More than €20,000 allocated for Wicklow child counselling and therapeutic services

By Hugh O'Farrell Walsh, The Wicklow People

Three community and voluntary groups in Wicklow will share over €20,000 in government funding to help deliver essential counselling and therapeutic supports to children and families.

Previously funding came from the Dormant Accounts Fund but will now be delivered from the budget of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency.

The allocation will help provide community-based counselling, psychotherapy, and a range of therapeutic interventions such as play therapy, creative arts therapy, bereavement support, and systemic family therapy across the county.

The Sophia Counselling Centre in Kiltegan is to benefit from €8,500, the County Wicklow Community Partnership will receive €10,000, while Greystones Family Resource Centre has been allocated a total of €5,000.

€1.5 million in annual funding is ringfenced for 73 community and voluntary organisations who provide these services across the country.

Welcoming the allocation Wicklow TD Edward Timmins said the funding will go a long way to help children and young people in Wicklow to get timely access to counselling services in their own communities.

“These services are absolutely vital to so many families in our communities and I’m particularly delighted to see funding for Sophia Counselling Centre in Kiltegan, County Wicklow Community Partnership and Greystones Family Resource Centre.”