INFORMATION SEMINARS:

Bullying Seminar:

The Dublin region held three very interesting and diverse events in 2003. In February the Dublin Region held its first event, the theme of the event was BULLYING. The event was held in the Law Society and had twenty nine participants. The focus of this full day seminar was to gain a number of different perspectives on the bullying issue. This was an all day event. A theme that emerged from the day was the need for mediation between all parties concerned and this process must deal solely with the negative behaviour and not at the persons involved . An interesting quote from the day was "I LIKE YOU AS A PERSON BUT I DO NOT LIKE YOUR ( bullying ) BEHAVIOUR. The following is a list of key speakers

• Dr. Brendan Byrne, Guidance Counsellor, Coolock Comprehensive
• Karen Cahill,Anti-Bullying Unit, Trinity College
• Geraldine Byrne, Victim Support, Dublin

Services for Unaccompanied Minors Seminar:

The second event was held in the Law Society, in central Dublin in May 2003. Thirty delegates attended from various projects and agencies within statutory and voluntary sector.
The main focus of this event was on promoting awareness of services for unaccompanied minors. The format of the day consisted of four main speakers followed by a question and answers session after each speaker. An opportunity was also provided for four young refugee children to shared their personal experiences from the Dun Laoghaire Refugee Project. The following is a list of key speakers:

• Cabrina Gibbons. Irish Refugee Council, The legal Position.
• Marilyn Rowntree, Principal Social Worker,
  Unaccompanied Minors Team ECAHB
• Mick Corcoran. Director, Residential Inspection Service:
• Jennifer Rylands, Senior Clinical Psychologist:

Souring The Sanity Seminar:

An event titled “Souring the Sanity” was held it the Dublin and Surrounds Region in 2003. The event was held in the Blackrock Education Centre and had thirty delegates attending from a wide and varied cross-section of agencies working with young people.
The day focused on promoting awareness of adolescent psychological needs, the services available and to identify gaps in service provision. There were three main speakers:

• John Davenport, Senior Psychologist
  National Educational Psychological Service ( NEPS)
• Mary Gordon, Senior Psychologist.
  Further Education Section D.E.S.
• Mary Cullen. Social Worker / Psychotherapist.
  Project Leader, Mountown Neighbourhood Youth Project (NYP).

Key Issues:

• A centralised agency is needed to act as gatekeeper for child and adolescent psychological / psychiatric services. This would encourage agencies would directly refer children based on all the available information.
• The principle of equity necessitates the requirement that both parents consent is required should be removed.
• The Health Board should act as loco parentis for children under their care.
• The provision of a 24-hour social work service is vital.
• Lack of specialist interventions, e.g. speech and language, occupational therapy, bereavement & suicide prevention.
• Specialist Interventions needs to be integrated in various children environments i.e. school youth-reach and care home.
• The need to promote immediate assessment in emergency situations.
• Child and adolescent services must replicate Adult services in terms of drug and addiction services.
• Services to be available on an equitable basis, irrespective of community care boundaries.
• Waiting lists for assessments needs to be addressed.
• Children must be assessed in a more creative and flexible manner.
  

DUBLIN & SURROUNDING REGION ARCHIVES:
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