WHAT WE DO

How Barnardos changes children’s futures:

At Barnardos the children we deal with have one thing in common. It is that they could otherwise be forgotten by society. We want to live in an Ireland where no child gets left behind and we will do everything in our power to make this happen.
The effects of disadvantage can last a lifetime. It's true that children have amazing abilities to cope, but the wrong start can affect the direction of their whole lives.

• It can have a permanent impact on their education and their well-being.
• It can affect their ability to make friends, to get the most from their education and to make the progress every child should.
• It can trap them in the never-ending spiral of poverty and disappointment.

Our work is child-focused, responding to the needs of the individual child and family, and aims to provide practical and professional supports to bring hope into situations where hope is sometimes lost.

Every child and every situation is unique. But one thing is constant. Barnardos work helps to change children's futures. Time and again we have seen children who have experienced terrible hurts and are faced with huge challenges, but with support in the right places and the right ways, they have come through those hurts and are equipped to deal with those challenges. You can listen here to some of our project workers talking about the stories you read.
We work in over 42 community based centres across the country and through a number of national services.

Take a look at some of the stories here to see how Barnardos have helped change some futures.

Our services

These are the types of services that we provide, depending on the needs of the child:

Early Years Services

The difficult home lives of some children can weigh heavily on their ability to attend physically, emotionally and cognitively in school. Pre- School groups are designed to prepare the child for school and to ensure a nutritious breakfast to promote good concentration and establish positive routines around school attendance.

Individual or Family Work

Much of the work of Barnardos is tailored to the direct need of the child or family we meet in our Centres. It provides emotional and practical support from highly professional staff who look at all aspects of a family's strengths and possibilities to allow them to work through a challenge.

After School Services

High-quality programmes that support the transition into primary school, from primary to secondary school, vulnerable school placements and encourage home school links.

Family Welfare Conference

Provided in several parts of the country, this pioneering service aims to help families deal with their issues and find their own solutions through a structured approach that brings the whole family network together.

In addition to these local services, we also run a number of central services, and campaign about children's issues.

Childhood Facts:

It is sometimes hard to imagine what the reality of life is like for the children whom Barnardos works with. Here are some facts which might help illustrate the challenges so many of them face.

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