The Katharine Howard Foundation, in conjunction with The Community Foundation for Ireland, hosted the launch of Community Mothers Programme (CMP) review last week. Both Foundations have been aware for many years of the work carried out through the Community Mothers Programme in locations around Ireland and provided financial supports to a number of these projects. For example in Tipperary ‘The Tony Ryan Fund’ supported the Joint Initiative of the Community Mothers Programme Nenagh and Clonmel over a space of 6 years from 2013. The Community Mothers Programme has been an important resource throughout the country in providing early and valued support to families in their own homes and communities.
In recent years, The Community Foundation for Ireland and KHF were concerned to hear that a number of Community Mothers Programme sites had closed while others had significant fears for their future. As a result, it was agreed that it would be beneficial to conduct a review of the current status of the Community Mothers Programme in Ireland with a view to informing the development of a strategic plan for the future of the Programme. The focus of this review is on the nine remaining sites delivering the Community Mothers Programme or an equivalent and similar programme.
The Community Mothers Programmes in Ireland is spread across 9 centres with approximately 7 coordinators and 97 Community Mothers supporting over 2,500 families per year through home visits and group meetings. They reach out to the communities and provide valuable resources through parenting groups, provision of information, antenatal classes and a variety of other similar services. One Community Mother described the impact in the report “It is really important to start building links with the community and using community resources, they really become integrated into the community…they make friends for life”. The response from parents was equally as positive around the impact it had both personally and on the community with one stating “The home visiting is crucial – all services should be based in the home and the community”.
The importance of philanthropic support is clear from the report which outlines the high level of uncertainty attached to all CMP funding with many board members and coordinators reporting ‘that operating under these funding insecurities places considerable pressure on management and detracts from the delivery of services’. The Community Foundation for Ireland has supported the development of children and young people in Ireland for a number of years through a variety of ways. One such way includes the Infant Health and Wellbeing Development Fund which was established to ensure that the first 1000 days of a child’s life are nurturing, safe and give children the best start in life they can hope for. The Community Foundation for Ireland was able to support the Community Mothers Programme through a grant of €31,000 through the Infant Health and Wellbeing Development Fund in collaboration with the Katharine Howard Foundation, The Tomar Trust and the Lauritzon Foundation.
The Katharine Howard Foundation and the Community Foundation for Ireland look forward to the key stakeholders progressing the recommendations contained in the report here and clarifying the future strategic direction and potential of the Community Mothers Programme in continuing to meet the needs of children, families and communities. A summary report of the national review of the Community Mothers Programme by Susan Brocklesby can be found on The Katharine Howard Foundation website here.
The Community Foundation for Ireland actively encourages collaboration with other trusts and foundations to increase the impact of philanthropic funding, share learnings and to promote philanthropy, to find out more about how we work with other trusts and foundations click here.