At the end of 2022, KHF provided a grant towards the development of a Nurture Room in St. Joseph’s Junior National School and Pop-up Crèche in Ballymun.

The grant was used to decorate and furnish a new space called the Nurture Room, a safe, warm and home-like environment for the children engaging with this space.The School runs CPD courses for teachers and SNAs so they are educated on the impacts a nurture room can have on children who have, or are experiencing trauma, to create a secure attachment.

On 23 March, our CEO, Dr Cliona Hannon, and Ciara McConnell, The Ireland Funds, visited St Joseph’s to see the newly developed Nurture Room and meet with the staff and team. The space is already showing great impact in the children who can participate, a safe space where children can escape to learn with their peers, to have that much needed time out from the classroom or to enjoy learning activities outside of the normal classroom environment.

Pictured below are:  Junior school principal; Jennie McGee, Senior School principal; Philip Fitzgerald, Senior School Nurture Practitioner; Emma O’Neill, Junior School Nurture Practitioner; Nicola Lee, Home School Community Liaison (Junior & Senior) Eimear Lyons.