End the Silence 2024

End the Silence is Alcohol Action Ireland’s annual week of activities to raise awareness of the issues around parental problem alcohol use. This year’s End the Silence is a series of three events on November 5th, 6th and 8th. The events form part of Alcohol Action Ireland’s initiative, Silent Voices, which seeks to raise awareness of the issues arising from growing up with alcohol harm in the home and put forward policy solutions to address these issues.  End the Silence 2024 comprises two live webinars and an in-person event at Dublin’s Mansion House. 

Watch Trauma's Ripples Through Time

This webinar discusses the lifelong impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Featuring psychotherapist and author Dr Richard Hogan, Prof Karen Hughes (Directorate of Policy, Research and International Development, Public Health Wales) and Prof Clíona Ní Cheallaigh (Associate Professor, TCD, Consultant St James Hospital).

 

TIMELINE: 00:00.00 – 03:20.00 – Introduction by Sheila Gilheany (AAI CEO)

03:20.00 – 27:00.00 – Prof Clíona Ní Cheallaigh (Associate Professor, TCD, Consultant St James Hospital)

27:00.00 – 01:06:00.00 – Dr Richard Hogan (Clinical Director, Therapy Institute)

01:06:00.00 –01:53:00.00 – Prof Karen Hughes (Directorate of Policy, Research and International Development, Public Health Wales)

 

About the speakers:

Dr Richard Hogan is Clinical Director at Therapy Institute. The title of Richard’s talk is ‘Home is where the start is’ which will focus on the impact of addiction on child development.

 

Prof Karen Hughes is Research and Capacity Development Manager (Specialist Projects) in the Policy and International Health Directorate at Public Health Wales and an Honorary Professor at Bangor University. She has a broad public health research portfolio with specific interests in adverse childhood experiences, violence prevention, alcohol use and nightlife health. Karen undertakes population studies examining the impacts of ACEs on health and social wellbeing across the life course and has published evidence reviews and national and international reports to promote action to prevent of adverse childhood experience and support those affected by them.

 

This presentation, titled ‘Adverse childhood experiences: life course impacts and opportunities for prevention’, will outline the harmful impacts that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can have on individuals’ health and well-being across the life course. Using data from Ireland, UK and international studies, it will explore the increased risks of health and social outcomes associated with ACEs and their financial costs to society. ACEs are preventable and children can be resilient to their harmful effects. The presentation will also explore what can be done to help prevent ACEs and modify their effects.

 

Prof Clíona Ní Cheallaigh is an Associate Professor in the Department of Clinical Medicine, TCD and a Consultant in Infectious Diseases and General Medicine in St James’s Hospital, Dublin. She is the Clinical Lead of the Inclusion Health Service in St James’s Hospital. Her research examines the effect of social exclusion on health, including work on health systems design and evaluation, premature ageing in homeless adults and the effect of social exclusion on the immune system.

Watch Voices of Hope and Courage

Voices of Hope and Courage is an arts-focused event that took place at the Mansion House, Dublin on Wednesday November 6th 2024. Featuring music from the harp-and-flute duo Celtic Grace, the evening includes conversations and stories with author and artist Aisling Creegan, Silent Voices’ Barbara Whelan and Eileen Beamish of Celtic Grace. The event is opened by Councillor Colm O’Rourke. The theme of this powerful and uplifting evening is the exploration of healing from alcohol harm in the home.

 

Timeline: 00:00.00 – 19:30.00 – Introduction by Ali Warner (MC), Sheila Gilheany (AAI CEO) and Cllr Colm O’Rourke.

19:30.00 – 42:30.00 – Conversation with Aisling Creegan (artist & author)

42:30.00 – 01:11:15.00 – Conversation with Barbara Whelan (Silent Voices)

01:11:15.00 – 01:35:00.00 – Conversation with Eileen Beamish (Celtic Grace)

01:35:00.00 – 02:01:00.00 – Question and comments from the audience

Watch Breaking the Domino Effect

This webinar, chaired by Caroline Jordan (Tusla), will discuss how early intervention strategies for children can have lasting impacts. Featuring Dr Hannah Todman (Stockport Family Workforce Development Manager), Dr Annemarie Millar (Queen’s University Belfast), Fiona Kearney (Familibase) and Hilary Henriques MBE (Nacoa UK).

 

TIMELINE:

00:00.00 – 07:30.00 – Introduction by Sheila Gilheany (AAI CEO) and Caroline Jordan (Tusla)

07:30.00 – 35:25 – Hilary Henriques MBE (Nacoa UK)

35:25 – 1:03:10 – Dr Hannah Todman (Stockport Family Workforce Development Manager)

1:03:10 – 1:33:30 – Fiona Kearney (Familibase)

1:33:30 – 2:02:30 – Dr Annemarie Millar (Queen’s University Belfast)

 

About the speakers:

Hilary Henriques MBE co-founded Nacoa (National Association for Children of Alcoholics) in 1990 while working at St Joseph’s Centre for Addiction in Surrey where she championed the need to address addiction as a family illness.

 

The title of Hilary’s talk is The Nacoa helpline 1990 to 2024. The talk includes how and why the Nacoa helpline was set up in 1990, its development over 34 years, including studies into the scope and scale of the problem in the UK, the 20 year Helpline Evaluation and the Model of Care. She was awarded an MBE in the 2005 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for her work with children and families and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts in 2008. In 2015 she was named in the Independent’s Happy List celebrating Britain’s unsung heroes and heroines.

 

Hilary is Chief Executive of Nacoa with responsibility for the Charity meeting operational objectives and financial obligations, as well as continuing an active role in Helpline work.

 

Dr Annemarie Millar is a registered Charted Psychologist with the British Psychological Society. She works as a research psychologist and has over 10 years’ experience working primarily with children and young people. Her research covers areas such as domestic and sexual violence and abuse, children and policing and child rights and focuses mainly on qualitative methodology. She also runs a coaching/consultancy practice which focuses on Emotional Intelligence.

 

The title of Annemarie’s talk is A Changing Climate for Child Rights: Child victims experiences of policing within the context of domestic abuse. This presentation explores child victims’ experiences of policing within the context of domestic abuse. The findings will be explored through a child rights perspective (UNCRC, 1989) and what this means for professional training and practice.

 

Dr Hannah Todman is a registered social worker with 14 years of frontline practice experience, a practice educator and workforce development manager for Stockport family children’s services. The focus of Hannah’s practice has been supporting children and families affected by a loved one’s substance misuse. Hannah’s recently completed PhD, undertaken at Manchester Metropolitan University, focuses on the experiences of children (aged 7-16) who live with parental substance misuse.

 

The title of Hannah’s talk is Understanding the needs of children living with parental substance misuse. Hannah presents an introduction to the needs of children living with parental substance misuse and outline the key messages for practice, produced in partnership with The British Association of Social Work. This introductory talk explores the risk factors that increase the risk of significant harm, as well as exploring the protective factors needed for children to reduce safeguarding concerns.

 

Fiona Kearney has over 20 years’ experience working in addiction and children’s services, both community and statutory. She completed a Master’s in Education in 2017 where she looked at the impact of substance misuse on children and young people and the interventions/supports that impacted and supported them in their lived experience. She has been involved in the design, delivery, and management of services for children and families impacted by family substance misuse or Hidden Harm.

 

Fiona is the CEO of FamiliBase, a ‘One Stop Shop’ of supports for children, young people, and families in Ballyfermot, Dublin 10. With a deep understanding of the challenges facing children and families impacted by Hidden Harm, Fiona has been a driving force in integrating Hidden Harm best practice across the organisation. Fiona chaired an interagency group in Dublin 10 to explore how we could enhance our practice across the community. She continues to be passionate about support for children and families affected by Hidden Harm and participates in interagency structures with this in mind.

 

The title of Fiona’s talk is FamiliBase: ‘ A One Stop Shop’ of services and supports for children , young people and families in Dublin 10. In 2006 FamiliBase began work with children and families affected by parental problem alcohol and other drug use, and a lot has been learned in this time. This talk focuses on the journey to date and the learnings along the way.