merrion street

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald T.D., has approved funding of over €3.6 million to 588 voluntary and community groups nationwide which provide a wide range of marriage, child and bereavement counselling services and supports.

Announcing the funding, Minister Fitzgerald, said: “This funding is used to help people deal with difficulties they are experiencing in their relationships; to help children whose lives have been affected by parental separation; and to support families who have experienced the death of a family member. A wide variety of organisations, from large counselling bodies to schools operating Rainbows groups for children to locally-based bereavement support groups is receiving funding to support families in difficult times”.

This round of grants brings the total funding for marriage, child and bereavement counselling services in 2011 to a total of over €10.6 million. Last month, Minister Fitzgerald announced multi-annual funding of over €7 million for 28 major organisations.

Grants are also being paid to groups providing marriage preparation and marriage counselling, women’s and men’s support groups providing counselling, suicide support groups and child counselling groups.

The Minister continued “I believe that families are central to our society and I am keen to support practical initiatives which help all members of the family, men women and children, to cope with periods of stress and trauma in their lives”.