This article is from page 10 of the 2011-10-04 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 10 JPG
A FREE event aimed at helping parents to recognise the early signs of suicide in their teenage children will take place in Ennistymon later this evening, October 4.
The event, which is being organised by the North West Clare Family Resource Centre will see the HSE’s Suicide Resource Officer, Bernie Carroll, talk to parents about what to look out for in their children and what they can do.
“It really is an excellent talk. Infor- mation about this is power and as a parent, if you have information, then you know where you can go and what you can do if you notice something,” said Barbara Ó Conchúir, Community Development Worker with the North West Clare Family Resource Centre.
“I think a lot of parents can feel powerless when they are faced with an issue like suicide. I think the talk can help show parents what they need to do but also it can show them the supports that are there to help if they are not able to do it themselves. I think that the talk takes the fear out of the subject of suicide and that is great for parent and gives them the feeling that they can do something about it.”
The suicide prevention event is an early taster of a number of events planned to take place in North Clare to mark World Mental Health Week – which runs from October 10 to 14.
A series of four events are being organised by the Ennistymon Interagency Network and the North Clare Mental Association under the theme of ‘Building Resilience Together’.
“The event will kick of next Monday with laughter yoga at the new An Grianán Resource Centre. This centre is a great resource for us know and it gives us a place to run events like this,” continued Barbara.
“On October 13 they have a session called Happy Parents, which is an introduction to parenting run by Clarecare, while later that evening there is a Happy Teens event organised by Clare Youth Services.
“The following day there will be a musical evening with the Scoil Mhuire School Choir, Ennis Gos- pel Choir and Toonta Ceoil, which will take place at the Lahinch Seaworld. The whole theme of the week is building resilience so it is about getting people out to do things that make them feel well as well.”
The free suicide talk will take place at the Falls Hotel in Ennistymon from 7.30pm later today, October 4.
For more information or to book any of these events call the North West Clare Family Resource Centre on 065 7071144 or email info@northwestclarefrc.ie.