Telephone counselling service to open every day over Christmas

By Mark Keane

Telephone counselling and support service Connect is to extend its hours during Christmas, opening every evening from today, December 18 until January 1.

The free and confidential service will open from 6-10pm through the Christmas period, providing counselling and support for adults who were abused in childhood.

The service was established in 2006 following demands from groups representing survivors of institutional abuse that an independent out-of-hours telephone based service, funded by the HSE, be set up. 

Speaking about the extended opening hours, service Director Sheila Doran said that Christmas is a particularly sensitive period in terms of public need for the service.

People can call Connect and speak with a trained counsellor at 1800 477 477.