Parenting | Tips for Halloween fun
Halloween, having its roots in the Gaelic Samhain festival, is a wonderful time for family fun and games. As parents, we need to take precautions to ensure the safety of our children without taking away from the fun. Here we offer tips to make Halloween safe and fun this year: Consider having a party in your […]
10 Ways to Parent Self-Care
This week’s ’10 Ways to …’ feature is about you looking after you. Read on for our ‘10 Ways to Parent Self-Care’. “I’m not perfect, I’m good enough” (Winnicot): Recognise that you are one person and you are doing the best you can. Give yourself a pat on the back – don’t wait for someone […]
Some positive moves to be welcomed but this falls short of the required Children’s Budget
Wednesday 9 October 2019 One Family welcomes the targeted measures in Budget 2020 for working lone parents and the commitment to fund research into child maintenance. Specifically, we welcome the targeted increases to help make work pay for lone parents and that restore payments to the ‘pre-cuts’ 2012 levels. These are: an increase of €15 […]
‘First responder shouldn’t be a solicitor’ – Support services for separating families urgently needed across Ireland
[Monday, September 16, 2019] One Family, Ireland’s organisation for people parenting alone, sharing parenting and separating has called for the urgent rollout of specialist support services for families who are going through the long process of separating. The call comes as the charity launched its Annual Review for 2018 which has seen an 82% increase […]
10 Ways to Improve Listening in the Home
Listening is not the same as hearing. To listen means to pay attention not just to what is being said but how it is being said, including paying attention to the types of words used, the tone of voice and body language. The key to understanding is effective listening. For this week’s ’10 Ways to …’ post […]
Back to Education Allowance Easier to Access
One Family welcomes the news that the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection has changed the conditions for Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) for people in receipt of One-Parent Family Payment. Applicants no longer need to be out of education for 2 years to qualify, and they don’t have to be over 21. People […]
10 Ways to Manage Homework with Primary School Children
Homework is considered to be beneficial in helping children to learn how to manage time, planning and priorities, and to learn independently and take responsibility. These are all skills that will help them in the future in many ways. Homework also helps teachers to determine how well students are understanding their lessons. It is important […]
Parenting | Ten ways to re-establish the school routine
Settling back into the school routine can be very challenging. When you are parenting school age children, the best way to make a plan is to do it together with your children, here are some tips to support you. Call a family meeting. If you have not tried this before, try not to be skeptical […]
10 Ways to Prepare Your Child for Preschool
As summer winds down, it is time to start thinking about school again. For parents with young children, that means looking into preschools for your children. Sending your child to preschool for the first time is a big step in both you and your child’s life, and it is important to make sure both of […]
10 Reasons why Children Misbehave and the Power of Positive Attention
One way or another children will misbehave, but understanding the reason why can give parents the opportunity to develop positive coping mechanisms to address misbehaviour and in turn develop stronger and more positive relationships with their children. When thinking about the reasons why children misbehave it is perhaps useful to think firstly about what misbehaviour […]
10 Ways to Make Play Dates Positive
“Play date” or “playdate” is a US expression that has become popular in Ireland in recent years. Simply put, a play date is an arranged appointment between parents for their children to get together for a few hours at home. Play dates support children to form friendships, to practice their social and relationship building skills, […]
10 Ways to Develop Family Rituals and Traditions
A family ritual, or tradition, is a practice within a family that has special meaning to family members. Family rituals provide a sense of belonging and continuity. They bring families closer together. It is often hard in our day and age to escape the pressures and daily stresses that make up our lives, but having rituals […]
Majority of parents resort to court to agree child maintenance and child’s needs do not determine amount paid
One Family call for the establishment of Statutory Child Maintenance Agency [Dublin, 15 July 2019] One Family- Ireland’s organisation for people parenting alone, sharing parenting, and separating today released the results of a national survey of parents in relation to child maintenance. The launch comes as the charity launches its new child maintenance position paper. […]
Calls at Pre-Budget Forum for Budget 2020 to be based on evidence
Reports pile up with evidence about what needs to be done to unlock lone parents and their children from the poverty trap [Dublin, Thursday 4 July] One Family – Ireland’s organisation for people parenting alone, sharing parenting and separating has called on the Government to urgently implement the recommendations of the eight Government and independently commissioned […]
Support lone parents to support themselves – make award winning training programme available nationally
Dublin based training programme records 85% success rate in supporting lone parents to education and employment [Dublin, 26 June 2019] Karen Kiernan, CEO of One Family – Ireland’s organisation for people parenting alone, sharing parenting and separating has called on the Government to make the award-winning New Futures training programme available nationally. The European Social […]
Parenting | Father’s Day
Many children will be looking forward to some special time with Dads, Stepdads and Granddads on Father’s Day, though it is also a day that can bring challenges. In One Family, children are at the centre of our work and we support parents to help children to have contact with both parents where possible, unless it […]
Parenting | Ten Ways to Make the Most of School Breaks
For some parents the school holiday is a respite time with a more relaxed routine. However, it can be a nightmare for others for many reasons such as not being able to take time off work, lack of childcare options and tight budgets, and so requires a lot of planning and management. As parents we learn […]
Coalition for YES welcomes divorce result
The Coalition for YES, a coalition of NGOs and lawyers, have welcomed the resounding YES vote in the divorce referendum. Speaking as the results rolled in, executive director of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL), Liam Herrick, said: Ireland is obliged by European and international human rights law and standards to protect the right […]
Vote YES and make Ireland a more compassionate place.
By voting YES tomorrow you can help to change the lives of thousands of men, women and children across Ireland. People don’t marry thinking they will divorce but sometimes it happens and we need a compassionate and considered response to this reality. In our work with couples and families separating, we see the devastation that […]
Coalition for YES – Letter to the Editor of the Irish Times
Dear Sir, The Irish electorate will be asked to vote in an important referendum on divorce this Friday. As a coalition of civil society organisations we are calling for a yes vote so that we can have a better, more compassionate process for people who need it. On Friday, people will be asked to approve […]