Traveller Families Care (T.F.C) has provided a range of care services to the Traveller Community since 1975.

In partnership with the Health Service Executive TFC has developed innovative residential, aftercare and foster care programmes specifically designed to meet the needs of members of the Traveller Community.

Over the years there has been a development of a number of services for the settled community and in line with that, TFC saw the need to establish a more preventative and child-focused approach to supporting Traveller families in crisis.

The work carried out by TFC has always been based on mutual trust and open communication which encourages family involvement in addressing the needs of Traveller families. However the need to establish a more structured environment to carry out the work was seen as a necessity.

Structure of the Service

• Traveller Families’ Care is overseen by a Board of Management, who meet bi-monthly and oversee the running of each service.
• Traveller Families’ Care is made up of three services: Ballyowen Meadows, Derralossary House and Community Support Service.
• Derralossary House is based in Roundwood, Co. Wicklow, offering short term residential placements to unaccompanied minors.
• Community Support Service provides support to former residents of Ballyowen Meadows, who present as having needs. The service also works with families and individuals to prevent children coming into care.
• Other special projects are occasional taken on board when requested by referring areas.
• The service is funded by the Child and Family Agency in the Dublin Mid-Leinster region.

Standards of Traveller Families’ Care (TFC)

As professionals working within a caring environment, we at TFC are constantly striving for excellence, evolving in line with the best practice in social care and community support.

Our aim is to achieve the highest standards of care through a consistent, creative, hardworking and therapeutic approach. We believe that these standards are best achieved within a person centred, safe, secure and homely environment.  

Core Values of Traveller Families’ Care (TFC)

1. Respect – TFC communicates respect and equality for all individuals working within and accessing our services and accept diversity and difference with regard to culture and individuality.
2. Quality Care – We seek to provide a safe secure living environment for families and young people in our care and ensure the homeliest environment possible.
3. Best Practice – We endeavour to adhere to professional standards and work within the boundaries of our agencies policies and procedures. We aim to support colleagues with continuing opportunities for quality supervision and team development. We regularly review our practice and standards.
4. Advocacy – We acknowledge the right of our service users to make their own choices and determine the course of their lives. We are committed to supporting positive choices and to actively promoting positive perceptions of different cultures within society.
5. Ongoing Development – We recognise that it is necessary to constantly review and research our model of care, thus enabling us to deliver the most modern and unsurpassed service to our service users.

An outreach family support service supporting vulnerable families in the community, in particular former residents of Ballyowen Meadows with regards to advocacy, facilitating family access and help with needs of difficulties as they arise within the community.

How to refer:

All referrals can be made directly to the Centre via email or post. Please download and complete the referral form below.

Contact:

Patricia Dowling (Director of Service)

 01 6235 735 or patricia@tfcare.org

Or Ger Doyle (Community Support)

01 6235 735 or css@tfcare.org

Download CSS Referral Form

Is a short term residential centre based in Roundwood, Co. Wicklow.  The centre works exclusively with separated children seeking asylum, catering for 13 to 17 years olds of mixed gender.  Derralossary House recognises that separated young people seeking asylum come with varied and complex needs.  We aim to ensure that the service provided understands the cross cultural differences and language barriers that occur with the young people in their placement.  Derralossary House recognises that common to all these young people is the need to provide a welcoming, safe, secure, warm and nurturing environment.  The staff team is made up of individuals who have vast experience in working with minority groups and are very knowledgeable in the asylum process.  Derralossary House provides programs to develop the young people’s skills and preparing them for a longer term placement.    The team in Derralossary House are committed in our efforts to support and encourage the young people to reach their full potential by ensuring that all their primary care needs are met utilising our model of care – Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.  We work in close partnership with the TUSLA Social Work Team for separated children seeking asylum with a view to trying to achieve the best possible outcomes for the young people in our care.