The Community Psychology Service has a focus on prevention, assessment, early detection and intervention for children in difficulty, who may be out of home, and who are identified as being at risk or in need of protection.

Counselling psychologists

Counselling Psychologists aim to reduce psychological distress and to enhance and promote psychological well-being with clients by examining mental health issues and exploring the underlying problems that may have caused them. Using self-awareness and integration of psychological theory and research into therapeutic practice they deal with mental health, physical health and emotional problems including anxiety, depression, relationship problems, addictions, and relationships. Counselling Psychologists deal with both adult and child clients. They work in a diverse range of settings including local health office clinics, primary care, hospitals, or as part of a multi-disciplinary team such as in disability services and child protection or in family therapy settings. Typically, Counselling Psychologists work in the HSE, voluntary bodies, in private practice and third level institutions. Referral is often through a GP or psychiatrist, but self-referral is possible. Generally Counselling Psychologists in the HSE are generally registered members of the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI).

Counsellor/Psychotherapist

A Counsellor / Psychotherapist is trained to listen carefully to the client’s problems and to support the client while s/he finds you’re her/his own solutions in a relationship that is confidential and is based on respect and trust. Counselling / Psychotherapists can help a client to discover the reasons for negative feelings and to work out ways of dealing with them as well as providing a time for the client to express difficult feelings such as fear, suspicion and jealousy in a safe, supportive environment. The Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP) identifies, develops and maintains professional standards of excellence in counselling and psychotherapy through education, training and accreditation. The IACP recognises various training courses that have been assessed in accordance with the IACP Criteria and Guidelines for Courses Seeking Recognition and have been approved as valid core courses for the purpose of individual accreditation with the IACP. Counsellors and Psychotherapists sometimes work in the HSE (National Adult Counselling Service) and often work in community-based services and in private practice.

Clinical Psychologist
The clinical psychologist has a specialist qualification in mental health and works as part of the mental health team in a unit or hospital and is involved in assessment and counselling therapy. Family therapy may be provided where appropriate and a particular approach may be used for specific problems, such as a cognitive-behavioural approach for phobias. Referral is often through a GP or psychiatrist, but self-referral is possible.

Educational Psychologists
Educational Psychologists assess the needs of children and young people who have behavioural, learning, social or emotional problems and provide appropriate interventions which may include therapies, counselling or learning support programmes.  Work is with individual clients or groups including the support of parents, educational staff, social workers and other professionals.  Client work may involve an assessment of the child using observation, interviews and psychometric test materials.  The Educational Psychologist offers specialist skills and knowledge in the area of childhood development and disability.  They are trained to view clients from a systemic and bioecological perspective (i.e. person-place-context understanding of human development) taking into account all factors and systems that may impact on the life of a child or young person and their family in the context of the wider community.  Educational Psychologists work in a wide range of settings including community settings, schools, and specialist services such as those provided for youth at risk and children in care.  They also play a key role as part of multi-disciplinary teams such as Early Intervention Teams and School Age Disability Teams. Educational Psychologists work in the HSE, National Educational Psychological Services (NEPS), voluntary bodies, in private practice and in third level institutions.