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Student Health & Welfare

Throughout your time as a learner at St Nicholas Montessori College, you may encounter challenges for which you require additional support, be they personal circumstances or perhaps learning challenges that make study difficult for you. Our Learner Support Officer (LSO), Audrey Johnston, is always available to help keep you on track and make sure you have access to the proper resources for your needs.

It’s good to reach out to the LSO as early as possible if you anticipate challenges that might disrupt your learning. You can make an appointment with Audrey by contacting her at audrey.johnston@smsi.ie. (Please ensure your programme/stage information is included in your message.)

We have compiled a comprehensive set of additional support services for you below.

What external support services are available to me? (Click to open)

www.textaboutit.ie
Text HELLO to 50808 to start a conversation. Text About It is a free, anonymous, 24/7 messaging service providing everything from a calming chat to immediate support for your mental health and emotional wellbeing. Text About It is funded by the HSE.

Text About It currently works on all major networks (Eir, Three, Vodafone, GoMo, Tesco Mobile, Virgin Media). However, there is a chance that Text About It may not work on some smaller networks such as An Post and 48.  If the short code does not work on your network (An Post/48), you can still use the service by texting HELLO to 0861800280. Standard network message rates may apply to this 086 number.  

Reminder: In an emergency always call 999 or 112 for immediate support.

www2.hse.ie/mental-health
YourMentalHealth.ie aims to improve awareness and understanding of mental health and well-being in Ireland. The website has much information on mental health and wellbeing and support services.

spunout.ie/life/socialising/make-most-local-services
Spunout is Ireland’s youth information website created by young people, for young people.

www.samaritans.org/ireland/samaritans-ireland
Samaritans provides confidential non-judgmental support, 24 hours a day for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those that could lead to suicide, and for those who are worried about someone else.

www.pieta.ie
Pieta offers a professional one-to-one therapeutic service to people who are in suicidal distress, those who engage in self-harm, and those bereaved by suicide. All services are provided free of charge and no referral is needed.

www.bodywhys.ie
Bodywhys is The Eating Disorders Association of Ireland.

www.belongto.org
BeLonGTo LGBTQ+ Youth Services is the national organisation supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex young people in Ireland. Services include: support, youth groups, counselling service with Pieta, a sexual health course, a drug and alcohol service, advice and support groups for parents and carers, and information and training for professionals.

teni.ie
Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI) seeks to improve conditions and advance the rights and equality, and improve the lives of trans people and their families. TENI’s vision is a world where all people, regardless of gender identity or expression, enjoy full acceptance, equality and human rights.

www.aware.ie
Aware is the national organisation providing free support, education and information services to people impacted by anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and related mood conditions. 

www.drugs.ie/phone
Drugs and Alcohol Helpline: Freephone: 1800 459 459 Email support helpline@hse.ie

The HSE Drugs & Alcohol Helpline provides support, information, guidance and referral to anyone with a question or concern related to drug and alcohol use and/or HIV and sexual health. The service is non-judgemental and offers space to talk about your situation, to explore some options and to consider your needs. Opening hours are Monday to Friday 9.30am to 5.30pm.

jigsaw.ie
Jigsaw is a free support service for young people aged 12 to 25 years. Jigsaw delivers therapeutic services while promoting youth mental health and mobilising community societal change, 

www2.hse.ie/services/unplanned-pregnancy
My Options Freephone: 1800 828010. My Options is a HSE freephone line that provides a range of supports for free, based on your needs. This includes information about abortion services and medical support for anyone who is having or has had an abortion. Judgement-free counselling is also available to anyone having an unplanned pregnancy. The helpline can provide you with information and support on all your options, including: contact details of GPs or doctors who provide abortion services in your area, information on abortion services, continued pregnancy supports.

Information and counselling: Monday to Friday: 9am to 8pm; Saturday: 10am to 2pm. Medical advice: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

www.sexualwellbeing.ie
This HSE website provides information on sexual health, consent, STIs, HIV, contraception, unplanned pregnancy, and more.

www.rapecrisishelp.ie
The Rape Crisis Help website provides information about the professional support and the choices available to survivors of sexual violence. You can call the 24 Hour Helpline on 1800 778888.

www.immigrantcouncil.ie
The Immigrant Council of Ireland is a human rights organisation and Independent Law Centre that provides support and advocates for the rights of immigrants and their families and act as a catalyst for public debate and legal and policy change.

mabs.ie
The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) is a free, confidential, independent and non- judgmental money advice and budgeting service for all members of the public. MABS primarily works with people experiencing over-indebtedness. MABS money advisers work with clients who may have difficulties with a wide range of personal debts including personal loans, mortgages, credit card debt, catalogue debts, debts to legal moneylenders and hire purchases.

dyslexia.ie
The Dyslexia Association of Ireland (DAI) is a registered charity that works with and for people affected by dyslexia, by providing information, offering appropriate support services, engaging in advocacy and raising awareness of dyslexia, a specific learning disability. 

grow.ie
GROW is a community of people drawn together by first-hand experiences of mental health problems. Having found practical ways of helping each other recover from mental health challenges members developed The Grow Program. Using the proven 12 Step Grow Program members meet weekly in locations all over Ireland to support each other recover from all forms of mental health challenges, 

www.ifpa.ie
The Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) is Ireland’s leading sexual health provider, providing contraception, specialist pregnancy counselling, abortion care, sexual and reproductive health services and training. If you’re aged 17–26 years contraception is now free. The IFPA offers pregnancy and post-abortion counselling nationwide. You can avail of online or telephone consultations from anywhere in the Republic of Ireland. Counselling can be accessed in-person at nine centres across the country. These centres are located in Cork, Dublin City Centre, Tallaght, Dundalk, Galway, Letterkenny, Limerick, Sligo and Waterford.

www2.hse.ie/living-well/quit-smoking
Quit.ie, the HSE QUIT service is an interactive support service to help people stop smoking. The service delivers stop smoking behavioural support via phone, web, text and social media. The service is friendly, positive, supportive and non-judgmental. The website has lots of useful information about smoking, the health risks, and tips on quitting. It has useful testimonials from other people who have quit smoking and who share their tips.

www.guideclinic.ie
The GUIDE Clinic at St James’s Hospital, Dublin is the largest free STI, HIV and infectious disease service in Ireland. There are both walk-in services and appointment-only services. All services are free of charge.

www.webwise.ie
Webwise offers information, advice and free education resources addressing a range of internet safety issues and concerns. Supports are available to young people, teachers and parents.

hotline.ie
Hotline.ie‘s work specifically relates to illegal online content. You can securely, confidentially and anonymously report suspected illegal content encountered online to Hotline.ie.