We have just received this from the Department – the transitional arrangements regarding the changes that were announced to the qualifying age, of the youngest child, for receipt of the One-Parent Family Payment and the treatment of existing customers. We hope this helps anyone who had queries.
Changes to the qualifying age of the youngest child for receipt of OFP – treatment of existing customers . There are no changes for existing customers until 2013.
i) Pre 27 April 2011 customers: the current tapering arrangement will remain in place until 2015, when the age limit will drop to 7 years (age 15 in current phasing arrangement). - Note: a saver, up to the end of the 2012-2013 academic year, was provided for recipients with a child in full-time education. This will continue to apply. Read more »
One Family, the leading provider of specialised support services for one-parent families in Ireland today, 7th December 2010, gives its response to Budget 2011. At a time when cutbacks were inevitable One Family had called on the Government to protect those already experiencing high levels of poverty and social exclusion from any more cuts.
‘But today’s many cuts – coupled with increases in taxes to be paid by those on low incomes – will have a devastating effect on one-parent families, many of whom are already living in poverty and struggling to combine work and caring responsibilities. In the absence of any clear jobs strategy the government has clearly not met its commitment to protect the most vulnerable from the effects of the crisis,’ says Candy Murphy, Policy Manager, One Family. Read more »
Candy Murphy, One Family Policy Director, speaks up for one-parent families on RTE One TV’s Prime Time in response to Budget 2011 – see this link – Candy starts at 8 minutes 54 seconds in - http://bit.ly/eMpeAX
Parent alone and interested in speaking up for your rights? One Family will be running two (free) media training days for people who parent alone on ways to get your point across in print, on TV and on radio. If you’re interested please email info@onefamily.ie – places are limited so do email soon!
Parenting alone can be a costly business and leave little time for pampering yourself, but, RTE’s fashion series Off The Rails are looking for candidates. You get the makeover, €500 worth of clothes and travel expenses – so it’s a great idea if you’re in a ‘New Year, New Me’ kind of mood. Email offtherails@rte.ie Or see www.rte.ie/tv/offtherails
Good news: the next dates for our popular ‘Positive Parenting’ training courses are 7-9 February in Dublin and 7-9 March in Cork. The course is for people working with one-parent families and looks at how to build strong relationships with children and manage difficult behavior, leaving participants with the tools to design and deliver life-changing parenting courses. For more information on this and all our new training dates see One Family Training 2011
If you are a dad parenting alone or sharing parenting then this is your chance to explore parenting issues with other dads in a similar situation. Tuesday 5 April & 31 May 3-5.30pm: Shared Parenting and making it work for parents and children. The courses are €10 each. More
TV3′s Midweek is looking for people who parent alone, and who find themselves struggling since the budget cuts, to take part on their Weds 26 Jan show. Please call 087 6495710 if you are interested.
If you are sharing parenting you might be interested in our new course ‘Communicating with the Other Parent to make Shared Parenting Successful’. It starts in March 2011 and will be held at One Family, 2 Lwr Pembroke St, Dublin 2. Call 01 6629212 to register.
An intensive career and personal development initiative for lone parents is being launched in Galway today, to prevent those most in need from falling into long-term unemployment. ‘New Futures’ is a unique programme developed by One Family, funded through FAS and delivered in partnership with the Galway City Partnership. It is targeted at lone parents to allow them to receive the special tailored support that they need.
‘The underlying thinking behind ‘New Futures’ is the linking of all relevant services to help lone parents get back into the workforce,’ explains Karen Kiernan, Director of One Family, Ireland’s leading support organisation for people parenting alone. ‘Although there have been improvements in services offered through FAS and the Local Employment service, much more has to be done.’ Read more »
If you parent alone and need free legal advice, our next FLAC evening is Tuesday 8 March, from 5.30 to 7.30pm, 2 Lower Pembroke St, Dublin 2. Call 01 6629212 or see here for more information.
Listen back to One Family Director Karen Kiernan on The Last Word, Thursday 27 January, debating Prof Ed Walsh on lone parents, DNA testing, poverty and a whole lot more http://audiostore.todayfm.com/player/thursday.htmlGo to Part 2 and the debate starts at about 41 mins.
The kind people at Honest2Goodness Market are running a Charity Bring and Buy Sale on 26 Feb and 6 March in aid of One Family, at 136a Slaney Close, Dublin Industrial Estate, Glasnevin. It’s the perfect chance to do a spring clean, de-clutter your home – and let the proceeds go to a very good cause. Monies raised will also help Enable. See http://bit.ly/earw88
Karen Kiernan, One Family’s Director, will be giving a talk about collaborations and mergers at a WINSENT (Wales Ireland Network for Social Entrepreneurship) Networking Event at 6.30pm on Wednesday 2 March at Boston College, 42 St Stephens Green, Dublin 2. For Further information see www.winsent.eu
Please make one-parent families an issue in the election by asking canvassers these questions:
1 What will your party do in government to reduce the very high poverty rates experienced by one-parent families?
2 What are your views on the recent social welfare changes that require lone parents whose youngest child is over 14 to go on to Jobseekers Allowance rather than on the One-Parent Family Payment?
3 Do you believe that the definition of the family in the constitution should be changed? (Currently only the marital family is recognised in the Irish constitution). If not, why not?
For a more detailed list of ten questions and helpful up-to-date statistics on one-parent families see here
One Family is Ireland’s leading support organisation for people parenting alone and their children. We are currently looking for volunteers who can offer the following on a once-off or ongoing basis:
Yoga for parents and children
Baby Massage
Art/craft or hobby workshops for parents and children
If you feel you can support the work that we do, we’d love to hear from you – email info@onefamily.ie
We are based in 2 Lower Pembroke St, Dublin 2 – 5 minutes from Stephen’s Green.
One Family’s election manifesto has been sent to all the political parties and we will keep you up-dated of any feedback. You can read our manifesto here
Celebrate Family Day 2011 and be in with the chance to win €1000…
One Family and EBS Building Society invite you to celebrate families on Family Day, Sunday 15 May 2011. You can either
hold your own fun event – think arts and crafts projects, play days or story telling hours – and/or
join us for Family Day in The Iveagh Gardens, Dublin 2, from 1-5pm, Sunday 15 May to enjoy our family entertainers, workshops and games – all free of charge. Bring your own picnic!
www.familyday.ie will soon be up and running with details of how to register your event, upload photos of it – and then be in with a chance of winning €1000.
One Family Services has a vacancy for Childcare Manager
One Family Services aims to develop and provide a range of best practice programmes that support people parenting on their own or sharing parenting. The services includeWelfare to Work accredited courses, Parenting supports, Childcare, Information and Counselling. The role of the Childcare Manager is to provide a legally compliant Childcare service to children of one parent families. Specific areas of responsibility include: Read more »
This month’s Food & Wine has a great piece about the One Family food and wine fundraiser held in the RHA – it tells you how to make the irresistible, cost-effective canapés from Fallon & Byrne and suggests affordable Wolf Bass wines to compliment. Thanks to all involved!
Concerned about how to introduce a new partner to your kids? Read our advice here from One Family Childcare and Parenting coordinator, Ger Kelly Parenting Tips
Reminder – a Census of Population will take place in Ireland on April 10 next and everyone who is in Ireland on that night must be included in the census. It is important for us all as a society that everyone is included and that correct information is collected. If you represent a group or community, it is also important that they themselves are included so that full account will be taken of them and their needs when decisions are being made for the future.
For further information and to see the answers to some of the most frequently
asked questions www.census.ie or call the CSO on 01-8951304.
Tune into ‘My Dad’ on RTÉ radio 1 – this documentary lays bare the realities of single fatherhood, introducing three single or separated Dad’s as they tell us about their circumstances and how their role as parents has changed their lives.
RTÉ One Radio 19 March at 2 pm, repeated Sunday 20 March at 7.02pm. Available online at www.rte.ie/doconone
One Family and EBS want you to celebrate families on Family Day, Sunday 15 May 2011 – and be in with the chance to win €1000!
All you have to do is hold a family-themed event. If you are an organisation, think about story telling events, arts and crafts projects or talks. If you are a family, think outdoor games, treasure hunts or family X-Factor competitions. www.familyday.ie will soon be up and running with details of how to register your event, upload photos of it – and then be in with a chance of winning the €1000.
And/ or
Join us for the Family Day picnic in The Iveagh Gardens,Dublin 2, from 1-5pm, Sunday 15 May to enjoy our family entertainers, workshops and games – all free of charge. Bring your own picnic! www.familyday.ie will have more information and updates on what we have planned.
We are looking for a person to assist the Communications Manager. At the end of the six or nine month placement the participant will have gained invaluable experience about branding, PR, event management, how to deal with the media, how to manage budgets and how to plan press campaigns and launches – and how to use Web 2.0 Technologies as communication/marketing tools. Read more »
One Family Counselling Coordinator Sherie de Burgh talks about unplanned pregnancy and One Family’s crisis pregnancy services. Check out these links on ‘Unplanned Pregnancy? Talking to a Counsellor can help’.
Apprentice candidate Breffny Morgan wrote an incredibly moving and positive piece about being brought up in a one-parent family – his mum was a lone parent – it was in The Irish Independent – read it here and please spread the news Breffny Morgan on Single Parents
Any lone parents interested in our ‘Marks & Start’ course at One Family which offers training and work placement? The programme gives a confidence boost, a sense of direction, purpose, and a new awareness of the help that is on offer to balance family life and work . Travel costs and meals are met. The programme gives participants experience of the retail sector and equips them for not only roles in M&S but with other companies by giving them a set of marketable skills. And, of course, gives them a reference from one of the most respected high street names.
The programme includes a FETAC level 3 accreditation. Dates: Training 10, 11, 12 and 13 May 2011 at 10am until 1.30pm
Probation work placement: 16 to 27 May 2011 For more information and an initial telephone interview contact Aisling Dunlea (adunlea@onefamily.ie) at 01 662 9212 Ext 23
We have just printed One Family Matters – our annual newsletter where we keep you up to date with the latest news affecting one-parent families and what we have been up to at One Family. Please download One Family Matters and pass on to anyone else who might be interested. Thanks!
One Family & EBS Building Society announce details of Free Family Day Picnic to be hosted in Iveagh Gardens on 15 May. Ray D’Arcy calls on people to celebrate families on 15 May to mark International Day of the Family.
Ray D’Arcy at Launch of Family Day 2011
Ray D’Arcy at launch of Family Day 2011 with EBS Head of Marketing, Aidan Power and One Family Director, Karen Kiernan
International Day of the Family, on 15 May 2011, is an annual celebration of the diversity of families and family life across the world. Speaking today broadcaster Ray D’Arcy explained, “Mothers’ Day is for mums and Fathers’ Day is for dads but Family Day is for everyone to celebrate all types of families.” He added: “Everyone is so busy these days that family members don’t spend as much time together as they once did. Family Day aims to rectify this by simply encouraging families to have fun and spend more time together.” Ray D’Arcy was speaking at today’s announcement that this year to mark International Day of Family – One Family and EBS Building Society will be hosting a Family Day Picnic in The Iveagh Gardens, Dublin 2. Read more »
In association with the United States Embassy Dublin, One Family welcomes US Cultural Ambassador and award-winning writer Dr Brenda Flanagan to Cherish House, Dublin 2. Please join us on Friday 6 May from 10am until 12 noon to hear Dr Brenda Flanagan speak on Accomplishing your Goals as a Single Parent. Known for her inspiring talks and her performance abilities, Brenda will weave in her experiences as a writer, so anyone with an interest in writing should attend. Places are limited so early booking is vital. Please email to Stuart at sduffin@onefamily.ie or info@onefamily.ie to book your place for this free event. For details see http://bit.ly/jA9zE8
One Family Director Karen Kiernan and US Cultural Ambassador, Dr. Brenda Flanagan at Cherish House
Thanks to everyone who came along to hear Dr Brenda Flanagan’s inspiring talk at One Family. Brenda is one of the US’s premier women writers, and a cultural ambassador, she talked about Accomplishing your Goals as a Single Parent. Everyone was touched, moved and inspired by her story – how she achieved her own success, both as a writer and as a parent, and her secret advice for would-be writers or anyone who needs to juggle life’s demands with their own dreams – get up at 4am! See here for more information.
Hope you are all set for Family Day, Sunday 15 May? There’s a good piece in today’s Herald about it and about family diversity and the need to embrace all types of families. Dont forget to join us from 1pm to 5pm in the Iveagh Gardens, Dublin 2 for a Family Picnic or why not organise your own event and be in with the chance to win €1000*? More information about Family Day 2011 can be found here or to read the article in the Herald, click here
And here’s a good piece from One Family Director Karen Kiernan on why Family Day is so important pg18/19 Metro Herald http://e-edition.metroherald.ie/2011/05/11/. Hopefully you will have heard and seen all the publicity our wonderful media supporters Today FM and The Evening Herald are giving us. And the pieces in Irish Times and Sunday Independent and so on so far – thanks to all our supporters!
Today is UN International Day of the Family, an annual celebration of the diversity of families and family life across the world. To mark the day One Family and EBS Building Society came together to celebrate Irish families and family diversity by hosting The Family Day picnic in Iveagh Gardens, a free event with entertainment for all the family. Hundreds of families joined the fun for Family Day by either attending the picnic in Iveagh Gardens or by hosting their own event with their family to mark the day. All families who registered for Family Day are still in with a chance to win €1,000 by simply submitting a photograph from their ‘Family Day’ to www.familyday.ie. Pictured enjoying the fun today were Hunzah Alraqi(5) and Shafeeq Alraqui taking part in the wheelbarrow race, Jamie Duffy (2) with Twinkle Toes the owl from Dublin Zoo and Rocio & Belen Gonzalez (3) enjoying the face painters. Thanks to everyone who has helped to make Family Day such a huge success.
Do you want to participate in a free networking day for people who work in the areas of family and parenting supports for one-parent families? Do you want to hear some great key-note speakers such as parenting expert John Sharry and Gordon Jeyes, HSE’s National Director of Children and Family Services? Then the One Family Links event is for you! It will be opened by Minister for Children & Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald TD at 10.30am on Thursday 9 June 2011 at the Coach House, Dublin Castle, and runs until 6pm. It’s free to attend and learn about best practice, what services are available locally and nationally – and how you can facilitate your professional development. You can come for the whole day or just drop in to hear the speakers that interest you. Read more »
The administrative arrangements for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance in 2011 are different from the arrangements in previous years. This year most of the process will be automated. This means that you may not need to fill out an application form for the payment. If you qualify you will get a letter from the Department of Social Protection in mid-June telling you how and when the payment will be made. The Department expects that over 80% will get the Allowance automatically. These payments will issue from the end of June 2011. If you do not qualify automatically you must apply in the normal way (see below). Read more »
Following a HSE report earlier this week which found that over a third of women describe their pregnancy as a crisis pregnancy, One Family, the national organisation for one-parent families, announces a 10% increase in demand for its Welfare to Work services. The announcement is made in its 2010 Annual Report and Strategy, to be launched at The Coach House, Dublin Castle at 12 noon on Friday 1 July.
‘These Welfare to Work services support lone parents, some of whom have experienced a crisis pregnancy, into sustainable employment, ‘explains Karen Kiernan, Director of One Family, ‘Access to education and careers are vital gateways to move families out of poverty. Our courses show parents what is possible in their lives – and then support them to make the necessary changes to get there.’ Read more »
TV Star Breffny Morgan, John O'Connell Chair and Karen Kiernan Director - One Family
At the launch of One Family’s Strategy 2010-2012 and Annual Report 2010 at Dublin Castle, Breffny Morgan, Star of TV3′s Apprentice, spoke about his own positive experiences being brought up in a one-parent family, ‘I consider myself the proud product of a single-parent family. My hope is that others raised in similar circumstances can relate to that sense of pride.’ Breffny went on to give a speech to the many grauduates of One Family’s innovative Welfare to Work Programmes, who were receiving the certificates of completion of Fetac and other courses.
Following a HSE report which found that over a third of women describe their pregnancy as a crisis pregnancy, One Family announced a 10% increase in demand for its Welfare to Work services. ‘These Welfare to Work services support lone parents, some of whom have experienced a crisis pregnancy, into sustainable employment, ‘explained Karen Kiernan, Director of One Family, ‘Access to education and careers are vital gateways to move families out of poverty. Our courses show parents what is possible in their lives – and then support them to make the necessary changes to get there.’
Looking for something fun for the kids to do this summer? One Family is holding a Summer Camp for children aged 3-5, five days a week, at a cost of €50. The dates are either 25 to 29 July or 8 to 12 August. Places are limited so please call Ailbhe on 01 6629212 or email asutton@onefamily.ie to book your place. It’s going to be fun – lots of arts and crafts, games, picnics…. and much more.
Are you a lone parent looking for change, support and inspiration in your life? If so, our ‘New Futures’ could be just what you need. It’s a six month training and support programme, certified by FETAC, that will help you become more confident and find out about returning to work or education. Call or email Helen or Aisling 01 6629212, hconway@onefamily.ie adunlea@onefamily.ie or see http://bit.ly/nlcBdc
One Family Training is offering reduced rates of €400 on two of our most popular courses. The training is suitable for those who wish to deliver these courses and for project workers, family support workers, psychotherapists and social workers. Positive Parenting Training for Trainers, 12 -14 September 2011, is based on our manual Positive Parenting in One-Parent Families: building strong relationships and managing difficult behaviour. http://bit.ly/plLFTJFamily Communications – Coping with Family Life and Communicating with Teenagers, 19-21 September 2011, is based on our Family Communications manual. The course prepares workers to design and deliver Family Communications to groups or to work one-to-one with families with an emphasis towards those parenting alone, sharing parenting and parenting through family change. http://bit.ly/re9OZb
One Family is committed to supporting lone parents wishing to return to work and/or education and we are excited about all the new opportunities and courses we have no offer.
We are now recruiting for:
The New Futures Programme (FETAC Level 4 Career Planning)
The New Futures Programme (FETAC Level 5 Personal and Professional Development)
The Options Programme – in conjunction with Ballsbridge College of Further Education we are now offering the opportunity to take additional FETAC level 4 modules as part of One Family Options programme.
Irish experts on parenting for one-parent families bring those skills to Bulgarian families at risk, free of charge
One Family, Ireland’s leading organisation for one-parent families, will train 20 Bulgarian NGO’s in Positive Parenting in Sofia from 11-13 July. The training will prepare trainers to better support Bulgarian families in caring for their children.
‘Our Positive Parenting Training for Trainers is designed to support Bulgarian mothers and fathers to become even better parents,’ says Paula Lonergan, One Family Training Manager, ‘We are helping to reverse the sometimes challenging attitudes to parenting that previously existed in Bulgaria. Our training is all about encouraging parents’ strengths, rather than introducing a system of punishments or labeling those who have struggled to parent well in the past as irresponsible or weak. The training has extra support for people parenting alone or sharing parenting and families in transition. This is why it is so suitable and relevant to families needing support in Bulgaria.’ Read more »
Firebrand Productions and Clinical Psychologist, David Coleman is currently developing a three part series examining bullying in Ireland.
The producers are looking for parents and teenagers who have been affected by bullying to take part in the series. David hopes to spread the message throughout Ireland amongst parents and their children, that they can stand up to bullies and that there are solutions to this very distressing problem.
David will offer counselling and teach practical steps to help pre-teens and teens gain perspective on their experience and find ways to build their self esteem. David will work with the participants over a six month period to help them move on from this negative period. Read more »
One Family Training Manager Paula Lonergan is just back from a very successful trip to Sofia, where she delivered parenting training to Bulgarian experts working with families. His Excellency John Rowan, Irish Ambassador to Bulgaria, handed certificates to the 20 experts from Bulgarian NGO’s who completed the training, during a special reception in the Irish embassy in Sofia. His Excellency Emil Yalmazov, Bulgarian Ambassador to Ireland, also attended the event. One Family delivered the training free of charge as a gesture of goodwill as we approach our 40th anniversary year.
Congratulations to Sinead Dullaghan who has won the draw for the Family Day 2011 Photo Competition. Here she is with her mother Kathleen and her daughter Rosa at Family Day in Dubln’s Iveagh Gardens. Well done Sinead and a big thank you to EBS who will be sending her out a cheque for €1000. We’d also like to thank everyone who took part in, or showed an interest in, the competition and Family Day itself. By sharing your photos, and by celebrating Family Day with us, you contribute to creating a reflection of Family Day across Ireland – a day for celebrating families, big or small, in all their diversity – so thank you and remember – there’s always next year!
The Ark in Dublin are offering one-parent families free tickets to a concert on Sunday 7 August. There are 25 places and if you parent alone or share parenting and want to go you need to call Sarah at One Family, 01 6629212, as soon as possible. The Grant/ Kelly Family concert features RTÉ Lyric fm presenter Evelyn Grant who met her husband Gerard Kelly (Cork Pops Orchestra) when they were teenagers on the very first day the Irish Youth Orchestra began. She played the flute and he played the cello. They married and lived happily… well, they lived in a noisy house with their four children who played all kinds of instruments – lots of banging, plucking, scraping and blowing! They are looking forward to coming together from Cork, New York, Dublin and London to perform some of their favourite music in The Ark – and getting the audience involved too. Read more »
One Family would like to expand its Parent Mentoring Service and is looking for qualified Parent Mentors who would be interested in volunteering, or people who have completed their training and are looking for placements. For further information please contact Sherie at 01 6629212 or email info@onefamily.ie See http://bit.ly/h9rYYgu
Thanks to the good people at Zozzy TV, our video ‘One Family Stories’ is now being shown on the huge screen at the top of Dublin’s Grafton Street. It helps spread the word about the need for acceptance of and support for one-parent families. Thanks very much Zozzy. You can see the video here
One Family is committed to continued development of its offering to lone parents wishing to return to work/ and or education. In conjunction with Ballsbridge College of Further Education we are now offering the opportunity to take additional FETAC level 4 modules as part of One Family Options programme. One Family is now recruiting for the following programmes: Read more »
If you parent alone or share parenting you may be interested in our popular Parenting Courses which start again in September. Classes take place once a week for nine weeks and would suit parents of children aged 2 – 10. The cost is €45 for the nine sessions. Commencing Wednesday 21 September: Positive Parenting, 10 am – 12 midday: No crèche available. Commencing Friday 23September: Positive Parenting, 10 am – 12 midday: Small number of crèche places available for pre schoolers. We plan to run our Family Communications programme in the Spring term. If you are interested in any of our courses please contact Shirley on 01 6629212 or email smoore@onefamily.ie
Interesting piece by Ann Marie Hourihane in today’s Irish Times – about how single mothers seem to have been unfairly scapegoated as being in some way ‘responsible’ for the London riots see http://bit.ly/ogcar8
One Family Director Karen Kiernan was responding this morning on WLR and yesterday on Today FM’s ‘Last Word’, Newstalk and Spin 103.8 to a piece in the Irish Independent where Bishop of Elphin Christopher Jones said “the greatest good” would “come ultimately from the family in marriage” and that many children from broken homes are born “losers”. Karen was also speaking up for one-parent families after some media reports unfairly scapegoated single parents as being somehow responsible for the London riots.
Karen said, ‘The language used in some of these articles can be really hurtful to people who are doing a great job, often under difficult circumstances, parenting alone or sharing parenting. It can also be really hurtful to their children. We obviously don’t agree. Children do best in families where they are loved and supported – that can be a family with one parent or a family where there are two, or even three, parents involved in the child’s life. The real issue in all of this is the need for family support. Children do well in families where parents are in a position to parent well, be they married or not. That’s what makes the difference.’
Do you know of any lone parents who are interested in exploring career options, returning to work or education? If so, there are two places left on our New Futures programme and five places on Options. Please contact Helen on 01 6629212 or hconway@onefamily.ie
New Futures is a highly resourced career planning programme which runs two mornings a week from the 26 September 2011 to mid May 2012. Participants can avail of one-to-one mentoring to assist with their personal goals, counselling, parent mentoring and the One Family information service.
Options is a skills based programme and includes three FETAC level 4 modules in Healthcare, Entrepreneurial Skills and IT skills. It starts on October 5 in partnership with Ballsbridge College of Further Education. The One Family career clinic will be offered to Options participants at the end of the programme.
Great news – One Family Director Karen Kiernan has been shortlisted for a Women Mean Business Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award, particularly in recognition of One Family’s work on Child Contact Centres and Family Day. The Awards take place on 26 September in Dublin’s Shelbourne Hotel. Good luck Karen! Here is more information on the Awards http://www.womenmeanbusiness.com/awards/
Ireland’s Most Vulnerable Families and their children
One Family, Ireland’s national organisation of one-parent families has launched its Pre-Budget Submission 2012. One Family recognises the pressures currently on the public finances but calls on Government to reframe its priorities in Budget 2012 to ensure that those already experiencing high levels of poverty and social exclusion are protected from any more cuts as a result of the recession. Read more »
Mr David Bell, the oldest practising solicitor in Ireland at 91 years, with grand daughter Emily Bell.
One Family is proud to be a member of My Legacy, where 60 Irish charities are working together to raise public awareness of the importance of leaving charitable bequests in your will. During our Best Will in the World Week, from Monday 17 to Friday 21 October 2011, we are encouraging members of the general public to visit a local participating solicitor to have a will drawn up or changed and to consider leaving a legacy to their favourite charity.
Karen Kiernan, One Family director, explains, ‘Through the Best Will in the World Week, you can get professional, impartial advice on your will for just €50, while also helping a favourite charity after you are gone.’
Leaving a legacy is a simple, wonderfully fulfilling experience and anyone can do it. It does not matter how big or small the gift is – all contributions will make a lasting difference. For more information and to see a list of participating solicitors, please see www.mylegacy.ie
According to recent Irish research, only one in three Irish adults make a will. Furthermore only 12% of Irish people indicate that they have included a charity as a beneficiary in their will, despite the fact that 62% of Irish people say they would consider leaving a gift to charity in their will. Legacy donations are an extremely valuable source of unrestricted income to charities. However Irish charities only raise approximately 6% of their income from legacies which compares to up to 40% in the UK. Indeed, many Irish charities have never received a bequest.
Barnardos and One Family are working together to develop a new service called a Child Contact Centre, which is a safe, friendly and neutral place where children can spend time with the parent/s they do not live with. We are now taking referrals for parents who want to use our new centres in Clondalkin and Ballymun. Referrals can come from families or professionals, but the child must live in the catchment area. For more information please see the documents below or for an initial referral contact 01 4032085 childcontact@barnardos.ie
13 out of 15 lone parents who completed One Families’ Marks and Starts getting back to work programme have been offered part-time seasonal contracts.
Marks & Start is funded by Marks & Spencer and offers participants a pre-employment training course, followed by a two-week work placement with one of the most respected high street names and on-going support from One Family towards achieving their goals.
Stuart Duffin, One Family Welfare to Work Manager explains ‘The lone parents who take part learn what they’ve got to offer employers and how to present themselves positively in applications and interviews. They find out about childcare and how they can make working a practical and beneficial option. It’s a great way for someone to get a confidence boost, a sense of direction and a new awareness of the help that’s on offer. The placement with Marks and Spencer proves to participants and future employers alike that lone parents can combine being a parent with paid work.’
The next programme of Marks and Start is due to start in 2012 – please contact sduffin@onefamily.ie if you’d like to know more.
Messiah Performance in aid of One Family 23 & 24 November @ 8pm, St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin 8. Tickets Euro 28
One Family, Ireland’s leading organisation of one-parent families, is delighted to announce that it has been chosen as the benefiting charity for this year’s performances of Handel’s Messiah by the Culwick Choral Society. With performances on 23 and 24 November at St Patrick’s Cathedral, all proceeds will go towards the *askonefamily helpline for one-parent families.
Karen Kiernan, Director of One Family says, ‘Parenting is tough work, I know. But doing it all alone can be even harder. That’s where our *askonefamily helpline comes in. We offer support to all members of one-parent families in need of help, advice, information – or simply a listening ear. We have had a 20% increase in calls since the recession and are very thankful to Culwick for giving us this opportunity to raise funds for the helpline.’ Read more »
We need your votes every day please between now and 11 November for a short video about Family Day which we have submitted for the Better Together Awards. If we get enough votes the video will go into the top ten and could win €3000 for One Family.
All you need to do is click this link http://bit.ly/pHtQQP and then choose the 5 star option ‘awesome’ each day. Every vote helps to support the work we do here for people who parent alone and share parenting and for our campaign to raise awareness of family diversity in Ireland. Thank you in advance!
One Family would like to acknowledge the sad passing of our former colleague Leanne Kidd yesterday 25 October. Leanne was our first Keyworker and her positive energy and commitment helped many people move forward in their lives. We send condolences to her husband, family and many friends.
On 25 October the European Parliament approved an own initiative report on the situation of single mothers, to which Eurochild contributed together with its member organisation One Family. The report outlines that in 2001 85% of single parents were women aged 25-65 and that these women are statistically less educated than married counterparts, face higher level of unemployed, are underpaid, as well as suffer bad health and increased level of stress due to their fragile situation. The issue is particularly important not only because a number of single parent households in Europe is constantly increasing, but also because they are almost three times more likely to be at risk of poverty and social exclusion than couples with children. Read more »
Messiah Performance in aid of One Family 23 & 24 November
@ 8pm, St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin 8. Tickets €28
One Family, Ireland’s leading organisation for one-parent families, is delighted to announce that it has been chosen as the benefiting charity for this year’s performances of Handel’s Messiah by the Culwick Choral Society. With performances on 23 and 24 November at Dublin’s St Patrick’s Cathedral, all proceeds will go towards the askonefamily helpline for one-parent families.
Karen Kiernan, Director of One Family says, ‘Parenting is tough work, I know. But doing it all alone can be even harder. That’s where our askonefamily helpline comes in. We offer support to all members of one-parent families in need of help and information – or simply a listening ear. We have had a 20% increase in calls since the recession and are very thankful to Culwick for giving us this opportunity to raise funds.’ Read more »
Thanks so much to everyone who attended, volunteered at, helped publicise and organise – or took part in – The Culwick Choral Society’s Messiah in Dublin’s St Patrick’s Cathedral last week. We had two glorious evenings of music and song to get everyone in festive mood and we were delighted to see such a crowd on both nights, as any proceeds go to our askonefamily helpline which has been inundated with calls since the recession.
One-parent families to suffer from today’s harsh budget
Ireland’s poorest families, particularly those parenting alone, have been abandoned by today’s budget and left to face the worst, according to One Family, Ireland’s leading organisation for one-parent families. As he announced today’s budget, Minister Howlin said ‘…I believe that we have a duty to protect the most vulnerable in our society, and to provide the safety net of social protection in what are very extraordinary times. We must also get people back to work…’ One Family believes that, in the case of one-parent families, the Government has failed on both fronts.
Under the new budget, the upper age limit of the youngest child for new claimants of the One-Parent Family Payment will be reduced to 7 years on a phased basis. Karen Kiernan, One Family Director comments, ‘This means that, by 2014, lone parents of children aged 7 will be deemed available for full-time work despite the fact that we are in a recession, there are hardly any jobs out there and, even if there were, there is no comprehensive affordable childcare or after school care.’ Read more »
Budget update – here are the main social welfare changes and rates of payment from the Dept of Social Protection. Thanks for all the comments and suggestions to get involved in a campaign. We’ll post more about that and our response to the cuts soon too. http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Topics/Budget/bud12/Documents/budfact12.pdf
The rate of payment for the One Parent Family Payment will remain at €188 for the adult and €29.80 per child, per week.
The upper age limit of the youngest child for new claimants of the One-Parent Family Payment will be reduced to 7 years on a phased basis. It will be reduced to 12 years with effect from 2012, then age 10 in 2013 to age 7 in 2014.
There is a reduction in the amount of income disregard for One Parent Family Payment from €146.50 a week to €130 per week. Further reductions will follow in the next four years.
The transitional payment of half of the rate of One-Parent Family Payment will be discontinued when the recipient’s earnings exceed €425 per week. Existing recipients of the transitional payment will not be affected.
Child Benefit
The amount of child benefit will remain at €140 a month for the first two children, then €148 for the third child and €160 for the fourth child and subsequent children. Over two years the rate will be standardized for all children. Read more »
We know that many of you are worried, angry and confused by what has been announced in Budget 2012 in relation to one-parent families. We hear that many of you want to have your voices heard and the cuts reversed. Your comments, personal stories and views are essential so do please keep sharing not just with One Family but also with the media and our politicians. We want to have as many of these cuts reversed as possible because they are unfair and will lead to even deeper levels of poverty in one-parent families and will absolutely not help people into sustainable jobs.
We are sending a letter to all the Ministers, backbenchers and opposition TDs seeking meetings with them and calling on their support to reverse the cuts. We enclose a copy here
We are calling on you to help us by lobbying them as well. Just adapt the enclosed letter and send it off yourself. Feel free to include your own story and issues. Visit your local TD in their clinic this weekend – speaking to people in person has a huge impact. Explain to them why it is not possible to cut poor families anymore and then expect them to work. We know many of you are interested in having a protest about this issue and this is something we would also like to look at with the help of other organisations so that we can mobilise enough people to be really seen and heard.
Please let us know who you have lobbied and if you are interested in a taking part in a protest by emailing info@onefamily.ie or calling 01 6629212
Remember, our askonefamily helpline is there to provide information and support should you need it on 1890 662212. We will post updates when we know the dates of implementation for the various cuts. Thanks from everyone in One Family.
Here is any update on what we’ve been doing – we have lobbied every TD and senator by phone or email and have managed to get meetings with Labour and FG politicians today to try and get changes to the proposed cuts. Senators are also raising questions for us today. We have also emailed thousands of supporters and other organisations asking for support to reverse some of the cuts. We are constantly in touch with Dept of Social Protection seeking clarification on dates and phasing in times. We can respond to any individual queries if anyone wants to call our helpline 1890622122. One Family is joining a protest tomorrow being organised by a group of enterprising lone parents and we encourage everyone to join us to show your support. 2-5pm outside the Dail Friday 9 Dec http://www.facebook.com/OneFamilyIreland#!/events/129422247170088/
There is a meeting being organised on Weds 14 Dec in the Central Hotel Dublin to oppose the cuts to the One Parent family payment, supported by many lone parent groups. The purpose is to organise all groups to unite together for one big march, and a continuous campaign until these cuts are reversed. http://www.facebook.com/events/286957361347614/
Following contact with two TD’s our understanding is that there will be no changes in the age condition of the youngest child for existing recipients of the One Parent Family Payment. This has not been confirmed by Department of Social Protection officials.
The recent Social Welfare Bill 2011 includes:
Ending the transitional payment for those whose earnings go over €425 a week
The new rate of income disregard of €130 a week and subsequent reduction to €60 by 2016 from 1st January 2012 Read more »
In light of the shocking budget, One Family is keeping the pressure up to get a better deal for one-parent families by lobbying Ministers and TDs and especially backbenchers. Your continued pressure on them is incredibly helpful. Following contact with two TD’s our understanding is that there will be no changes in the age condition of the youngest child for existing recipients of the One Parent Family Payment. This has not been confirmed by Department of Social Protection officials.
We can help any parents groups that have been set up around the country by promoting your activities. Also, we can help to get media coverage for you if some parents are willing to talk about their situations on radio, TV and print. Simply email comms@onefamily.ie or call 01 6629212 and talk to Hilary about this. If you are worried or have a specific question about the budget cuts please call our nationwide askonefamily helpline on 1890622212. We also have many resources that you might find useful on our website – such as
Thank you to our itsa friends Peaches and Domini Kemp – pictured here with One Family Director Karen Kiernan – for supporting one-parent families. During December, 50 cent from every Santy Bagel sold in the itsa bagel stores will go towards funding our 1890662212 helpline which gets particularly busy over the difficult holiday period. Thank you to every one at Itsa!
One Family is extremely concerned at the cuts targeted at one-parent families in Budget 2012. Our thousands of members, clients and supporters are also extremely concerned and our national helpline has been inundated with calls from worried and angry parents. Read more »
Since the dramatic announcement of a range of cuts aimed at the poorest families in Ireland in Budget 2012, lone parents in receipt of social welfare are left worried about when they will be moved onto Job Seekers Allowance. One Family Director Karen Kiernan commented: ‘we are concerned that the Minister and the Department of Social Protection have not yet issued guidelines clarifying the new social welfare arrangements. This is causing high levels of anxiety for parents across the country as they struggle to adjust to the new demands being put on them.’ Read more »
Join us for the Family Day picnic in The Iveagh Gardens, Dublin 2, from 1-5pm, Sunday 15 May to enjoy our family entertainers, workshops and games – all free of charge. Bring your own picnic! 
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