Cork City Councillors and Crisis Pregnancy Agency celebrate the work of Cork crisis pregnancy and sexual health groups
New Crisis Pregnancy Counselling Course to start in Cork this October in conjunction with NUI Maynooth
Wednesday, 10th September 2008 – Councillor Dara Murphy who deputised for the Lord Mayor of Cork, Councillor Brian Bermingham today welcomed the Board Members of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency to Cork City Hall and hosted a reception to celebrate the work of groups in Cork in addressing the issue of crisis pregnancy. The Crisis Pregnancy Agency is the state body established to address the issue of crisis pregnancy. The Chair of the Agency, Katharine Bulbulia and the Agency’s Board met with representatives of six services in Cork which receive Agency funding: CURA, the Irish Family Planning Association, Life Pregnancy Care, Sexual Health Centre Cork, the West Cork Crisis Pregnancy Counselling Service and the Youth Health Service.
The Agency also announced that a pilot certificate level training course in crisis pregnancy counselling skills will commence in Cork in October. This is the second year that the Agency has provided funding for a crisis pregnancy counselling course in partnership with the National University Ireland (NUI), Maynooth. The high level of demand from applicants in the Munster region has prompted NUI Maynooth to hold it in Cork City.
At present over €1.4 million is committed by the Agency to Cork based projects as part of agreements due to run from 2007-2010. This funding has facilitated the provision of additional services by existing crisis pregnancy counselling service providers, including: a new pilot sexual health and relationships education programme for parents at the Sexual Health Centre Cork that supports the delivery of RSE in the home; and a new part time counselling post at LIFE Pregnancy Care. In addition, the Agency continues to fund: a crisis pregnancy counselling service based in Skibbereen, West Cork, targeting an area where there has been a low level of service available for women in their local area; and the Youth Health Service, the IFPA and Cura, to provide crisis pregnancy and post-abortion counselling services to a mix of client groups in Cork city. The Agency continued to fund the Youth Health Service’s sexual health services for young people to June 2008. This service is currently seeking mainstream funding to continue this work beyond 2008’.
The Chair of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, Katharine Bulbulia said: “I am delighted to meet with representatives of the six services which receive funding from the Agency and celebrate their excellent work in addressing the issue of crisis pregnancy in Cork. The commencement of a crisis pregnancy counselling course in the city this October will maintain standards of good practice in crisis pregnancy counselling while enabling accredited counsellors and specifically trained volunteers to up-skill in the area.”
Councillor Dara Murphy said: “It is a pleasure to welcome the Board of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency to Cork in recognition of their funding and support, which provides a valuable resource for the people of Cork and neighbouring counties.”
Ends
For further information please contact: Enda Saul, Programmes and Communications Manager, Crisis Pregnancy Agency: 085-7172008
Editor’s Notes:
1. The Crisis Pregnancy Agency (CPA) was established in 2001 and is mandated to provide for:
A) A reduction in the number of crisis pregnancies by the provision of education, advice and contraceptive services
B) A reduction in the number of women with crisis pregnancies who opt for abortion by offering services and support which make other options more attractive
C) The provision of counselling services, medical services and other health services for the purpose of providing support, after crisis pregnancy, as may be deemed appropriate by the Agency.
2. Cork Services in receipt of Crisis Pregnancy Agency Funding
1. CURA provides crisis pregnancy counselling, information on rights and entitlements, and post termination counselling in Cork City and in 16 other locations nationwide.
2. The Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) provides crisis pregnancy counselling and post termination counselling in Cork City as well as in 11 other locations nationwide.
3. Life Pregnancy Care provides crisis pregnancy counselling, information on rights and entitlements and post termination counselling in Cork as well as in 5 other locations nationwide.
4. The Sexual Health Centre in Cork City provides a range of sexual health and education services including school based sexual health education for young people, support services for those affected or at risk of STIs and a health promotion training programme in addition to crisis pregnancy counselling, post termination counselling and post termination medical check-ups and a pilot project to facilitate the engagement of parents in the delivery of RSE in the home.
5. The West Cork Crisis Pregnancy Counselling Service is a relatively new service, and began providing crisis pregnancy counselling and post termination counselling in Skibbereen in the latter half of 2006.
6. The Youth Health Service delivers a range of health services, including free pregnancy testing, family planning, drug and alcohol counselling, welfare advice and sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening, in addition to providing crisis pregnancy counselling information and support and post crisis pregnancy counselling.
To contact Martin Grogan, Co-ordinator of the Youth Health Service in Cork please contact:
021 – 4220490
