Family Support
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What is Family Support?
A number of peer led family support groups have been set up in the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown area. This is where a number of people with a common problem come together to share their experiences. Family members report huge benefits from engaging in family support groups. Through group support, parents and families and loved ones can work through difficult times from listening to others stories and by sharing hope in how they coped in similar situations. Family support can also be offered on a one-to-one basis whereby family members meet with a family support project worker to discuss difficulties and examine their options. Family members can also avail of the counselling services and holistic treatments in both projects.
There are many options and resources available for families struggling with the drug use of a family member.
Addiction and the Family
Drug services have traditionally focused on the individual drug user. In recent years, however, there has been growing awareness of the potential for an individual’s drug use to have implications for other family members. Studies from different countries indicate a very high level of consistency in the adverse effects experienced by the families of drug users and international findings are echoed in Irish Research.
The effects of drug misuse overall include deteriorating relationships and making the family dysfunctional, psychological and social problems, increased stress, depression and behavioural disorders, financial difficulties, all of which can contribute to family breakdown and negative impacts on members of the family.
Family support group contacts
Below are the contact details of the family support group networks from national to local.
The National Family Support Network
The Family Support Network is an autonomous self-help organisation that respects the lived experiences of families affected by drugs in a welcoming non-judgemental atmosphere. The Family Support Network primarily supports the development of family support groups and networks throughout the island of Ireland. Through this work the Family Support Network raises awareness of the difficulties faced by families in coping with drug use while recognising the important role that families play in supporting the recovery of the drug using family member.
Visit www.fsn.ie for more information.
The East Coast Family Support Network
The East Coast Family Support Network was recently established and membership is made up of organisations and groups working with families within the East Coast Area. The East Coast Family Support Network has close links with the National Family Support Network that is an autonomous self-help organisation that respects the lived experiences of families affected by drugs in a welcoming non-judgmental atmosphere. The Family Support Network primarily supports the development of family support groups and networks throughout the island of Ireland.
For more information, please contact:
Geraldine Fitzpatrick, East Coast Family Support Network, Chairperson (01) 217 6140.
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Family Support Groups
The Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Community Addiction Team in Bray and the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Outreach project run peer-led family support groups, which are outlined below.
Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown Community Addiction Team
The Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Community Addiction Team run 2 Peer-Led Family Support groups for families affected by substance misuse issues within the family. The groups run on a Wednesday night from 5.30-7.30p.m and a Thursday morning from 10.30a.m -12.30p.m. In addition to the availability of Group Family Support we provide one to one counselling sessions and a range of holistic treatments to assists anyone who is affected by a loved one’s addiction.
Opening Times: Mon-Fri
Ages: 18+
Contact Person: Ger Hanlon (Family Support Worker) on info@dlrcat.ie
Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Outreach Project
We at DROP have been offering one to one family support for many months now and back in October of last year we had enough people availing of the service to put together a Family Support Group. Now each Wednesday evening from 7.00pm-8.30pm the group meets to offer one another support in dealing with the issues encountered as a family member to someone who is in the midst of drug addiction. Along with the offer of Group Family Support we provide one to one counselling sessions and a range of holistic treatments to assists anyone who is affected by a loved one’s addiction.
Opening Times: Mon-Fri
Age: 18+
Contact Person: Christy Rankin
Tel: (01) 2803187, Fax: (01) 2301716
Email: familysupport@drop.ie
Web Address: www.drop.ie
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