Community Services

Outreach is our community based programme that offers support to children who remain living with their family.

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Its focus is to enable children to engage fully in their interests and meaningful activities. Most Outreach Services comprise of after-school or school-holiday care. In Kerry alone, we provide this service to over 40 children with Autism and sensory needs. ​
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As with all our services, Outreach comes in many forms, informed by the child’s specific needs. It could be assistance with homework, taking a regular trip to a park or growing social skills practicing things like like going out for a meal. Not only does the service provide the child with enrichment, it often gives a caregiving family some respite time.

New Directions

We are proud to have been early adopters of the New Directions policy – a HSE approach to supporting young adults with disabilities to attend a Day Services. We’ve been providing our New Directions services since 2017. ​

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Four basic principles inform New Directions: person-centredness, community involvement, active citizenship and high-quality service provision.​
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We offer New Directions Day Services to accommodate all different support needs. Our current locations are Ballincollig, Cork; Ennis, Clare; Listowel, Kerry; Tralee, Kerry; Clane, Kildare; Naas, Kildare; New Ross, Wexford; Swords, Dublin. The service is growing so we expect to be available in more areas soon. ​
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New Directions provides support in: ​

– Making choices and plans​
– Making transitions and progress​
– Inclusion and participation in the local community​
– Accessing education and formal learning​
– Maximising independence​
– Personal and social development​
– Health and wellbeing​
– Accessing bridging programmes to vocational training​
– Accessing vocational training and work opportunities​
– Personal expression and creativity​
– Having meaningful social roles​
– Influencing service policy and practice​