Minister Foley launches Community Families programme in Tullamore

Norma Foley, the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, was in Offaly on Wednesday to launch a new home-visiting programme designed to offer practical support to parents of young children.

The Community Families programme has a particular focus on families with children of up to three years of age.

It sees specially trained home visitors build trusted, one-to-one relationships with parents - offering support, information, and community connections from pregnancy right through to a child’s third birthday.

Minister Foley officially launched the programme in Laois and Offaly in Mucklagh Community Centre on Wednesday afternoon, at an event also attended by Offaly's three TDs and other local representatives.

Posting on social media later on Wednesday, Minister Foley wrote: "I launched the Community Families programme in Tullamore today. It’s a fantastic initiative which provides support to parents with young children in their homes.

"Our goal is to ensure that children get the best possible start in life, so the earlier they can get that support and solidarity, the better it is."

The Communuity Families programme is being delivered locally by voluntary organisation Parents First (Laois, Offaly) CLG.

Dolores Wrafter of Parents First explained: "The programme supports the special parent-child bond, creating the foundations for healthier, happier families, from health and well-being to learning and succeeding in life.

"Early results are already demonstrating real impact: in the Portarlington area, parents have reported a 50% boost in positive mental wellbeing and a 20% improvement in parent–child relationships," Ms Wrafter explained.Parents First said the programme currently reaches 118 families across Laois and Offaly, with Community Family home visits and local group supports; these include a family morning with sensory play in Tullamore Library, and baby massage classes in both Tullamore and Portarlington.

The initiative is a national programme supported by the Department of Health, Tusla the Child and Family Agency, the HSE, Slaintecare, the Katharine Howard Foundation, and the Community Foundation.Parents First said the delivery of the programme in Laois Offaly relies on funding from the Tusla local office and the Tusla National Home Visiting Programme Office.

In addition, it said it was thankful for the generous grants received from Offaly County Childcare Committee, the Katharine Howard Foundation Children’s Promise grant, NCI Early Learning Initiative, Offaly County Council Community enhancement grant, and local charities.

Parents can get involved or learn more about the programme on www.communityfamilies.ie or by contacting: dolores@parentsfirst.ie or 086 195 9221, or by finding it on Instagram or Facebook.