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Arklow Springboard Family Support Service
Background
The Arklow Springboard Family Support Service (established under the Department of Health and Children Springboard Initiative) provides a community based family support service to local families in Arklow Town and surrounding areas. This project is hosted by County Wicklow Partnership Ltd., in partnership with the HSE.
The Springboard initiative recognises that families should be supported within their own communities. Arklow Springboard Family Support Service is therefore locally based, accessible to local families and is user friendly in the approach undertaken to family support work.
Aims of Arklow Springboard
The aim of Arklow Springboard is to:
Provide appropriate support to families experiencing difficulties in Arklow Town and surrounding area.
To make a planned intervention that assists the family.
To develop and implement educational and parenting courses which meet the needs of the family.
To reduce risk to children by enhancing family life.
To prevent avoidable entry of children into the care system.
To provide direct services to children.
To build support networks for families in the community.
To advocate on behalf of the service users with other agencies.
To enable families to become self-reliant and independent of the services.
To recognise and identify the difficulties that families experience and work towards tackling these.
Staff Team
The Staff Team at Arklow Springboard comprises of; Project Manager, 3 f/t Project Workers, 1 p/t Project Worker, 1 p/t Assistant Project Worker, 1 f/t Administrator, 1p/t Bus Driver.
Referrals
Arklow Springboard accepts referrals from families themselves, agencies working with families such as schools, Public Health Nurses, Social Workers, Gardai, I.S.P.C.C. and other agencies working with families. A central aspect of any referral is the commitment by the family to engage with the service. All programmes of work with the family is by their consent and their full agreement to participate in the programme.
Work of Springboard
Springboard staff devise and implement a range of programmes and courses to meet the identified needs of the client group. These programmes change to adapt to the evolving needs of service users. The programmes can be broadly divided into Level 1, 2 and 3 of Hardiker et al’s Family Support Framework.
Hardiker’s 4th level of the Family Support Framework; ‘Intensive and/or long term support and rehabilitation for Children and Families’ is provided to specific families through individual work, as identified in the assessment of needs. Individual, intensive work has included direct work with children (re emotions, separation, drug & alcohol use, etc) and direct work with parents/families (re parenting, p ower of play, routine, etc).
Arklow Springboard’s work with families can involve the following:
Home visits;, individual work
Office meetings;
Liaison between service user and other services such as social services ;
Referral to outside agency such as Treo Nua, Mabs, ISPCC etc;
Counselling for Parents;
Budgeting, routines, household planning etc;
Confidence Building, goal setting etc.
A plan of work is devised between each family and their allocated project worker. The interests and concerns of the referring agency (where one exists) are also considered. Initially this plan is for a 3 month period and reviews are held at the end of the three months, with the family, project worker and referrer (if appropriate) to monitor and review outcomes and to put a further plan in place if necessary.
Level 3: Services for Children and Families with Serious Difficulties
Therapeutic Service
Two Psychotherapists delivered individual therapy to clients accessing Springboard. Thirteen Clients accessed the therapy offered. This has proved to be very valuable to the work in Springboard. It is an area that the project would like to continue to source funding for.
Level 2: Support Services for Children and Families in Need
Homework Club
The Homework Club continues to support 25 children aged 7 – 12yrs. It is run two afternoons per week. The Homework Club is co-ordinated by the Project Worker. Two teachers and one volunteer and a student support the children in this activity.
Transition Programme
The 6 week Transition Project is aimed at young people making the change from primary school to secondary school, as research shows that problems at this stage is one of the contributory factors in early school leaving. (Reaching Out… Ryan, Sarah, NCGE 2000).
The aims of the project are as follows:
To identify the needs of young people making the transition from primary to secondary school through consultation.
To help prevent early school leaving that may result from difficulties experienced by the young people adapting to the change.
To address the needs of these young people using a multi-agency approach.
To provide personal development opportunities for young people making the transition in a secure, friendly and fun environment.
To promote the self confidence and self esteem of the participants through positive reinforcement.
To evaluate progress of the project on an ongoing basis in consultation with the young people.
Taster Programme
In conjunction with the V.E.C. two ‘Taster Programmes’ are planned regularly. They include short courses in computer skills, cookery and photography. The aim of the programme was to give participants an introduction to the various programmes in order to access what further courses they would like to participate in. The programme proved to be very successful.
Level 1: Universal Services and Community Development
Peer Mentoring Programme
Peer Mentoring Programme was developed and delivered by Youth Worker, CWP and Project Worker, Springboard in two of the post primary schools in Arklow Town. The Peer Mentoring programme has been designed to train 6th year students to introduce 1st years to their school and support them throughout the year.
The Peer Mentoring programme has been designed to meet the following aims:
To address fears and worries of pupils transferring from Primary to Secondary School.
Promote Volunteer ethic among the young people.
To establish levels of acceptable behaviour, attitude and uniform through peer example.
To provide a bridge between troubled friends in their peer groups and professional services.
To provide a safe opportunity for new pupils to express their concerns.
To involve pupils in the development of their school and enhance the supportive ethos within the school.
To provide safe opportunities for pupils to find their own solutions and become independent thinkers.
To allow pupils to play an active part in the induction of new pupils.
For young people to offer emotional and practical support to their peers while exploring their own positive attributes.
To have a positive influence on the emotional and social climate of the school.
To increase pro social behaviour and activity.
To reduce the level of reported incidents of bullying in first year.
To enhance self esteem and confidence in all students.
Positive Parenting Programme
The overall aim of the parenting programme is to provide parents with the opportunity to reflect on their parenting and build skills and strategies that will support the parent-child relationship. It has been delivered for parents of children and parents of teenagers.
Other Parenting Programmes
Project Workers who have been trained in the Positive Parenting Programme also deliver this on a one to one sessional basis. This year the Incredible Years Programme is being delivered in Arklow. Referrals from Arklow Springboard have been sent for this programme.
Other Services who use Arklow Springboard
The facilities in Arklow Springboard are used at times by St. Louise’s assessment and therapeutic team. This may happen where a therapist needs to meet a client who is living locally.
The Social Work team in the HSE request the use of Springboard’s Meeting Room for Reviews, Client Meetings or access meetings.
Interagency Work
The service works closely with other agencies. These include Arklow Primary Health Care Team, HSE Social Work Team, Lucena Clinic, Youthreach, I.S.P.C.C, V.I.T.O.S, V.E.C, Schools, C.W.P, & M.A.B.S.
Health Quality Mark
Arklow Springboard Family Support Service was awarded the Gold Health Quality Mark Award. The Health Quality Mark (HQ Mark) is an innovative initiative from the National Youth Health Programme (NYHP) part of the National Youth Council of Ireland, which acknowledges organisations that have achieved a high standard of quality in promoting health across their organisation including young people, staff and volunteers.
To achieve the award the service met a set of specific criteria. The criteria are based on best practice in health promotion at a regional, national and international level and most of the criteria have been have been drawn from the World Health Organisation (WHO) criteria that were developed for the Health Promoting Schools Initiative and adapted by the NYHP
 Arklow Springboard Family Support Service
Background
Since 2002 Arklow Springboard Family Support Service has continued to develop and respond to presenting needs of vulnerable families in Arklow Town and surrounding areas. The Family Support Service (established under the Department of Health and Children Springboard Initiative) provides a community based family support service to local families in Arklow Town and surrounding areas. This project is hosted by County Wicklow Partnership Ltd., in partnership with the HSE.
The Springboard initiative recognises that families should be supported within their own communities. Arklow Springboard Family Support Service is therefore locally based, accessible to local families and is user friendly in the approach undertaken to family support work.
Aims of Arklow Springboard
The aim of Arklow Springboard is to:
- Provide appropriate support to families experiencing difficulties in Arklow Town and surrounding area.
- To make a planned intervention that assists the family.
- To develop and implement educational and parenting courses which meet the needs of the family.
- To reduce risk to children by enhancing family life.
- To prevent avoidable entry of children into the care system.
- To provide direct services to children.
- To build support networks for families in the community.
- To advocate on behalf of the service users with other agencies.
- To enable families to become self-reliant and independent of the services.
- To recognise and identify the difficulties that families experience and work towards tackling these.
The Project is based at 27 Ferrybank, Arklow.
Staff Team
- Ms Martina Deasy - Manager
- Ms Karen Carter – Project Worker
- Ms Catriona Cooke – Project Worker
- Ms Matilda Lynch – Project Worker
- Ms Niamh Kelly – Project Worker
- Ms Ellen Nolan – Administrator
Referrals
Arklow Springboard accepts referrals from families themselves, agencies working with families such as schools, Public Health Nurses, Social Workers, Gardaí, I.S.P.C.C. and other agencies working with families. A central aspect of any referral is the commitment by the family to engage with the service. All programmes of work with the family is by their consent and their full agreement to participate in the programme. The work with families can involve the following:
· Home visit
· Parenting Programmes
· Adult in house courses in computers, photography, cookery etc
· Homework Club
· Counselling for Parents
· Budgeting
· Coffee Mornings
· ADHD Support Group
· Healthy lifestyle Programme
· Focused groups for children
· Confidence Building
· Summer Programme
· School Break’s Programme
The Annual Report for 2010 outlines the programmes delivered by the Project Workers in Arklow Springboard.
Summary
The overview of work outlined in our Annual Report reflects the commitment and dedication of the Staff Team in continuing to meet the needs of the clients presenting to Arklow Springboard. There are many presenting crises and issues on a daily basis. This can be difficult for the service to manage in terms of providing a short term to long term care plan for families as well as responding to families who present in crisis and require support.
Arklow Springboard is committed to delivering a range of services to families in Arklow Town and surrounding areas. The Project will continue to advocate on behalf of families and work in partnership with other agencies in meeting their needs.
Contact Details:
Manager: Ms. Martina Deasy
Phone: 0402 24828 Mobile: 085 8006880 Fax: 0402 31775
email:
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Opening hours: 9. am – 5pm Monday to Friday
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Programmes 
