Introducing parents to parent & toddler groups
- Linking with relevant health services
- Parents Plus one to one parenting programmes
- Preparation of healthy meals
- School attendance
- Supporting mothers with breast feeding
- Supporting children with homework
- Support to parents & children with additional needs
- Supporting young mothers
- Working with the parent on basic house hygiene
- Working with teenagers
The time spent with the family depends on their needs.
Footprints Créche
Footprints is a community based not for profit childcare service providing affordable sessional childcare for children up to 6 years old on a once off or continuous agreed basis especially to parents on lower income. Opening hours: Monday – Friday 09:00 – 17:00.
Other Supports to Parents
Parents Plus parenting programmes – at least 2 are rolled out each year – Jan and Sept
Parent and Toddler Group – Tuesdays 10.30-11.30
Breast Feeding Support Group - meets in the FRC every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month from 10:30 - 11:30.
Community Education in collaboration with MSLETB
Provision of space for access visits
Birth Mothers Group (Danú) See www.birthmothersgroup.com
Parenting Support Champions where we seek to promote the Tusla Parenting Strategy Parenting 24/7, the 50 Key Messages for parents, linking with Children and Young Peoples Services Committees (CYPSC) and Children and Family Support Network areas (CFSN).
Summer Camps each July for children aged 4-6 years
FEAD Fund for European Aid to the most Deprived available – contact FRC
DISABILITY SUPPORTS
- Disability – Adults with Intellectual Disability
- One to one support, advice information
- Educational opportunities and social opportunities for those living independently in the community.
Countess Café Markievicz House training opportunities – Two supervisors oversee this work
NEW COMMUNITIES SUPPORT AND INTERCULTURAL WORK
Drop-In - Members of new communities can drop in for tea/coffee, information, companionship, peer support etc.
Volunteer Befriending Service - Working with Syrian refugee families, the volunteers spend a minimum of one hour per week with their allocated families. The families get to practice their English, learn about life in Sligo while the volunteers get to learn about Syrian culture, try our new food and get to meet new people.
Intercultural workshops and events
Each year we host a family friendly intercultural event on St. Patrick’s Day and an International concert in the autumn. During the year we may host intercultural interactive workshops, intercultural training for professionals and trips for those wishing to improve their English. We also provide English conversation classes with volunteers.
Social Prescribing for Health and Well being
Linking people with supports within the community.
Social prescribing is about supporting the health and wellbeing of people by using community-based activities and supports such as exercise, art, reading and gardening. There may also be an opportunity to attend self-help sessions such as stress control.
The Social Prescribing Link worker will talk to you about what activities interest you, the benefits of participating in them and will assist and support you in attending these activities.
These may include:
Physical activity
Arts and creativity
Learning new skills
Self-help
Books for health
Support groups
Contact Loretta McLoughlin 0834036985
Notes on referrals to the service:
We have our own Referral Form for the Family Support Service which provides home based family support. People can self-refer to the Social Prescribing service and will be provided with a form. For every other service there is no requirement for a Referral Form.
Support Cultural Groups
In the past we have supported the Sligo Intercultural Forum and now we host Mala Polska (Polish group), Zemene (Latvian group) and North African/Asian women’s group.
- Sligo town and environs
- Sligo - north
- Sligo - south, east and west
- Leitrim - Carrick-on-Shannon and environs
- Leitrim - south
- Leitrim - north
- Service provided at above address
- Service provided at various locations throughout the area covered
- Service provided in person's own home
The home based targeted family support service is provided in the service users own home or in the Sligo FRC premises. We also have a service for adults with learning disabilities who live independently in Sligo Town and support them in their own homes.
- Free
- Charges depend on income / circumstances of service user
- Charge applies for some services / some services free
The charge for Footprints creche is under the National Childcare Scheme, the supports to families and adults with disabilities are free. Membership of groups is free but there is usually a small charge for community education as there are subsidised by the ETB.
- People can self-refer / access the service directly (without the need for a referral)
- Parents / guardians can refer
- Through GP
- Through schools
- Through Tusla Child and Family Social Workers
- Through other Tusla services (e.g. Education Welfare Service)
- Through HSE services
- Through other statutory services
- Through other community / voluntary service
We have our own Referral Form for the Family Support Service which provides home based family support. For every other service there is no requirement for a Referral Form.
- Under-18s need parental permission
- Under-16s need parental permission
Parent permission is sought for activities involving children in the FRC in line with our Guidance Principles and child Safeguarding Procedures
- Early years (0-4 years)
- Primary school age (4-12 years approx.)
- Post-primary school age (13-18 years approx.)
- Young adults (18-24 years)
- Adults (25-64 years)
Age-range catered for:
Early years (0-4 years)
Children (5-12 years)
Young people (13 - 24 years)
Adults (25-64 years)
Physical health & Disability
Counselling & Therapy
Education & Childcare
Youth Services & Activities for young people
Support Services
Information & Advice
General Services