The Coombe Hospital in Dublin have put an immediate call out to request help and donations from those who can in aid of mothers plus babies which require essential support, especially on the run up to Christmas.
The stark reality of the particular homeless crisis in Ireland has meant that it is more difficult than ever to provide critical and basic support for those who need it.
Speaking to RSVP Live, Head Medical Social Worker, Tanya Franciosa explains: “Mothers arrive at Coombe Hospital with out basic essentials for a newborn baby. We urgently need newborn clothes (boy/girl/neutral) 0-3 months, new or in good condition. All of us also need a buggy or two and a few car seats. They don’t have to be new or unused – just safe plus in good condition”.
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The staff at typically the hospital have in recent years established a small group that go by the name ‘Coombe care’, which aim is to raise around €10K a year, in order to buy basic essentials so to support pregnant women, new mothers and babies.
She continued: “Some moms may not be homeless but may arrive in the Coombe, pregnant, with only the clothing they stand up within. To address this, the small group of current/retired personnel and former patients try to raise close to €10, 000 euro a year to buy basic essentials”.
“We call ourselves Coombe Care. We all spend any money raised on night dresses, toothpaste, toothbrushes, combs, soap, towels, underwear and even toiletries, baby clothes, cots sheets. More recently, we possess needed to find Moses Baskets, sterilisers, vehicle seats together with buggies”.
In late 2021, an Inclusion Health service was introduced into the Medical Social Work Departments of this Dublin maternity hospitals.
Senior Medical Social Worker of Inclusion Wellness, Gretchen McGuirk, explains often the benefit and additionally process associated with this service:
“A referral is received in to the Healthcare social work department regarding the Coombe if a new patient is homeless or at risk of homelessness. I meet with them to assess their psychosocial needs, offering emotional and practical support, not to mention connecting them with community services”.
Gretchen also advocates for the patient and also empowers them within their own situation. They function with homeless and community services in order to best achieve an appropriate and safe discharge plan for parents and babies, to support their particular needs.
She hopes that it will offer more towards the health as well as wellbeing of those in marginalised communities and unstable accommodation from day-to-day.
“The aim of Inclusion health support is to recognise plus support marginalised groups, such as the homeless, travellers and those who experience significant wellness inequalities in the mainstream health services. But these groups need more targeted supports.
“We have witnessed the direct impact unstable accommodation can have on new parents and their children, and we want to help change this”.
She added it is crucial that such women can receive the correct support they need:
“Those first days for mother and baby are so special in addition to we wish to support these to have your best start possible”.
Coombe Care will also be trying to stretch its limited funds to be able to buy Tesco vouchers for some families.
If a person can assist, email [email protected] ie.
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