St. Bernard's Childrens Services CLG

St. Bernard's Children's Services is an independent not-for-profit agency dedicated to providing therapeutic care and a nurturing environment for primary-school-aged children and their families. Drawing on psychodynamic, trauma-informed attachment theory and group-relations approaches, the organisation creates a safe, consistent setting where qualified social-care staff support children in recovering from neglect, abuse and trauma.

The service portfolio includes two therapeutic residential units - Sacré Coeur and Grianán - offering 24-hour, mixed-gender care for children aged seven to eleven. In addition, St. Bernard's runs a therapeutic fostering support programme that combines one-to-one sessions, workshops and support groups, alongside therapeutic play and life-story work for both children and their wider family system. The organisation also delivers specialist training and consultancy for parents and professionals, covering topics such as childhood trauma (ACE's), PACE, therapeutic regulation, and the use of therapeutic play in fostering and classroom settings.

Through a research-informed, relationship-focused model, St. Bernard's aims to enhance children's capacity for co-regulation and self-regulation, fostering emotional wellbeing, resilience and long-term recovery.