The Children’s Ombudsman officially opened the new premises for Tusla – Child and Family Agency in Buncrana this week.
This new centre accommodates the full range of Tusla services, including Child Protection and Welfare, Fostering, Children in Care, and Prevention, Partnership and Family Support (PPFS). It is co-located with the HSE Primary Care Centre in its new building.
The premises will provide offices for staff, meeting rooms, interview rooms and conference room facilities, as well as state-of-the-art family access rooms.
Speaking at the launch, Niall Muldoon, Ombudsman for Children, said “One of the things I have learned from being a Psychologist is that environment matters, and how you treat people within that environment, matters. If you can provide children and their families with a warm, welcoming and comfortable place to meet you then you are probably halfway toward making your service a success. The added bonus about having a lovely environment is that the staff will find it much more rewarding and enjoyable to come to work and to do their job. It indicates that they too, are valued and it shows them that Tusla are investing in their staff as well via their buildings.
“As Ombudsman for Children I have always believed the old saying ‘The way we treat our children directly impacts what they believe about themselves’.”
Artwork in the new family room of the Tusla centre in Buncrana
“They pick up on the cues from society about who they are, what value we attribute to them and how much effort we put into making them feel special. Here in Buncrana, you have built a lovely premises and staffed it with quality people who are dedicated to their jobs. It is a place where I really hope and believe that the children of Buncrana and the Inishowen area will feel comfortable and safe and welcome.”
Tusla recognises the importance of young people’s participation in improving the services they access and so children and young people were invited to have their say on the design and concept for the new office space. The Tusla team collaborated closely with one of its community funded services, Foróige, who facilitated a group of young people, who are users of its service, to design the décor and ensure the voice and influence of the child is at the heart of this new building.
The young people involved helped to create a vibrant space, in which they feel comfortable to participate in meetings with our staff and to spend quality time with their families. Children and young people’s participation is reflected throughout the new Tusla premises, helping to create a welcoming environment for all users of the service.
Gerry Hone, Regional Chief Officer Tusla West/North West speaks with Donegal TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn at the launch event
Gerry Hone, Regional Chief Officer Tusla West/North West commented “It is a real pleasure to be here in Buncrana to join our guests and representatives from the community and celebrate the official opening of this new Tusla premises. It’s our goal to make our services more accessible and provide support to children and families and we are very pleased to have this new centre, providing services which address the needs of local communities.
“This centre will provide a safe space for young people and families receiving support, and a space that they feel comfortable in. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the many people and young people that have been involved in the development of this centre.”
The event was well attended by guests, including Pádraig Mac Lochlainn TD and representatives from An Garda Síochána and the Community & Voluntary Sector. The new centre is a welcome addition to Buncrana, providing an integrated range of family and health services to the area.
