Launch of programme to supporting children and families in South Tipperary

The ’Clonmel Community Families/Community Mothers’ programme, a family support service involving Tusla (the Child and Family Agency) and HSE Dublin and South East, was launched recently.

The launch, held at Clonmel’s Talbot Hotel, brought together families, staff, partner agencies and community stakeholders from across South Tipperary and beyond to celebrate the continued development of this service and its positive impact on children and families in their local communities.

Tusla funds early childhood Home Visiting programmes across Ireland, along with other entities like the HSE, towards supporting parents and families in pregnancy and early childhood. Since 2018, the Clonmel Community Mothers has been one of seven nationally. It has recently been reviewed and updated and is now called ’Clonmel Community Families/ Community Mothers’ .

Home Visiting programmes offer practical, emotional and developmental support to parents and carers, especially during pregnancy and the early years of a child’s life. These services are based on partnership, trust and offering support as early as possible.

Free to its users, the ’Clonmel Community Families/Community Mothers’ is a home visiting programme that supports first time parents in their new relationship with their child. Parents are linked with a trained Home Visitor, who will support people as they become more confident and grow as parents. Home Visitors provide support, information and encouragement from pregnancy until a child reaches three years of age.

The service is available in Clonmel, Cahir, Cashel, Carrick-on-Suir, and surrounding rural areas. Professionals like Public Health Nurses, Midwives or GPs may recommend the service.

In the South Tipperary area, Home Visitors will continue to provide higher support service to more vulnerable families with children up to five years of age.

The Chairperson of the Clonmel Community Parent Support Programme Fiona Kirwan welcomed guests to the launch and introduced the following speakers at the event:

• Kirsten Simring (Senior Child and Family Support Network Co-ordinator, Tusla)
• Siobhán Sinnott (Child Health Programme Development Officer, HSE Dublin and South East)
• Janice O’Donoghue (Perinatal Mental Health Midwife, Tipperary University Hospital)
• Home Visitors Sharon Walsh, Catherine O’Meara and Elaina Fitzgerald and
• Service Users Aisling O’Brien, Owen Twomey and Samantha Meaney.

During the event, families and Home Visitors demonstrated how important the service is in supporting parents during pregnancy and the early years of a child’s life. Their contributions highlighted the value of building confidence, strengthening parent-child relationships and ensuring families feel supported within their communities.

The Community Families Programme services in South Tipperary is funded by Tusla and the HSE and the recent launch event was supported through funding provided by Slaíntecare (the strategy for reforming Ireland's health and social care system).