Following the publication of reports into child protection practices by the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church on Wednesday, the HSE National Counselling Service (NCS ) is offering support and assistance to people who have been affected by clerical child abuse.
The NCS helpdesk can be contacted confidentially on freephone 1800 303529 from 9am to midnight on Friday December 2, and from 10am to 6pm on Saturday December 3 and Sunday December 4, and thereafter as required.
Callers to the helpdesk can speak in confidence to a helpdesk advisor who will listen and assess their needs in a sensitive and non-judgmental manner. Callers will be given clear information and advice to allow them to make informed choices regarding the service best suited to meet their particular requirements.
The HSE’s NCS recognises that the publication of such reports can prompt adult survivors of childhood abuse to come forward, in some cases for the first time. Helpdesk advisors are available to support all those who make contact with the helpdesk, to listen to them and help them to decide on how best to proceed with their disclosures.
The NCS is working with a number of agencies nationally to ensure that people who make contact with the helpdesk are facilitated in accessing a service appropriate to their needs, whether that is local counselling services in their area, telephone counselling, advocacy, or support services provided by a range of agencies.
