How we will help you
We will provide you with advice and we will support you with any of the following
Advocacy
Counselling and support
Crisis management
Entitlements
Parent and toddler group
Parent coffee mornings and new parents meetings
Parenting courses
Sibling support
Summer project
Support groups
Advocacy
If you like, we will talk to staff and other professionals, both in the CRC and in your local area, so that everyone understands your unique needs.
Counselling and Support
We will listen to your concerns and worries for your child, yourself and your family. We are skilled in helping parents and families cope with the emotional impact of raising a child with a disability.
Crisis Management
Sometimes crises arise that families and carers don’t anticipate. If you need help or advice on dealing with any crisis, please talk to one of us.
Entitlements
We will give you information and will help you apply for entitlements in areas such as financial support. Guide to entitlements and supports for children and their parents – 2016
Parent and Toddler Group
We run a weekly group for parents of babies and toddlers with disabilities. The children play and interact with each other while their parents and carers have a chance to talk, learn from each other and share their experiences. One of our Parent and Toddler Groups wrote and published Parent and Toddlers’ Stories about their experiences of learning about their child’s disability.
Parent Coffee Mornings & New Parents Meetings
These get-togethers give parents and carers an opportunity to meet others in similar situations, in a safe and supportive environment.
Parenting Courses
We regularly run a practical and positive parenting course that supports and empowers parents to manage and solve discipline problems. The Parents Plus Parenting Programme enables parents to have more enjoyable and satisfying relationships with their children.
Sibling Support
Brothers and sisters of a child or a young person with a disability often have their own needs. We will advise you about talking to your other children about their brother or sister’s difficulties. We also organise and run workshops especially for siblings. In these Sibshops, siblings meet other brothers and sisters of children attending the Clinic. They learn from each other, talk about their feelings and have lots of fun.
Summer Project
The Social Work department supports the CRC Parents and Friends Association in Clontarf to organise and run a summer project in July each year. This is a fun-filled summer camp for children who attend the CRC School in Clontarf and Scoil Mochua in Clondalkin. CRC school parents fundraise through the year to support the event. Volunteers are essential to make the project a success. If you are interested in helping at the summer project, our page about volunteering in the CRC will give you more information.
Support Groups
From time to time we run support groups about specific issues, in response to requests from our clients and families. Support groups we have organised in the past include a Fathers’ Group and a Young Adults’ Group.