Mental Health Services and Resources for Parents, Students and All
– April 2020 –
Support for Parents
Bernardos have just launched a dedicated telephone and email support service to provide advice to parents on a wide range of issues that may have come up during this time.
This service will be staffed by Barnardos project workers who are trained professionals. Some issues that parents may need support on include:
- How to talk to your children about the corona virus
- Setting a good routine
- Managing children’s behaviours and sibling dynamics
- Managing aggression and family discord
- Home schooling/managing school expectations.
- Fostering natural learning opportunities in the home
- Healthy eating
- Accessing fun and educational activities for families and individual children
- Managing your child’s worries
- Self-care for parents
- Helping parents manage their own worries and anxieties
- Managing children’s online activity
You can make contact with this service by phoning 1800 910 123 between 10.00am and 2.00pm Monday to Friday or by emailing parentsupport@barnardos.ie.
Support For Students
Jigsaw are hosting group support twice daily. You need to register at least three hours before at https://jigsawonline.ie/young-people/live-group-chats/.
Monday at 12: Managing stress
Monday at 4: Coping with feeling low
Tuesday at 2: Dealing with family conflict
Tuesday at 7: Managing feelings of isolation
Wednesday at 12: Staying positive
Wednesday at 4: Managing stress
Thursday at 2: Dealing with family conflict
Thursday at 7: Staying positive
Friday at 12: Coping with feeling low
Friday at 4: Managing feelings of isolation
Support for All
Turn2Me
Free online counselling and online support groups for people over 18
Visit www.turn2me.org
MyMind
Online counselling service
Visit www.mymind.org or email hq@mymind.org
Jigsaw
Mental health information and a Q&A service for young people, their parents and guardians, and those who work with young people. Jigsaw also offer an online group chat service.
Visit www.jigsawonline.ie
Shine
Shine are currently providing remote support and an outreach service to people experiencing mental health problems and their families and supporters by phone and email.
Visit www.shine.ie/covid-19 or email phil@shine.ie
Suicide or Survive (SOS)
A series of free online wellness workshops and programmes are available from SOS
Visit www.suicideorsurvive.ie for more information
Samaritans
Emotional support to anyone in distress or struggling to cope
Freephone 116 123 (any time, day or night)
Email jo@samaritans.ie
Pieta House
Pieta House provides telephone and text-based support counselling for people who are suicidal or engaging in self-harm
Freephone 1800 247 247 (any time, day or night)
Text HELP to 51444 (standard message rates apply)
Telephone appointments will be provided to replace face to face appointments – contact your local Pieta House for details
Childline (ISPCC)
Ireland’s 24-hour national listening service for young people up to the age of 18
Freephone 1800 666 666 (any time, day or night)
Text 50101 (from 10am to 4pm every day)
Chat online at www.childline.ie (from 10am to 4pm every day)
BeLonG To Text Support
BeLonG To provide support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI+) young people in Ireland
Text LGBTI+ to 086 1800 280 to can chat in confidence with a trained crisis volunteer (anytime day or night, standard SMS rates may apply)
While face to face services are closed, information, referral and advice will be provided digitally, by email, SMS, phone call or video conference
Visit www.belongto.org
Aware Support Line
Information and support to anyone over 18 about issues relating to their own mood or the mood of a friend or family member, or who experiences depression or bipolar.
Freephone Support Line 1800 80 48 48 (from 10am to 10pm every day)
Support and self-care groups nationwide, are cancelled until further notice
Life Skills Online Programme continuing as normal
Email supportmail@aware.ie for services information and support
Crisis Text Line Ireland
A confidential messaging support service
Text TALK to 086 1800 280 (any time day or night, standard SMS rates may apply)
LGBT Ireland
Online support and through the helpline for LGBT+ people across Ireland
LGBT Helpline 1890 929 539 (every day)
Gender Identity Family Support Line 01 907 3707
Email info@lgbt.ie for support or information while face to face services are closed
An instant messaging service is available 7 days a week, from 6:30pm to 10pm Mon – Thur, from 4pm to 10pm Fridays, and from 4pm to 6pm on Sat & Sun
Mental Health Ireland
Information and support for people who experience mental health difficulties
Information line (01) 284 1166 (from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday)
Visit www.mentalhealthireland.ie or email info@mentalhealthireland.ie for more information
GROW Mental Health Recovery
Information line 1890 474 474
Visit www.grow.ie or email info@grow.ie for more information, or while peer support groups are postponed
Exchange House Ireland National Traveller Mental Health Service
Telephone and online services and supports are available while face to face and group services have stopped
Call 01 8721094 (then press 1) for support, help or advice (from 9am to 5pm every day)
Visit www.exchangehouse.ie for more information
Bodywhys
Helpline 1890 200 444 (Monday, Wednesday and Sunday from 7.30pm to 9.30pm and Saturday from 10.30am to 12.30pm)
Visit www.bodywhys.ie for email alex@bodywhys.ie for more information
Alone
Alone provide a COVID-19 support line for older people
Call 0818 222 024 (from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week)
Visit www.alone.ie
The Alzheimer Society of Ireland
Practical information and emotional support or information on supports and services
Freephone 1800 341 341 (Monday to Friday from 10am to 5pm and Saturday from 10am to 4pm) or email helpline@alzheimer.ie
Visit www.alzheimer.ie or www.understandtogether.ie for more information
Seniorline
Confidential listening service for older people provided by trained older volunteers
Call 1800 804 591 (lines are open every day from 10am to 10pm)
Visit www.thirdageireland.ie/seniorline for more information
Age Friendly Ireland
Age Friendly Ireland have a compiled a list of all Local Authority Community Response Forums, and their contact helpline numbers – these are available to support vulnerable members of communities affected by COVID-19 restrictions
Visit Age Friendly Ireland for more information
Mobile apps to support your mental health
These mobile apps can help you manage anxiety. They have been reviewed and approved for listing here, by a group in the HSE (Mental Health Apps Review Sub Group). The app developers are solely responsible for their app’s advertisement, compliance and fitness for purpose. Unless stated otherwise, apps are not supplied by the HSE, and the HSE is not liable for their use.
Mindshift (by Anxiety Canada)
A user-friendly self-help tool based on proven scientific strategies, MindShift CBT teaches about anxiety, helping users to engage in healthy thinking and to take action. Users check in each day to track their anxiety and work with tools in the app.
- Get it in the App Store or on Google Play
Clear Fear
Clear Fear is an app developed for teenage mental health charity Stem4 which uses the evidence-based treatment CBT to focus on learning to reduce the physical responses to threat by learning to breathe, relax and be mindful as well as changing thoughts and behaviours and releasing emotions. You can personalise the app if you so wish and you will be able to track your progress and notice change.
- Get it in the App Store or on Google Play
Headspace
Headspace is a well-known mobile app that teaches meditation and easy to use mindfulness skills. Map your journey, track your progress, and reap rewards in your overall health and wellbeing. You can even ‘buddy up’ with friends and motivate each other along the way.
- Get it in the App Store or on Google Play
