The HSE provide the following services for Children and Families

Child Health Immunisation Children and Family Services

Adoption & Tracing Services
Fostering Services

Home Management Advisory Service

Social Work
Child & Family Psychiatry

Childminder Advisory Officer Service Family Support Services

Child Health
Area Medical Teams work with Public Health Nurses to check on child development from birth onwards, through a series of standard regular checks. They also visit schools in the area to give booster vaccinations like the MMR, Meningitis C, Rubella etc. Area Medical Officers play an important role in managing outbreaks of illness like Meningitis, measles or mumps in the area. You can contact the Area Medical Officers at Tel: (091) 546 355.

Immunisation
Immunisation is a simple, safe and effective way of protecting your child against certain diseases. Children and young people in Ireland are entitled to certain vaccinations and immunisation services free of charge. These vaccines are provided in a range of settings: by your GP, in Hospitals, at Health Centres, at home or at school.

Is immunisation free?
Vaccinations under the Childhood Immunisation Programme in Ireland are provided free of charge to all children. The childhood immunisation programme (outlined opposite) protects children from the following: Tuberculosis, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Whooping cough (Pertussis), HiB (Haemophilus influenzae B), Polio, Meningitis C, Measles, Mumps and Rubella.

Are vaccines safe?
The vaccines used in Ireland are safe. All medicines can cause side effects, but with vaccines these are usually mild, like a sore arm or leg or a slight fever. Serious side effects to vaccines are extremely rare. Research from around the world shows that immunisation is the safest way to protect your child's health. Your doctor or nurse can discuss the risks with you before giving your child their vaccines. All the recommended vaccines used to protect children in Ireland are licensed by the Irish Medicines Board or the European Medicines Evaluation Agency. They are allowed to be used only after they have been shown to be both effective and safe.

Where can I get my child immunised?
The HSE recommends that all parents bring their children for immunisation, which is free from your GP. If you have any more questions or need more information, you can visit the HSE website - www.immunisation.ie, or speak to your GP or your Public Health Nurse in your Local Health Centre.

For more information on immunisation talk to your GP, Public Health Nurse, call the HSE infor line 1850 24 1850 or visit - www.immunisation.ie

Children and Families' Services
Social Work and Child Protection Services can be contacted through the Local Health Office.

Child Care Unit
Merlin Park, Galway Tel: 091 775057 Fax 091 775047

Adoption & Tracing Services
The Regional Adoption Service, CLANN provides group training sessions and completes assessments of prospective adopters for both Intercountry and Domestic adoption. Post placement reports are carried out by the Adoption Service for children adopted from abroad. A counseling service is provided for adoptee's, birth parents, extended family and adopters for the purpose of preparation of Search & Reunion.

Galway:

CLANN Adoption Service, HSE West, Western Area Adoption Committee, Merlin Park, Galway
Tel. 091 775057 Fax 091 775047

Mayo:
Adoption Service, St. Mary's Hospital, Castlebar, Co. Mayo Tel: (094) 904 2534

Roscommon:
Adoption Service, Community Care Offices, Lanesboro Road, Roscommon Tel: (090) 663 7575

Fostering Services
Foster Care is a way of looking after children within your own family when their parents are unable to care for them. We need Foster Carer's with commitment and understanding to care for children and young people. Training and support is provided and we would welcome your enquiries at:

Fostering Department, Social Work Dept., 25 Newcastle Rd.,Galway 091-546060 091-523122

Home Management Advisory Service
The Home Management Advisory Service offers a practical, educational support service on a one-to-one basis through Home Visits and in group settings and community classes targeting marginalised groups e.g. low income families, lone parent families, traveller families, non-national and asylum seekers, families at risk and families with psychiatric problems on matters such as Household Budgeting, Food and Nutrition, Home Making Skills, Personal Development, Health and Safety in the Home, Parenting.

Contact :
Community Services, Seamus Quirke Road, Galway, Tel: (091) 548 402/4/5/6/7
1 Vicar Court, Tuam, Co. Galway, Tel: (093) 28083
Ballinasloe Health Centre, Co. Galway, Tel: (090) 964 6235
Child Care Unit, Merlin Park Regional Hospital, Galway Tel: (091) 775 301

Social Work
The Social Work team in the Local Health Office is responsible for providing support to children and families in this community. This involves Family Support Services, and care for older people. In cases where children are at risk of harm through abuse, Child Protection Social Workers have an important role in providing care, assessment and follow up to those children and their families, through the Fostering and Child Protection Teams.

Child & Family Psychiatry
St. Anne's Centre, Taylor's Hill, Galway, Tel: (091) 521 755, 521 974
Lyradoon Family Centre, Salthill, Galway, Tel: (091) 521 059, 523 308
Ballard House, Westside, Galway, Tel: (091) 580 100
(see Mental Health below for Adult Psychiatric Services)

Childminder Advisory Officer Service

Childminder Advisory Officer’s role:

• To provide a free support system for Childminders caring for 3 or fewer pre-school children.
• To promote voluntary notification of Childminders
• To provide advisory visits to Childminders homes.
• To provide information and training for Childminders
• To facilitate the establishment of local networks of such Childminders
• To provide Childminder Vacancy list for parents

Click here for more information on the Childminder Advisory Service

Family Support Services

The HSE provides a range of Support Services to Families who have Children aged from 0-18 years. These services aim to support children, young people and parents within their family and community, to reduce stresses and overcome difficulties they are experiencing. The Services can be accessed in a number of ways – either through the local service or through the Family Support Services Manager.

Below are the contact details:

Family Support Services
Susan Forde
A/Family Support Services Manager
HSE
West City Centre
Seamus Quirke Road
Galway
091 548327
susan.forde@hse.ie

Knocknacarra / Salthill Family Services

Eileen O’ Toole
Project Leader
13 Fana Burca
Western Distributor Road
Knocknacarra
Galway
091 515615
eileen.otoole@hse.ie

Westside Family Services

Orla Curran
Project Leader
Seamus Quirke Road
Galway
091 527568
orlam.curran@hse.ie

Ballinfoyle Family Services

Anita Morrison
Project Leader
194 Castle Park
Ballybane
Galway091 760330
anita.morrison@hse.ie

Ballybane Family Services

Carmel Gillespie
Project Leader
Ballybane Community Resource Centre
Ballybane
Galway
091 768296
carmel.gillespie@hse.ie

Ballinasloe Family Support Services

Caitriona Newell
Project Leader
C/o Ballinalsoe Health Centre
Brackernagh
Ballinasloe
Co. Galway
090 96 46255 / 090 96 44806
caitriona.newell@hse.ie

Early Years Services

Breda Mc Carthy
Preschool Manager
Unit 8B Liosban Retail Centre
Tuam Road
Galway
091 771947

bredaam.mccarthy@hse.ie

preschool.services@hse.ie

Tuam Family Services

Michelle Moran
Project Leader
Liam Mellows House
Vicar Street
Tuam
Co. Galway
093 37256
michelle.moran@hse.ie

Family Welfare Conference Services

Jason Leavy
Community Services
HSE West
Seamus Quirke Road
Galway
091 548330
Jason.leavy@hse.ie

There are also a range of services available which are supported and funded by the HSE

Athenry Adolescent Support Project – 091 877 314

Big Brother Big Sister Programme – 091 528 325

Empowerment Plus - 086 77 10095

Forum Adolescent Support Project – 095 22175

Health Initiative Project - Youth Work Ireland – 090 96 46254

Homestart Athenry – 086 8098 255

ISPCC – 086 311 99 89

Youth Advocate Programme - 091 760046

For further information contact Family Support Services Manager 091 548327