By Gary Culliton
Irish Medical Times
May 20, 2009
http://www.imt.ie/news/2009/05/national_counselling_service_c_1.html
 |
A total of 17,774 adults have contacted the HSE National Counselling Service since the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse was established. Of these, 2,596 (15%) have a history of institutional abuse and institutional clients receive priority service with the NCS.
The HSE National Counselling Service is a free service for any adult who has experienced the trauma of abuse or neglect in childhood. Set up at the same time as the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, and in operation since September 2000, it provides professional counselling and psychotherapy services to help people to cope better with their life and relationships. Counselling is available at 60 locations throughout Ireland and can be accessed by phoning 1800 235 234 for an appointment at a location of your choice.
This service is specifically dedicated to adult survivors of childhood abuse of any type. Priority is given to adult survivors of abuse in institutions who represent a significant number of clients attending the National Counselling Service. When survivors of institutional abuse applied to attend the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse most also took up the opportunity to have counselling to support them following their hearing at the Commission.
The National Counselling Service also provided support for survivors of institutional abuse who travelled from abroad to Dublin whilst attending the Commission and assisted them in locating suitable services in their country of residence when they returned home.
Rachel Mooney, Director of Counselling with the HSE in South Dublin, outlined the service she and her colleagues provide: ‘We have a track record of providing a confidential, professional and accessible counselling service which clients experience as caring, welcoming and effective. Usually people contact us when they feel they cannot cope with their daily lives - they may be feeling overwhelmed by memories of their childhood; they may be feeling isolated and lonely because they find it hard to develop relationships with other people. Trusting other people can be difficult for adults who were abused in childhood, in particular those abused in an institutional setting. This is not surprising because their trust in adults has been shattered when they were abused.’
‘We accept each person as a unique individual and they determine the pace of the counselling process. It takes courage and commitment to begin the counselling journey, and we offer a safe and confidential place for people to be heard, frequently for the first time ever.’
The service is free, accepts referrals directly from clients and facilitates clients to be seen at venues other than their own local area if they so choose. Clients are seen at 60 locations around the country. Many of these areas offer out of hour’s service.
38% of referrals are male clients. It would appear that a system of direct referral facilitates access to counselling for men who traditionally find it difficult to engage with such services and ask for help.
45% of clients are in the age bracket 26 to 39, and 29% are aged 40 to 54, at the time of referral.
68% of all referrals are ‘self-referrals’ made directly by the client themselves. Other referrals come mainly from the Mental Health Services of the HSE with whom the NCS work closely to support clients as required. GPs are also a major source of referrals.
Sexual abuse is the most commonly reported form of abuse. 70% of males identify that they experienced sexual abuse in childhood either on its own or in addition to another form of abuse (neglect, physical and/or emotional abuse). The figure for women is 76%.
66% of clients who experienced abuse in an institution have attended counselling for at least 6 months. In some cases clients required long term counselling of a year or more. In some cases clients may require years of counselling and therapy due to the extensive and multiple abuse they have suffered in childhood.
In the case of those who were resident in institutions from early childhood there is also the absence of normal developmental experiences which can make therapy a difficult process for people to engage in. For this reason, the NCS facilitates clients with flexible counselling arrangements in accordance with their needs and wishes. For many people their need for ongoing therapeutic support may continue for many years.
Connect - The HSE also funds a complementary out of hour’s professional telephone counselling service. Connect provides out of hours (Wednesday – Sunday 6pm – 10pm) telephone counselling for adults who have experienced child abuse. Calls are free of charge on 1800 235 235. www.connectcounselling.ie
How do I contact the HSE National Counselling Service?
The National Counselling Service is available to anyone who experienced abuse as a child.
Counselling is available at 60 locations throughout Ireland and can be accessed by phoning 1800 235 234 for an appointment at a location of your choice.
Priority is given to men and women abused whilst in institutional care in Ireland. Freephone 1800 235 234 www.hse-ncs.ie
Contact: gary.culliton@imt.ie
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.