The Coombe Hospital in Dublin have put an urgent call out to request help and donations from those who can in aid of mothers and babies which require essential support, especially on the run up to Christmas.

The stark reality of the homeless crisis in Ireland has meant that it is more difficult than ever to provide critical and basic support for those who need it.

Speaking to RSVP Live, Head Medical Social Worker, Tanya Franciosa explains: “Mothers arrive at Coombe Hospital without basic essentials for a newborn baby. We urgently need newborn clothes (boy/girl/neutral) 0-3 months, new or in good condition. We also need a buggy or two and a few car seats. They don’t have to be new or unused - just safe and in good condition”.

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The staff at the hospital have in recent years established a small group that go by the name ‘Coombe care’, which aim is to raise around €10K a year, in order to buy basic essentials so to support pregnant women, new mothers and babies.

She continued: "Some mothers may not be homeless but may arrive at the Coombe, pregnant, with only the clothes they stand up in. To address this, a small group of current/retired staff and former patients try to raise around €10,000 euro a year to buy basic essentials”.

“We call ourselves Coombe Care. We spend any money raised on night dresses, toothpaste, toothbrushes, combs, soap, towels, underwear and toiletries, baby clothes, cots sheets. More recently, we have needed to find Moses Baskets, sterilisers, car seats and buggies”.

In late 2021, an Inclusion Health service was introduced into the Medical Social Work Departments of the Dublin maternity hospitals.

Senior Medical Social Worker of Inclusion Health, Gretchen McGuirk, explains the benefit and process of this service:

“A referral is received into the Medical social work department of the Coombe if a patient is homeless or at risk of homelessness. I meet with them to assess their psychosocial needs, offering emotional and practical support, and connecting them with community services”.

Gretchen also advocates for the patient and empowers them within their own situation. They work with homeless and community services to best achieve an appropriate and safe discharge plan for mothers and babies, to support their needs.

She hopes that it will offer more towards the health and wellbeing of those in marginalised communities and unstable accommodation from day-to-day.

“The aim of Inclusion health support is to recognise and support marginalised groups, such as the homeless, travellers and those who experience significant health inequalities in the mainstream health services. But these groups need more targeted supports.

“We have witnessed the direct impact unstable accommodation can have on new parents and their children, and we want to help change this”.

She added that it is crucial that such women can receive the appropriate support they need:

“Those first days for mother and baby are so special and we want to support them to have the best start possible”.

Coombe Care will also be trying to stretch its limited funds to buy Tesco vouchers for some families.

If you can help, email socialwork@coombe.ie.

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