Clooney Family Centre

It also promotes the parenting capacity of parents availing of the service and provides services in a manner which promotes community participation and the building of community capacity.

The service delivery is centre based with a range of outreach services to ensure that those children and parents who are living in specific ward areas of need and may be ‘hard to reach’ have timely access to a service. Services based at the Family Centre include a crèche, after school groups, parenting education, group-based parenting programmes, individual parenting interventions, a drop-in centre, assessment services and a facility to support family contact.

Outreach services include parenting programmes and individual parenting interventions and are delivered alongside existing Early Years services within the community. Links with other providers are essential to the development of the project in terms of adding value to existing services, avoiding duplication and enhancing the strategic development of family support services and service hubs in the Waterside area.

Doreen’s story…

After a racial attack in the London hostel where she had been living with her baby daughter for several months, Doreen decided to return to Northern Ireland. Having separated from her husband who was now living in England, both her parents being deceased and having only a remote relationship with her siblings, Doreen felt isolated and spoke with her health visitor about facilities in the Derry area for child support who referred to her to Action for Children’s Clooney Family Centre.

Reflecting on the support provided by the staff at the centre, Doreen said: “There’s no two-ways about it, Clooney Family Centre was a lifeline. Not so much for me but for my daughter. She needed the contact with other youngsters. She had been showing signs of delay in her play. I made sure we attended the drop-in every week. They helped me to help my daughter. Because of her delayed playing skills it was taking a bit of time for her imagination to kick in. She was very slow in speech and there was a delay in how she takes in information. Looking back I can see the change in her. She’s had more opportunity to play and mix than I could have managed myself. Because of the input from Clooney Family Centre her delay was identified. I’m indebted to them because it was a free service, an excellent service. As a lone parent I want to keep on making sure that I get the best education and socialisation for my daughter. Action for Children was very welcoming; very warm and understanding … very good, excellent, caring and loving with my daughter and as a mother I had no doubts about how safe she was. Action for Children encouraged good behaviour and positive parenting. They encourage parents all the time.”