Raphoe Safeguarding Children Office
Contact Details: Diocesan Pastoral Centre, Cathedral Square, Letterkenny, Co Donegal, F92 HP66
Tel: 074 912 5669 Email: safeguarding@raphoediocese.ie
Garda Vetting enquiries to: gardavetting@raphoediocese.ie
Policy Statement
The Diocese of Raphoe recognises and upholds the dignity and rights of all children, is committed to ensuring their safety and well-being, and will work in partnership with parents/guardians to do this. The Diocese recognises each child as a gift from God, and values and encourages the participation of all children in all activities that enhance their spiritual, physical, emotional, intellectual and social development.
All diocesan personnel (including clergy, religious, staff and volunteers) have a responsibility to safeguard children through promoting their welfare, health, development in a safe and caring environment that supports their best interests and prevents abuse.
Contact Details
If you have been abused in the past or have a concern about the welfare and safety of a child, please contact:
Designated Liaison Person, Margaret Northage: 086 2183011
or alternatively you can go directly to the Gardaí or Túsla who are the Child & Family Agency.
Gardaí National Protective Services Bureau: 01 6663430 or 01 6663435
Letterkenny Garda Station: 074 91 67100
Túsla – Child and Family Agency: 074 91 23672 / 074 91 23770
The following counselling & support services are available:
Towards Healing – is an independent organisation providing free professional counselling and support for people who have suffered clerical abuse. Free counselling is also available for spouse/partner. The service is offered in a safe and respectful manner and is appropriate to the person’s needs. Contact Details: Tuesday to Friday 9am – 5pm. Freephone 1800 303 416. Hearing-impaired Text line number: 085 8022859 or go to www.towardshealing.ie
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Towards Peace – The vision of Towards peace is to provide a safe supportive space, where people who have been affected by abuse in a Church context can be accompanied as they seek their own experience of spiritual peace, one step at a time. Towards Peace realises that abuse by Church personnel in particular, may have an especially traumatic impact on spirituality, shattering a person’s sense of wholeness , rupturing their inherent trust of their own goodness and sacredness, and fracturing their relationship with the presence of God within themselves and tier lives. We are very much aware that this kind of abuse can create deep lifelong spiritual wounds.
Contact Details: Co-ordinator; Ms Una Allen, tel: 01 5053028, mobile: 086 7710533. The service is available Monday & Tuesday 9am – 4pm and on Wednesday from 9am – 12 noon. For out of office hours call 086 7710533 and leave a message. Email: towardspeace@iecon.ie Website: www.towardspeace.ie
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CARI (Children at Risk in Ireland) : Lo Call 1890 92 4567, they provide a professional, child centered therapy and counselling service to children, families, and groups who have been affected by child sexual abuse.
Rape Crisis Centre: 1800 77 8888 Samaritans: 116 123 One in Four: 01 66 24070
