Supports for Survivors

Research Guides

Justice for Magdalenes Research has produced Guides to the Magdalene restorative justice scheme and Research Guides for survivors and relatives. They are available here.

Adoption Rights Alliance has produced a Guide to obtaining personal data for adopted people, and a Template Subject Access Request letter for natural mothers, available here.

Facebook Groups / Pages

Adoption Rights Alliance runs a peer support group on Facebook with over 2,000 members, made up of adopted people, natural parents and others affected by adoption. Everything discussed in the group is confidential, and membership is vetted to ensure that only those with a genuine connection to adoption are granted access. If you wish, you are welcome to join under a pseudonym, and if you do, please let us know in your application. The group can be accessed here.

Justice for Magdalenes Research has a public Facebook page that you can find here.

There are many more pages on Facebook which are relevant to issues of institutional abuses in Ireland, which you will find if you search online.

Personal Support

1. The National Counselling Service  was set up by the HSE and was established initially to provide counseling to adults abused as children in state institutions but also offers support to adults abused in other settings. The counselling service is free of charge.

  • North East: 1800 234 117
  • North Dublin: 1800 234 110
  • North West: 1800 234 119
  • West: 1800 234 114
  • Mid-west: 1800 234 115
  • Midlands: 1800 234 113
  • Dublin South West/Kildare/West Wicklow: 1800 234 112
  • South Dublin & East Wicklow: 1800 234 111/1800 234 116
  • South East: 1800 234 118
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2. Connect Counselling is a free telephone counselling and support service for any adult who has experienced abuse, trauma or neglect in childhood. You can talk in confidence with a trained counsellor who can listen or help with questions you have.

  • Republic of Ireland: 1800 477 477
  • UK and Northern Ireland: 00800 477 477 77
  • Outside RoI and UK: 00353 (0) 1 865 7495 (Int. call rates apply) 
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3. Health Service Executive (HSE) where people without medical cards can still access a wide range of community and hospital health services, either free of charge or at reduced cost. The HSE website contains a detailed directory of the services and information on how to access them. 

4. Aware provides support groups for people with depression through its program ‘Aware Defeat Depression’. Aware’s support groups are nationwide for both individuals with depression and also family members and friends. 

5. GROW in Ireland is a mental health organisation that helps people with their mental health. It has a national network of over 130 Groups in Ireland. 

  • Web: http://www.grow.ie/meetings.html
  • Dublin: 
    • 167a Capel Street, Dublin 1
    • Donnycarney Community & Youth Centre, Collins Avenue East, Dublin 5 (use the Clan Carthy Rd entrance).
    • Fettercairn, Fettercairn Community Centre, Jobstown, Tallaght, Dublin 24.
  • Cork:  11 Liberty Street (Beside St.Francis Church).

 

6. Shine provides support to reduce the risk of suicide through confidential counseling and special education initiatives such as Life Hope and ASSIST training.

  • Web: https://www.shine.ie/
  • Dublin: 38 Blessington Street, Dublin 7 – Phone: +353 01 8601620
  • Cork:  32 South Terrace, Cork – Phone: 021 4929210

 

7. Talbot Centre Talbot offers individual counselling and family therapy in issues related to drug abuse. It includes services on child and family work, family support, drug education and information, among others.

  • Web: http://www.drugs.ie/find_services/
  • Dublin: 29 Upper Buckingham Street, Dublin 1 – Phone: 01 8363434 / 836 6746
  • Cork: Arbour House Treatment Centre: St. Finbar’s Hospital, Douglas Road, Cork – Phone: 021 4968933
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8. Samaritans offers comprehensive lists of organisations that work on health issues such as drugs, domestic violence, bullying, depression, emergency contraception, suicide, among others. Its website provides useful links to find health services such as counselling, group support and medical attention. This is a very helpful tool to navigate anonymously through the health system service in Ireland.

9. Barnardos Origins Tracing Service offers people who spent all or part of their childhood in an Irish Industrial School and are interested in tracing information about their parents, siblings or other relatives. The service is available to people in Ireland and abroad. However, it does not offer a tracing service for people who were adopted or for those people who were separated from their families but did not spend time in an Industrial School.

10. The London Irish Centre hosts a range of welfare and outreach services.

 

11. Dublin Rape Crisis Centre provides support, resources and information for those who have experienced sexual assault, rape or childhood sexual abuse. Their support includes telephone counselling through their National 24-Hour Helpline, one-to-one counselling, and accompaniment services.

  • Web: https://www.drcc.ie 
  • Email: info@rcc.ie
  • Address: McGonnell House, 70 Lower Leeson Street, Dublin 2
  • Phone: 01 661 4911
  • National 24-Hour Helpline: 1 800 77 8888

 

12. The Association of Mixed Race Irish (AMRI) is a charity which advocates for people of mixed race backgrounds and seeks recognition and justice for those who suffered racism as children in Irish institutions. In recent years they have been active in raising awareness about human rights violations in Mother and Baby Homes. AMRI is changing to widen its scope which has previously focused mainly on people of African Irish backgrounds in institutions. Now AMRI is opening to include other mixed communities not necessarily related to Irish Institutions but ordinary Irish mixed race families who need support in dealing with their unique cultural and mixed ethnic lives. Their contact details are:

 

13. Right of Place Second Chance provides a range of support for survivors of Institutional Child Abuse and their families on their journey to Truth, Justice and Healing. Right of Place services are specifically tailored to meet the needs of survivors in an understanding, compassionate, and confidential manner.

  • Web: www.rightofplace.com
  • Email: info@rightofplace.com
  • Main Office: Offices and Apartments, 100-101, Lower Glanmire Road, Cork City
  • Additional Office: National Healing and Training Centre, 15 Parnell Street, Waterford City
  • Phone: 1890 200 709

 

14. Irish Chaplaincy is a social action charity providing services and support to excluded, vulnerable and isolated Irish people in Britain.

 

15. The Leicester Irish Society 

 

16. SanKTus Welfare Project (Formerly Our Lady Help Of Christians Welfare Project)

  • Web: http://www.sanktus.org/
  • Email: sanktus.welfare@gmail.com
  • Address: 4 Lady Margaret Road, London NW5 2XT
  • Phone: 020 7485 9160
  • Twitter: @SanktusWelfare

 

17. Aisling Irish Community & Cultural Center offers social services  including confidential counselling by phone or video.

  • Web: www.aislingcenter.org
  • Email: info@aislingcenter.org; counseling@aislingcenter.org
  • Address: 990 McLean Ave, Yonkers, NY 10704
  • Phone: (914) 237 5121; (914) 237 7121
  • Twitter: @Aisling_Irish