Irish Hospice Foundation/RCSI Certificate in Children & loss

The Irish Hospice Foundation is now accepting applications for the October intake of its Certificate  in Children and loss. The certificate which runs from October 2010 to April 2011 is accredited by the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland. Classes which are held in the Irish Hospice Foundation’s Nassau street offices take place on the last Friday of each month with some Thursdays also timetabled (see the course schedule HERE for a list of attendance dates)

The course aims to equip participants with a practical, experiential and theoretical framework for  working with children facing bereavement and loss. Course content includes;

• Child development theory & loss theory
• children’s grief in the family context
• Younger children & adolescents and loss
• Parental separation & loss
• Therapeutic interventions with young children
• Group work with children
• Working with children experiencing traumatic loss
• Using creative arts

The course would be of relevance to individuals working in child support both in a professional and non-professional capacity and past pupils have included teachers, social workers, psychologists and nursing professionals. The certificate is approved for 12 CPD credits for members of the Psychological Society of Ireland and an Bord Altranis.

Further details and application forms can be found HERE or by contacting iris.murray@hospice-foundation.ie

National policy on childrens Palliative care launched

Left to right - Eugene Murray CEO Irish Hospice Foundation, Geraldine Fitzpatrick, Principle officer DOHC & Barry Andrews TD, Minister of state for children

The first national policy on palliative care for Children was launched by Minister of state for Children and youth affairs Barry Andrews TD at Leinster House on Wednesday (March 24th).

The publication ‘Palliative care for children with life limiting conditions – a national policy’ outlines a national strategy for paediatric palliative care in Ireland. The policy, developed following the joint Irish Hospice Foundation and Department of Health and Children (DOHC) 2005 study ‘Palliative care needs assessment for children’ outlines an initial investment of over 2.5 million by the Irish Hospice Foundation over the next five years for the employment of Ireland’s first paediatric palliative care consultant and five out reach nurses. A further three nurses will be employed by the HSE during phase one. Speaking at the launch Minister Andrews acknowledged the contribution of the Irish Hospice Foundation in getting the policy off the ground adding that  ’It is very encouraging to see developments such as this, particularly in palliative care services, where we have a solid bond between the statutory and voluntary sectors’ .

The full policy can be downloaded from the DOHC website HERE   and further details of the Irish Hospice Foundations investment in the project can be found HERE