We recognise the fact that a child’s illness and subsequent attendance at hospital can be a stressful time for families, therefore we offer both practical and emotional support with the aim of minimising these difficulties. The Medical Social Work Departments are available on all of our sites and offer a number of services to the children in our care and their families.
Medical Social Workers work as part as the hospital’s multi-disciplinary team. Our primary focus is the emotional and social impact of illness & hospitalisation on the lives of our patients and their families. We work, together with our colleagues, to offer a holistic service to our patients and their families.
Contact us
Call this line if you have a query about your child’s stay in the hospital such as date of admission.
General enquiries:
Tel: (01) 409 6356 social.work@olchc.ie
General enquires
Tel: (01) 878 4212 medicalsocialwork@cuh.ie
General enquiries
Tel: (01) 414 2462
General enquires
Tel: (01) 640 7574
Our services
Some of the services we offer include
Our primary focus is the emotional and social impact of illness and hospitalisation on the lives of our patients and their families. Medical Social Workers recognise that a diagnosis of a long-term condition or illness impacts on the whole family system. We offer emotional support and advice to children, parents and families who have a new diagnosis of illness or long- term condition. This support and advice is available on both a short term basis during Hospital admission and on a longer term basis after discharge from hospital, depending on the child’s and their family’s individual needs. Medical Social Workers can assist with the discharge process and liaise & advocate on our patient’s behalf in order to ensure the appropriate supports are in place for our patients after discharge from Hospital.
The Medical Social Work Service can also provide information and assistance with benefits and financial entitlements and signpost parents towards suitable community & voluntary support services, including onward referral if necessary.
In the tragic event of the death of a child the Medical Social Work Service offers a therapeutic and emotional support service to families both at the time of the bereavement and on a follow- up basis. Parents are offered one to one support and assistance on both an emotional and a practical level. Support is also provided to parents and siblings to bereavement support services.
From time to time families may experience difficulty in caring for their children and meeting all their needs. The Medical Social Work Service offers emotional support to families who have difficulties relating to family separation, homelessness and relationship difficulties. Medical Social Workers acknowledge that the child’s welfare is paramount and work closely with parents, other professionals and statutory authorities to provide support to families when these issues arise.
