A series of interviews between Colm O’Brien (CEO of Carambola.ie) and charities / organisations who Carambola Foundation have helped.
Rainbows Ireland, a registered charity, is a peer-support programme to assist children and young people experiencing a significant loss in their lives through a death, separation or divorce in their family. Founded in Chicago, USA in 1983, Rainbows was established in Ireland in 1988. Today Rainbows operates in all thirty two counties of Ireland.
Further information is available at www.rainbowsireland.com Any enquiries can be made to ask@rainbowsireland.com The Rainbows National Office can be contacted on (01) 473 4175 |
1. Who is Anne Staunton?
My name is Anne Staunton. I am the National Director of Rainbows Ireland. I was a volunteer in Rainbows for 17 years, delivering the Rainbows programme with my fellow colleagues at my school in Dunboyne, Co. Meath. In my private life, I am married with three boys and a grandparent to four grandchildren – my pride and joy! In 2008, as the Rainbows service continued to grow, funding was made available to appoint a full time person to manage and develop the service of Rainbows by the Family Support Agency. I am deeply committed and have seen first-hand the benefit to children what a difference Rainbows can make in the life of a child. I was very humbled to be appointed as the first paid National Director of the service in 2008, supported by one full- time and one part- time colleague in administration. I immediately need to say that there would be no Rainbows service without the large number of trained volunteers throughout the country, on average 2,500 each year. Most of the Rainbows volunteers are working with children and young people directly and recognise needs on the ground. Without, their commitment and dedication there would be no Rainbows service. 2. Tell us about Rainbows Ireland and the work it does Rainbows is a national support service for children and young people experiencing grief and loss resulting from the death of someone close, parental separation or divorce. Indeed, most children and young people do not need specialised help. Very often they will just need support and understanding to make sense of significant change in their families. Sometimes the impact of loss can be reflected in changed behaviour, reduced academic performance, physical reactions and a decrease in emotional well-being, self-confidence and self-esteem. Rainbows Ireland provides training, programmes, policies and procedures to establish peer support groups for children and young people. While it is not professional counselling or therapy, it is trained listeners providing a safe, confidential and caring environment to support children to engage with and share the feelings, thoughts and individual ways of coping and adapting to loss. Children and young people very often think they and their family are the only one. Group support of similar age and loss experience provides a framework of emotional support and a process of social identification and normalisation. Approximately 8.000 children attended Rainbows programmes in 2012 – 2013 in schools, school completion projects, home school liaison projects, parish and family resource centres, local development projects and youth work projects throughout Ireland. Rainbows Ireland is a registered charity, funded by the Child and Family Agency. It is a free service to children and young people. What some Rainbows children have said
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3. How when and why did you get involved?
My own experience of loss on the very tragic death of my eighteen old brother, killed by a drunk driver and the subsequent impact on my family indeed has been the impetus of my involvement in this whole area. Then working as a primary school teacher, I recognised needs in the classroom that I could not support or meet. There were many children struggling to cope with very significant changes in their family life. Many times, I felt I did not even have the words for fear of making things worse! I was introduced to the Rainbows programme. I approached my school principal and Board of Management for permission to introduce the programme into the school as part of the pastoral care of the school. That was fifteen years ago. To this day, the Rainbows programme has become embedded into my school community - like so many other schools in Ireland - and has supported children to come to terms with change and loss. In more recent times I have completed further studies in this area and obtained a masters in bereavement and loss from the Royal college of Surgeons in conjunction with the Irish Hospice Foundation (the main training body in Ireland). Together with other children’s support services, I am part of the newly formed Irish Childhood Bereavement Network whose brief is to support and advocate for professionals and organisations providing bereavement support at various levels for children in Ireland today. As National Director of Rainbows Ireland, it is a privilege to work with other support services for children in this country and contribute to a national framework of service delivery. 4. What are the trends you are seeing in Ireland and how will this impact Rainbows work in the future? 30,000 people die in Ireland on average each year. A large proportion of those impacted are children and young people. Children are often considered to be “fine” and that they “bounce back”. But often children can be the forgotten mourners as they try to make sense of their changed family life. The 2011 census recorded an increase in the official number of separations and divorces – this does not include the unofficial records. Children assume that there family will always stay the same. The reality is that the impact of family breakup can be profound for a child. Demand for free local services is ever increasing. However, due to harsh economic times all services are subject to funding cuts. These cuts are impacting on the service delivery throughout the country. As a frontline volunteer service for children, we are struggling to meet needs on the ground. Resources are very limited and are being stretched further as demand grows. 5. Who should avail of Rainbows services and how should people contact you? Any agency or body can request to register to deliver the Rainbows programme. Very specific policies and procedures have to be met before that registration can take place. Any family can request a place on a Rainbows programme for their child - if it is available in their local area. It is important to match the needs of each child accessing the programme with what Rainbows can provide. Group support may not be suitable for all children. Children affected by traumatic loss may need one to one support. Further information is available on www.rainbowsireland.com Any enquiries can be made to ask@rainbowsireland.com The Rainbows National Office can be contacted on (01) 473 4175 |
