Republic of Ireland

Health Service Executive

The HSE is the state body that has responsibility for providing palliative care services. In order to find your local services you will need to contact your Local Health Office: Contact your Local Health Office

The HSE in conjunction with the Irish Hospice Foundation have established a National Children’s Palliative Care Programme, which eases the burden for parents, families and professionals caring for children with life limiting conditions.  The programme includes  a Paediatric Consultant with a special interest in palliative care, Children’s Outreach Nurses and a training programme for health and social care professionals based in Out Ladies Children’s Hospital, Crumlin. More information can be found here: Children’s Palliative Care

You can find more about caring for your child at home and the national bodies who will help  you here: Home Care

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Family Carers Ireland

Family Carers Ireland is the national charity supporting the 500,000 family carers across the country who care for loved ones such as children or adults with physical or intellectual disabilities, frail older people, those with palliative care needs or those living with chronic illnesses, mental ill-health or addiction.

Our vision is an Ireland in which family carers are properly recognised, supported and empowered. Our mission is to highlight the contribution of family carers to Irish society and to improve the lives of family carers throughout the country. We believe that no one should have to care alone.

Established in 2016 through the merger of the Carers Association and Caring for Carers, we provide a range of services and supports for family carers through our network of Support Centres nationwide and advocate on behalf of family carers at local, regional and national level. 

Web: www.familycarers.ie/

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Central Remedial Clinic 

The Central Remedial Clinic (CRC) is a national centre that offers a wide range of rehabilitative services for children and adults with physical and sensory disabilities. The CRC is located in North County Dublin, with regional centres in Clondalkin, Limerick and Waterford.
Web: www.crc.ie

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Enable Ireland

Enable Ireland provides free services to children and adults with disabilities and their families from 40 locations in 14 counties. Covering childhood to adulthood the expert teams worth with the individual and their family on a plan for each life stage. Services for children and their families cover all aspects of a child’s physical, educational, and social development from early infancy through adolescence.
Website: www.enableireland.ie

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Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation

The Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation is a registered charity that provides in home respite to children 0-4 years, with severe neurological conditions. We also provide End of Life Care to all children 0-4 years. Our Specialist Children’s liaison Nurses offer hands on care, advice and support. In addition to this they  co-ordinate up to 80 hours in home nursing care service per month to all children who require End of Life Care. 
Website: www.jackandjill.ie

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LauraLynn Children’s Hospice

LauraLynn Children’s Hospice supports children with life limiting conditions and their families by providing high quality transitional care, home support, respite, crisis and end of life. Services are available to children with high medical and nursing needs from birth to 18.
Website: www.lauralynn.ie 

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Suzanne House

Suzanne House is a community children’s respite service. We support children with terminal illness and / or complex nursing needs in a small, homelike environment. Children who need specialist nursing intervention can also be supported.
Web: Suzanne House

A Little Lifetime Foundation
A Little Lifetime Foundation (formerly Isands), providing information and support to bereaved parents and families since 1983. Working with Health Care Professionals and Others to develop good practices in the area of Infant death. A Little Lifetime Foundation is a registered charity with support and services provided by volunteers.
Website: www.alittlelifetime.ie

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Barnardos
With more than forty community based centres, national services and links with partner organisations, Barnardos deliver programmes to help as many children and their families as possible. Barnardos offers a variety of specialised services to provide further support to children, parents and families during difficult times, such as coping with the death of a loved one. 
Website: www.barnardos.ie

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Barretstown
Barretstown rebuilds the lives of children affected by childhood cancer and their families. They serve children affected by serious illnesses – primarily cancer and serious blood diseases – from Ireland, Britain and throughout Europe, and their families. The children, from 7 to 17, come from Ireland and across Europe to take part in activities such as canoeing, high ropes, drama and arts and crafts. Through their achievements they regain confidence and self-esteem and their own inner strength.
Web: www.barretstown.org

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Brothers of Charity
The Brothers of Charity Services empower people with intellectual disability / autism to live the lives they choose. Services in Ireland are made up of six service Companies and one National Company. Each Company provides services in their own allocated geographical area. 
Website: www.brothersofcharity.ie

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BUMBLEance
BUMBLEance is the most modern children’s ambulance service on the planet and it is the world’s first interactive ambulance specifically designed for children, with the capacity to operate the latest medical equipment and inter hospital communication systems.
Website: http://www.bumbleance.com

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Care Alliance 
Care Alliance Ireland is the National Network of Voluntary Organisations supporting Family Carers. Their vision is that the role of Family Carers is fully recognised and valued by society in Ireland. They exist to enhance the quality of life for Family Carers and achieve this by supporting organisations in their provision of information, developing research and policy, sharing resources, and instigating opportunities for collaboration.
Website: http://www.carealliance.ie

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CanTeen Ireland
CanTeen Ireland is a nation-wide support group for young people who have or have had cancer, and for their brothers, sisters and friends.  Canteen organise weekends away at activity centres throughout Ireland including Tanagh OEC, Share Holiday Village  Barretstown Gang Camp, Carlingford Adventure Centre to name but a few.  As a group we meet up 6 to 8 times a year. At these meetings we have a chance to talk, share stories and have a bit of fun. 
Website: www.canteen.ie

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Hand in Hand
Hand in Hand is a non-profit organisation which provides the families of children with cancer with much-needed practical support. We support families in the West of Ireland who are affected by childhood cancer by giving them access to professional service providers. By availing of our services, families find they have more precious time to spend with their children rather than trying to keep on top of household chores. We are unique in that we are the only voluntary organisation in the West that supports children and their families through cancer treatment.
Website: www.handinhandcharity.ie

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Irish Hospice Foundation Information for Carers
These pages offer advice and practical support for people caring for a loved one with a life limiting illness.
Website: http://hospicefoundation.ie

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Make a Wish Ireland
Make-A-Wish in Ireland has one simple aim – Granting the wishes of children aged between 3 and 18 years, living with a life-threatening medical conditions, to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.  A wish granted is true magic for the child, providing respite from their normal routines of hospitals, doctors and treatment. 
Website: www.makeawish.ie

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Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (NILMDTS)
NILMDTS trains, educates, and mobilizes professional quality photographers to provide beautiful heirloom portraits to families facing the untimely death of an infant.
Website: https://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org

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The Saoirse Foundation
The Saoirse Foundation is active in advocacy and promotion of rare & genetic disorders and is actively involved in a number of national and international medical research and steering groups.
Website: www.saoirsefoundation.com

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Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Association of Ireland – SANDAI
SANDAI is a newly formed, not for profit organisation ( CHY – 19635) that aims to offer support to anyone affected by the death of a baby during pregnancy or shortly after. The organisation was formed by a group of bereaved parents who supported each other after the death of their own babies and have now come together to formally offer support to other parents and families who find themselves in a similar situation.
Website: www.feileacain.ie

Citizen Information 
The Citizen Information Board is the statutory body which supports the provision of information, advice and advocacy on a broad range of public and social services. Their website offers a host of information on schemes, benefits and services that parents and children in palliative care maybe able to avail of. It is best to make contact with your local Citizen Information office to see what you may be entitled to: Find your local centre
They also provide a checklist of entitlements that carers maybe able to avail of: Checklist for carers
Website: www.citizensinformation.ie

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Income Tax, Allowances and Exemptions
The Office of the Revenue Commissioners contains all the information you need to find out income tax relief, allowances and exemptions.  Below are some quick links to some of the tax relief, allowances and exemptions you may qualify for. However, you may be able to avail of many more so it is advised you ring your local revenue office: Find your local revenue office

• Persons with a Disability Allowances
• Incapacitated Child Tax Credit
• Employed Person Taking Care of an Incapacitated Individual
• Dependent Relative Tax Credit
• A Guide to claiming Health or Medical Expenses Relief

Website: www.revenue.ie

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Government benefits and welfare allowances
There maybe a number of government benefits and welfare allowances that you qualify for. In general the Dept of Social Protection handles these schemes and decides who qualifies. Below are a few of the key schemes they currently offer, however, as with tax relief, allowances and exemptions you may qualify for other schemes so it is important you contact your local centre to see what you qualify for: Find your local centre

• Carer’s Allowance
• Carer’s Benefit
• Respite Care Grant
• Domiciliary Care Allowance
• Bereavement Grant

Website: www.welfare.ie 

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Tusla
The Child and Family Agency was established on the 1st January 2014 and is now the dedicated State agency responsible for improving well-being and outcomes for children.
Website: www.tusla.ie

Irish Childhood Bereavement Network
The Irish Childhood Bereavement Network (ICBN) was founded in 2012 to act as  a hub for those working with bereaved children, young people and their families. Upon its establishment five key priority areas were outlined:

• Support professionals to deliver high quality  and accessible bereavement support; 
• Signpost families and carers to a directory of bereavement support services;
• Inform the general public regarding issues involved in childhood loss;
• Advocate for bereaved children, young people and those supporting them;
• Generate new ideas and approaches to improving bereavement support for children.

Web: www.childhoodbereavement.ie

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Anam Cara
Anam Cara is an organisation that supports bereaved parents, Anam Cara support groups are situated throughout Ireland and provide parents a safe, comfortable environment where they have the opportunity to connect with other bereaved parents. Anam Cara is an inclusive organisation where parents do not identify themselves by their children’s age, how they died, or if their death was recent or many years ago. What Anam Cara provides is a safe place for bereaved parents to connect with others who understand the intensity of the grief and loss. Although Anam Cara does not offer counselling, each group has a lending library and information on the other services available to parents and families in the local community.They have a wide range of resources including:
Anam Cara’s suite of five Information Videos for bereaved parents (link to videos)
Anam Cara has produced a suite of information booklets for parents (link to booklets)
Information Pack for Bereaved Parents – Anam cara
Web: www.anamcara.ie

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Barnardos Bereavement Counselling for Children
Barnardos Bereavement Counselling for Children is a service for children and young people who have lost someone close to them like a parent or a sibling – through death.
Web: Children’s Bereavement Service 

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Barretstown
Barretstown run a Bereavement Family Camp. Bereavement weekends offer support to families when their child (aged infant to 17) dies from a serious illness. Within a sensitive and caring environment families can meet others who have suffered a similar loss, share their experiences and find ways to look to the journey ahead. The camp staff are specially trained to offer the necessary guidance and support to these families.
Web: http://www.barretstown.org/about-us/our-programmes

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Bereaved.ie 
Bereaved.ie provides advice and information for bereaved people, those supporting them and professionals working with them. It is an initiative of the Irish Hospice Foundation
Web: https://hospicefoundation.ie/our-supports-services/bereavement-loss-hub/

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FirstLight
FirstLight offers professional and qualified free support services nationally, and promotes research into the sudden, unexpected, often unexplained death of a child or young person, regardless of age or circumstance. We provide professional and qualified care, compassion, and professional support to bereaved parents and families in their darkest hour. We know the darkness that consumes anyone who loses a child. We’ve been there.
And for 35 years we’ve been helping people through those darkest moments, helping them find the first flicker of hope……the FirstLight.
Website: http://www.firstlight.ie

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Irish Cancer Society Bereavement Support
The Irish Cancer Society provide links to a number of organisations who can offer information and emotional support following the death of a loved one. They also provide a dedicated phone number for queries, Cancer Nurseline on 1800 200 700. 
Website: https://www.cancer.ie/cancer-information-and-support/cancer-support/coping-with-cancer/information-for-carers/bereavement-support

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LauraLynn Children’s Hospice
LauraLynn Children’s Hospice supports children with life limiting conditions and their families by providing high quality transitional care, home support, respite, crisis and end of life. Services are available to children with high medical and nursing needs from birth to 18. Amongst these services is a dedicated family bereavement programme 
Web: Family Bereavement Programme

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Little Lifetime Foundation
A Little Lifetime Foundation is for bereaved parents whose babies died before or at birth (stillbirth) or sometime after birth (neonatal death).  
Web: https://alittlelifetime.ie/

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Rainbows Ireland
Rainbows Ireland is a peer-support programme to assist children, youth and adults who are grieving a death, separation or other painful transition in their family. Rainbows helps by providing a safe setting in which children, youth and adults can share their feelings, emotions and struggles with others who have similar experiences. They are supported in this process by a trained facilitator.
Web: www.rainbowsireland.ie/

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Pregnancy & Infant loss Ireland
This website is specific to the Republic of Ireland and is aimed at supporting parents bereaved through pregnancy loss and perinatal death and at healthcare professionals who care for parents and families bereaved through pregnancy loss. It does this by signposting parents to support and professional services. It directs healthcare professionals to professional supports, clinical care pathways and education programmes.
Web: www.pregnancyandinfantloss.ie