What we do

BME Family Support Service

National research has shown that although there is some diversity in the experiences of black and minority ethnic (BME) parents, they share a number of challenges in supporting their children to live happy and successful lives.

This includes greater risk of experiencing poverty, higher rates of ill health in children and adults, poor housing and tackling racism in everyday life. In Northern Ireland, we have a growing ethnic migrant population with the increase in minority workers and immigrants. Barnardo’s Tuar Ceatha Services have worked with BME communities since 1993 and we continue to assess and develop our understanding of the particular needs within these groups.

Travellers Pre-School Service

The aim of the Traveller's Pre-School service is to promote the inclusion and integration of Traveller children into mainstream education.

The needs of Travellers was one of the first issues identified by the Government to be addressed through the Promoting Social Inclusion initiatives. The levels of social and economic disadvantage faced generally by the Traveller population are acknowledged as being the highest in Northern Ireland.

Since September 2008 the service operates from St. Aiden's Primaray School based at Whiterock Road, West Belfast.

BMER Pyramid Plus Pilot

April 2011-March 2012

The main Pyramid Plus Service was started in September 2003 following the success of the pilot programme in 2001/2002 run in the Northern Health and Social Services Board (NHSSB). It ran successfully until March 2011 when funding ended, however the project has a years grant to develop a pilot project using the Pyramid Model in conjunction with a Pyramid Parenting Programme. We seek to engage with Minority Ethnic children, local children and their parents in this exciting pilot.