A new residential respite centre for children and young people aged between six and 17 has been opened by Tusla in Letterkenny, Co Donegal.
Called Saoire, it provides respite and support services for children who are living at home or in foster care and who require additional supports to maintain their placement in a family environment.
According to the Child and Family Agency, this typically means spending a few nights at the centre "surrounded by friendly staff, enjoyable activities and an opportunity to avail of a range of supports and interventions offered to help equip them better for family life".
Donal McCormack, National Service Director, Residential Childcare Services, Tusla, said the centre was developed "after careful consideration of the needs of children and young people in Donegal".
"The centre has capacity to work with up to 15 children and families at any one time and its objective is to support children and young people who need supplementary assistance to assist in sustaining their continued placement in a family environment," said Mr McCormack.
The building has undergone extensive renovation and will provide a range of services including planned respite breaks, individually tailored placement plans, outreach support for the young people and families/foster carers and 24-hour telephone support.
