Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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694. To ask the Minister for Health the funding that is dedicated to providing bereavement support to families who have lost a child to an illness; if services are provided in an equitable manner across Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8811/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provided one off funding in December 2021 of 100,000 euro to support two agencies - Anam Cara and First Light - both of whom provide bereavement services. It is expected that similar levels of recurrent funding will be provided through the HSE National Service Plan 2023.

Anam Cara is a charity founded by bereaved parents to ensure all bereaved families have access to information and support. They provide a wide range of bereavement support services and peer support which are available to all parents regardless of the age or circumstances of their child’s death. These include monthly group meetings, online support groups and family remembrance events.

First Light's mission is to support delivery of appropriate therapeutic services to suddenly bereaved parents and family members in Ireland. A key focus of First Light is the provision of professional counselling for bereaved families.

In addition to the above, the Irish Hospice Foundation in partnership with the HSE provide a Bereavement Support line which is available to the general public. It provides a confidential safe space for individuals who have lost a loved one, friend or colleague, to talk about their loss and grief.

Responsibility for bereavement counselling and associated services lies across a variety of services areas. The HSE National Counselling Service (NCS) is an essential part of HSE mental health provision and provides a professional, confidential, counselling and psychotherapy service. The service is available in all HSE Community Health areas and operates from over 240 locations throughout Ireland

Bereavement counselling services are provided by the NCS, through Counselling in Primary Care (CIPC) in line with the Adult Bereavement Care Pyramid, developed by the Irish Hospice Foundation. The Adult Bereavement Care Pyramid is a framework to guide those working with and supporting bereaved people across the country, and was developed through a national collaborative process, managed by the IHF and supported by the HSE.

The Adult Bereavement Care Pyramid highlights that all people who experience a bereavement have some level of need, with levels of support increasing from Level 1 (compassion) to Level 4 (intensive support). For those requiring Level 3 and 4 supports, bereavement counselling can provide the most appropriate service. The NCS provides Bereavement Counselling through CIPC at Levels 3 and 4.

The HSE National Counselling Service provides Bereavement Counselling through its Counselling in Primary Care Service at level 3 and 4 in line with the Adult Bereavement Care

In the area of palliative care, 440 families on average receive bereavement care each month.

I trust this clarifies the matter.