Download the latest Monaghan Planet Youth Report here
Download the new Cavan and Monaghan Emotionally Based School Avoidance booklet here
The Easter edition of What's on Where (WOW) here
The Planet Youth model has been introduced to Cavan and Monaghan through an interagency committee, made up of representatives from a number of Statutory and Community based organisations, who have a remit for children and young people. Guidelines for parents of preschool children have been developed in partnnership with Monaghan CYPSC and the National Childhood Network
Fostering Inclusion
Tusla has published the Strategic plan for foster care Services 2022-2025 . The overall approach of this plan is to improve Alternative Care Services across the continuum of care for children and young people who can not live at home for periods of their lives. This is in the context of a reduced number of foster carers and the challenges placing children and young people in a stable foster care placement , close to their community and in which their cultural and ethnic needs are met.
We wanted to look at ways to ensure that all children feel like they belong and have space to explore their biological family’s culture, language, and traditions while giving them an opportunity to explore the cultural and traditions for the family with whom they are placed. Funding was secured from Tusla and Monaghan Children and Young People’s Services Committee to develop 3 packs an Early Years pack a Primary school Pack and a Post Primary years packs with books toys and other resources supporting diversity and inclusion. Monaghan CYPSC worked with the Tusla Design and Coms team to come up with the logo for “Fostering Inclusion”.
The Barnardos TLC KIDZ Project in Cavan and Monaghan was awarded funding by TUSLA for a participation initiative in 2021. The initiative called ‘Empower Kidz’ aimed to provide a voice to children impacted by domestic violence and abuse. The final infographic based on their words, reflections and feedback is displayed in this downloadable poster here
Parenting Monaghan Directory updated to 2023 here
Parenting Monaghan is an Interagency intiative providing support to parents throughout Co Monaghan.
It is a central point for parents to get information on programmes/supports available in our county. This booklet is funded through Children and Young People's services Committee Monaghan who would like to acknowledge the support of Parenting Monaghan, and members of the Outcome 1 Physical and Mental well-being subgroup and also Limerick CYPSC for sharing their booklet design with us.
Sexual Health Booklet for Young People
Monaghan Outcome 1 Physical and Mental Wellbeing subgroup secured funding from Healthy Ireland to reproduce a booklet originally devised by Waterford CYPSC. The action was led out by Cavan and Monaghan Youth Work Ireland and the booklet was launched at a sexual health conference on the 22nd March 2022.
You can download a copy of the booklet here
A new Connecting You app for young people.
Youth Work Ireland Cavan Monaghan (YWICM), funded through Monaghan Children and Young People’s Services (CYPSC) Healthy Ireland Fund, has launched a new interactive mobile phone app for young people called Connecting You. The app takes all the health and wellbeing information as well as local organisations that young people might be looking for and puts it all in one easily accessible location. The app has been in development over 2021 and after a lot of dedicated time by YWICM staff and app developers it’s finally ready for use.Regional Director of YWICM Caolan Faux said “Connecting You is an invaluable resource for local young people to find the information they may need all centralised in one easily accessible app”. The app is now available and can be downloaded from Google Play and Apple App Stores by entering the words Connecting You in the search engines. Or simply click here The app was funded through Monaghan Children and Young People’s Services (CYPSC) Healthy Ireland Fund. ‘The Healthy Ireland Fund supported by the Department of Health and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs’
Posters on wellbeing designed by children for children
The Monaghan CYPSC Learning and Development subgroup look at all aspects of children’s learning and development needs which includes consulting with and engaging young children in matters that impact their lives. Collette Deeney CYPSC coordinator for Monaghan visited Scoil Naomh Padraig, Corracrin, National school and spoke to Senior infants -now first class about what makes them feel good and what tips they had to look after their minds – some suggestions were to get outside and play with friends and family; that pets make them feel relaxed, and getting good sleep was highlighted (even though it isn’t always easy to go to bed on time!) We worked with a graphic design artist to capture the children’s ideas and pictures into two posters and will be distributing them to all primary schools over the coming week. Collette and Catriona Cadden, Student Sligo IT also visited 4th class in St Louis Girls’ school and their teacher Irene Murray and got some fantastic thoughts, rhymes, and design ideas from Lauren McKenna, Jannat Hang, Tatiana Jedrzejczak and Samanta Bernotas and Kiara Remenaka. The result was another two fabulous posters on keeping your brain calm and positive ways to lift your mood. The young people were delighted to see their illustrations and ideas being transformed into posters on wellbeing for their peers throughout the county. CYPSC, Tusla, use the Lundy model of participation to engage with and listen to the young people and to create these amazing posters designed by young people for young people. Bernie Farrell principal of St Louis Girls’ school and chair of the CYPSC learning and development group would like to thank 4th class teacher Irene Murray, Mr Richard Baxter, Principal of Corracrin and teachers Siobhan Corrigan, and Ms Hafferty and of course all the children who took part with their drawings and inspiration.
Download poster one here Download poster two here Download poster 3 here Download poster 4 here
New Poster on Local Youth and Community Supports
Poster on local community and youth supports in Co Monaghan here
Guidelines for Referral to Child and Youth Mental Health Sevices in Monaghan
Many thanks to Kerry CYPSC for the inspiration to develop our own referral guidelines for Youth Mental Health services in Monaghan which can be accessed here
The Monaghan CYPSC committee would also like to acknowledge the involvement of all the services and supports in the production of these guidelines.
We hope they will be a helpful go to guide for anyone who needs to access counselling and mental health services for children and young people in Monaghan.
The SHINE Booklets: Towards a Brighter future for all children: Because Every Child Has a Right to be Safe
"The content has been developed, with the dedicated support of our ISPCC Children’s Advisory Committee and CYPSC Sub group members in Monaghan, to help empower young people impacted by domestic violence to express their emotions more effectively and to better recognise appropriate and inappropriate relationships.Monaghan CYPSC member Michelle Treanor, a Therapeutic Support Worker with the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC), brought her insights and experience from engaging with children, young people and families to bear throughout the development of the ‘Shine’ booklets. Monaghan CYPSC is greatly appreciative of her commitment and expertise.
There are three age appropriate booklets and guidelines on Children First, Domestic Violence training and Capacitar training that support workers should be aware of before they use the SHINE booklets with young people.
Guidelines for use of Shine here
Shine - A Healthy Relationships Guide for Young Children under 8 here
Shine- A Healthy Relationships Guide for Young Children 8-12yrs here
Shine- A Healthy Relationships Guide for Young People here
DISCUSSING THE DISCO - (Outcome 3: Safe and Protected from Harm)
This Leaflet was developed by members of the Monaghan Youth Networks sub group with support from the Monaghan Joint Policing Committee and was funded by Monaghan Children and Young People Services Committee Seed Funding.
The “Discussing the Disco” leaflet provides practical information and discussion tips for parents on how to ensure their child is safe and protected from harm on a night out. The leaflet has been created as part of a wider interagency initiative, which is working with a number of stakeholders, including nightclub owners and bus companies, to address safety issues for young people attending teenage discos in the county.
To view the Discussing the Disco leaflet cover Click here
To view the Discussing the Disco leaflet content Click here
To view Local links Click here