Dóchas Family Centre has a team of Child & Family Workers who facilitate weekly sessions with children and provide a series of therapeutic interventions through a range of activities to help children with their emotions and self-esteem. This work is based on the individual child need which has been identified through the our assessment process. Dóchas Child & Family Workers provide holistic support for up to 25 families and we also offer a range of complementary services:
Play/Creative Therapy
At times in life something can happen which can affect a child.
Therapy can help by:
- Helping children safely work through their emotions
- Improving behavioural issues
- Improving relationships at home or school
- Building resilience
A child can be referred by family or a professional. Play Therapy or Child Psychotherapy can help issues such as:
- Anger
- Aggression
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Separation/Divorce
- Loss/Bereavement
- Self-harm
- Suicide
- Issues at home or school
Families should complete a ‘play therapy’ application form along with a ‘strengths & difficulties’ questionnaire.
Systemic Family Psychotherapy
Systemic Family Psychotherapy is best known as ‘Family Therapy’. Family Therapy recognises that life can be difficult and stressful at times. It can be helpful to have a safe, confidential place, outside of your home, to talk. It is interested in a family’s strengths and in finding helpful ways of resolving life’s difficulties. It identifies family patterns that contribute to behaviours and helps break those habits by problem solving to improve family relationships.
There is a screening process before families are accepted for Family Therapy.
Non-Violent Resistance (NVR)
This is a peer support workshop over a minimum of six weeks, working with parents who experience aggressive or violent behaviour from their child. This discussion based activity helps parents learn the skills needed to be a positive ‘influencer’ in their child’s life. NVR is made up of a number of sessions and provides opportunities to meet other parents and work through the various stages of tackling the violence or aggression by de-escalating situations in the home. Dóchas staff are trained to deliver the Non-Violent Resistance Programme.
Find out more here.
Rainbows Programme
For children, aged 7-12 years living with parental separation & bereavement. It is a peer support group over 9 weeks and facilitated by two adults. Rainbows is not a counselling service and staff do not provide written reports or feedback to parents (it’s a child’s confidential space). Dóchas will be commencing Rainbows in 2022.
Find out more here.
We are hoping to continue to secure funding to expand the scope of service provision to the community. We have received a donation from the Tesco Community Fund through an in store blue chip promotion and this donation will contribute to providing ongoing support to local children.
