I can confirm that officials from the Department meet with Tusla’s Commissioning Office on a quarterly basis, to discuss service provision, funding and any ongoing initiatives. Funding for counselling and psychotherapy services is administered by Tusla, and the Department has no role in the funding of individual services. It should also be noted that the Department does not have any involvement in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), which are run by HSE and under the remit of the Department of Health.
Tusla has advised it works closely with the HSE, Cuan, Government Departments, and community and voluntary partners to support coordinated access to community-based counselling and psychotherapy services for children, young people, and families, including those living in rural or disadvantaged areas.
Children and Young People’s Services Committees (CYPSC), established in every county and chaired by Tusla, provide the primary interagency structure for local service planning and coordination. CYPSC bring together statutory, community, and voluntary organisations to identify need, reduce service fragmentation, and improve pathways to appropriate supports. Through this structure, agencies collaborate to ensure that children and families can access the right service at the right time.
Tusla also engages on an ongoing basis with the HSE and Cuan to strengthen service integration, particularly in the context of therapeutic supports linked to child protection, domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services, and the development of Barnahus services. This engagement supports clearer referral pathways, shared governance expectations, and improved responsiveness to complex need.
In addition, Tusla funds a range of community-based counselling and therapeutic services under Section 56 of the Child and Family Agency Act 2013. These services form part of a broader, planned service ecosystem designed to complement statutory provision and expand local capacity.
Tusla is continuing to enhance its commissioning approach to further support coordinated planning. Commissioning plans are informed by population need, service demand, performance data, and engagement with statutory and community partners. This structured approach strengthens oversight, promotes consistency in service quality, and supports more strategic investment in prevention and early intervention services.
Tusla recognises the importance of strong clinical governance and quality assurance across all funded services. In this context, the Agency notes the development of Community Therapy Ireland’s Clinical
Governance Badge of Excellence, which is intended to support member organisations in demonstrating adherence to defined governance and practice standards. While such initiatives sit alongside existing regulatory and contractual requirements, they also contribute positively to sector-wide quality improvement and transparency for service users and funders. I can confirm that officials in the Department and Tusla colleagues have met with the organisation concerned in the context of its engagement with community counselling services, and the development and rollout of its Badge of Excellence initiative.
Tusla will continue to work collaboratively with partners to improve access, integration, governance, and outcomes for children, young people, and families requiring counselling and psychotherapy supports.
Appendix 8 of the most recent Tusla Annual Report and Financial Statements records payments to Family Support Services Counselling providers around the country. In many cases providers offer counselling and therapeutic services at no to low-cost to the communities that they serve.
In addition to Family Support Services Counselling funding, in 2025 the Department secured an additional €1.5 million – formerly allocated under Dormant Accounts – for counselling, psychotherapy and therapeutic services to children and young people. This funding allowed organisations, such as Family Resource Centres (FRCs), to continue their important work of providing counselling and therapeutic services in the community. The funding helped to address unmet need and reduce waiting lists for community-based counselling services.
In 2024, Clinical and Therapeutic Lead posts were established by Tusla in a number of FRCs around the country, to ensure that there is a Clinical and Therapeutic Lead in all six Tusla regions. I understand that this initiative is working very well. The focus of the role includes providing clinical leadership, ensuring that quality services are developed and adapted to meet emerging and presenting needs in the region, and monitoring standards regarding clinical practice and good governance. Clinical Leads also deliver therapy services directly to clients.
