Support services

If you — or someone you know — requires support following experiences in Mother and Baby or County Care home programmes, please consider consulting one of the following services:

  • Connect Counselling: An anonymous professional telephone counselling service for survivors of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Freephone in the UK and Northern Ireland +44 (0) 800 477 477 77 connectcounselling.ie
  • ICAP: ICAP is the only specialist British-based counselling and psychotherapy service supporting people from the Irish community facing a range of emotional issues, including depression, anxiety and stress. Helpline: +44 (0) 207 272 7906 icap.org.uk 
  • Irish Community Care and/or Fréa: Assisting with gaining access to the Irish Government’s payment scheme for mothers and children who were resident in specific institutions, they also offer some advice in accessing records and other aspects of the redress scheme. There is more information here: frea.org.uk/motherandbabyhomes
  • Justice for Magdalenes Research: A resource for people affected by and interested in Ireland’s Magdelene Institutions, is accessible here: jfmresearch.com/
  • Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation: To access the Irish Government’s report and additional information, visit  gov.ie/en/collection/mbhcoi
  • My Data Rights: A resource for people affected by the ‘historical’ human rights violations in Ireland provides information for survivors of the Irish industrial and reformatory schools about using GDPR protocols to gain access topersonal  The website contains downloadable guides and template letters for requesting personal data and for complaining to the Data Protection Commissionif necessary. This is a project of the Human Rights Law Clinic at the Irish Centre for Human Rights, NUI Galway mydatarights.ie
  • Samaritans, The: The Samaritans offer a non-judgmental listening service, whatever you are going through. Call free, 24-7 in the UK, on 116 123  samaritains.org
  • Sexual Violence Support (Northwest): A service to help locate the relevant support services for those who have suffered sexual violence across the Northwest: sexualviolencesupport.co.uk  
  • Survivors Trust, The: The Survivors Trust has 120 member organisations based in the UK and Ireland which provide specialist support for women, men & children who have survived rape, sexual violence or childhood sexual abuse
  • Tuam Home Survivors Network: Survivors helping survivors tuamhomesurvivors.com .

This information was tested and accessible on 4 Sept 2023. It is not an exhaustive list of services available.

You are not alone. Make contact. You will be heard.