Mayo Children's Initiative

Mayo Children's Initiative Steering Committee:- Top row, left to right: Cathal Kearney, Art Ó'Súilleabháin, Margaret Heffron, Paul Murphy, Michael Kavanagh, Jane Forman (Executive Director, Atlantic Philanthropies), Jim Power (MCI Chairperson), Bottom Row, left to right: Kay Veale, Fergus Finlay (CEO, Barnardos), Helen Mortimer (MCI Manager) & Angela Courtney

Official Launch of Mayo Children's Initiative

Mayo Children's Initiative was officially launched in February 2010 by Fergus Finlay, CEO of Barnardos. The launch took place in Ballyheane Community Childcare Centre and attracted a large crowd.

Helen Mortimer, manager of MCI stated that "Children are not passive victims or silent witnesses. They have their own coping strategies and their own perspectives on what happens to them. Each child reacts as an individual," She continued: "Children rely on their family for safety and protection. It is very traumatic for children to see and feel the tension, terror and aggression that domestic violence creates. Children experience domestic violence differently from adults. They do not have an adult understanding of domestic violence. They often blame themselves for what is happening. They worry that the violence will cause the death of their mother and they often try to protect their mother and their siblings from the violence. If we are to provide children with the strategies to keep themselves safe or to help them cope with the violence they are living with we must first listen to them. What we are doing here in Mayo is vital because we are putting children first. Up to now they have been supported in domestic violence services which are set up for women".

Fergus Finlay praised MCI and its leadership potential to be adopted throughout the country, as well as the efficacy and discernment of its funding source, Atlantic Philanthropies. "An initiative that directly addresses the needs of children is profoundly important. This goes further than creating huge public interest. Atlantic Philanthropies always demands results. Its only interest is in finding something that works and making it spread," Mr Finlay also said "Atlantic Philanthropies makes a real difference. There is a real potential to develop a set of interventions here that will have an all-Ireland effect. This is a real exercise in leadership and I look forward with keen interest to how this project proceeds".

Left to right:- John O'Mahony (T.D. Guest Speaker), Michael Kilcoyne (Mayor of Castlebar), Helen Mortimer (MCI Manager), Fergus Finlay (CEO, Barnardos) & Jim Power (MCI Chairperson)

John O'Mahony, T.D., Guest Speaker

Top row, left to right:- John O'Mahony (T.D., Guest Speaker), Jane Forman (Executive Director, Atlantic Philanthropies), Jim Power (Chairperson, MCI), Bottom row, left to right:- Michael Kilcoyne (Mayor of Castlebar), Fergus Finlay (CEO, Barnardos) & Helen Mortimer (Manager, MCI)

Fergus Finlay, CEO, Barnardos

Helen Mortimer, Manager, MCI

Jim Power, Chairperson, MCI