The Purpose of Anam Cara

The Purpose of Anam Cara A national organisation providing a lifeline to bereaved parents through online and face to face Peer Support services... Anam Cara’s Mission• Anam Cara will m

An Introduction

to

The Purpose of Anam Cara

A national organisation providing

a lifeline to bereaved parents through online and face to face

Peer Support services

.

Anam Cara’s Mission

• Anam Cara will make a difference and reduce

isolation for bereaved families affected by the

death of a child or children, regardless of the age

of the child or circumstances of death

• Anam Cara will do this by providing easily

accessible, quality support services, signposting and information through a safe and secure online

or face to face environments ,

Anam Cara’s

Organisations Values

 Quality

 Compassion and Empathy

 Inclusivity

 Trust

 Collaboration

Our Vision

“ Every family throughout Ireland

will have the relevant support services they need following the death of their son or daughter ”

The Need for Anam Cara

• The intensity of the grief experienced

after the death of child, of any age

• Anguish & isolation families experience

•

• Lack of access to information & support

services available in the community

The Facts

• Approximately 2,500 families each year

experience the death of a child between ages

of 0 – 44 years ( CSO Statistics Ireland/Northern Ireland)

• Sudden deaths, outside a hospital or hospice

system often find themselves outside the

realms of any bereavement support

• The intense grief can last longer than society

realises

•  

The Impact

• Anam Cara has made an impact with

5,350 parents since 2008

• Minimum of 80 events each year across

the 32 Counties

• Provides an important link to information

and additional services

• Currently 7 active Regional Support

Groups

Our Timeline

End 2005 to March

2006 April 2006 to February 2007 Mar 2007 to Jan 2008 Feb 2008 to Dec2008 Jan 2009 to Feb 2013

Services

Start of Dublin Group

  Start of ‘Lost Futures’ in Cork

Continue parent meetings in Dublin and Cork

  Name chosen – Anam Cara

Meetings, events and websites consolidated

9 parent meetings (Satellite Groups)

Liaison Parent self care sessions

Formal Events Social Events Launch Presentations to professional groups

8 Satellite Groups Including Northern Ireland Professional Bereavement Talks Bereavement Programme Pilot Social & Remembrance Events Volunteer Training & Development

Key

Milestones

Monthly meetings Drafting of Terms of Reference by Dublin group

Launch of Website

www.anamcara.ie

Social Events:

Family picnic Art day

IHF grant Number of parents attending increasing Set up of limited co

Trustees appointed Obtained charity status

Official launch FSA funding Online Message forum launch

Formal events introduced SEI Award

Volunteer Support in place

New structure introduced

5 yr Business Plan 2009 Board Of Directors appointed National Executive set up Arthur Guinness Fund Awardee Professional facilitators at each group

EU Bereavement Network

Competencies Informal organisation started

Development of informal organisation

Professional presentations

Moving towards volunteer organisation

Start to move to formal organisation

Full time person Guidelines and policies being drafted

National Awareness Campaign

“A Balloon to Remember”

Implementing a Quality review System _- SQP

Appoint of Full time CEO Sponsored Anam Cara Office Pilot Bereavement Programme Strategy & Services Review 2012/13

Anam Cara’s Structure

Bereaved Parents

Regional Structure Anam Cara Support Groups & Events Co-Facilitated by Anam Cara Volunteers

& Professional Facilitators

Service Quality Review Panel

CEO/Central Office Support

Board of Directors

Munster Region

Ulster Region

Leinster Region Connaught

Region

Who can Anam Cara help?

Anam Cara is an inclusive Organisation Our services are available to:

of child, regardless of age or circumstances of death.

many years ago

So Many Families

Source: Central Statistics

Office

35-44 25-34

15-24 5-14

0-4 Stillbirths

800

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

0

Age Groups (In Years)

476 350

66

328 311

Average Annual Deaths in Irish Republic (2001 - 2011) by Age Group

Source: Vital Statistics, Central Statistics Office - (Please note Stillbirths 2001 - 2009 only)

Average Number of families affected in Irish Republic each year is approximately 2,257

Anam Cara Services

Web Services

www.anamcara.ie

• Resources

• Information

• Message forums

• Practical issues

• Professional bodies

• Self help

• Tributes

• Information on our events

• National reach

• Important links

• Direct email to us

• Signposting to other services

Face-to-Face Services

• Parent Evenings – Anam Cara Groups

• Bereavement Information Evenings

• Social and Remembrance Events –

• Creative events –

• Opportunities to meet other

bereaved parents/families

• Information line – 085 2888 888

• Lending library and access to

• Information at each support group

• Local and national reach

All Anam Cara services are offered free of charge to parents and families

Our Focus

To provide and safe and comfortable online and face to face forums to facilitate parent to parent support with appropriate

Peer support….

Is a special kind of support

Ref Kari Dyregrov & Atle Dyregrov

• Reduces Social Isolation

• Provides a safe place where we can be ourselves

• Recognition, Understand & normalise the intense grief

• Time out for parents– let the mask drop

• Sharing promotes models of surviving

• Provides a structure for information& signposting

• Hope in meeting parents further on

• Continues after family/friends support has waned

Anam Cara Support Groups

• Monthly Informal Events

• Co facilitated by Anam Cara

Volunteers and Professional

• Long term support

• In excess of 5,300 parents

have attended to date

• Ideally strategically located

within a 100km distance

• Focus on quality v’s quantity

• Bereavement Information

evenings and activities

organised at different times of

the year

Existing Groups

• Dublin

• Tipperary

• Cork

• Donegal

• Galway

• Armagh

Future Target Areas

• Midlands

• Tralee

• Wexford

What Parents Say

“ After attending the Anam Cara meeting I felt less alone, I knew there were others who understood” (Bereaved Mum Anam Cara Parent Evening)

“ If the chance comes up to attend these workshops, come along it helps” (Bereaved Mum Anam Cara Bereavement Programme )

“ Well worth attending even if not your scene, don’t have to speak yet it helps you work stuff through in your head” (Bereaved Dad )

• We are a registered charity and non-profit making

organisation

• Actively fundraises and seek donations throughout the year

to provide our services at no charge to parents and families

• National Awareness day is 2 nd November

• Commemorated by our ‘A Balloon to Remember’ event

giving families and friends an opportunity to remember their loved ones together

• Any offer of help with funding, fundraising or donations very

much appreciated.

Anam Cara Parental and Sibling Bereavement Support

HCL House Second Avenue Cookstown Industrial Estate

Tallaght Dublin 24

Office Number 01 4045378 Information Number 087 9637790 Website: www.anamcara.ie Email info:anamcara.ie