The director of a new counselling service for adults who have suffered abuse in childhood has said he expects demand to be such that staff levels will have to be increased over the coming months.
Set up by the North Western Health Board as part of a Government initiative to help people who were abused while in institutional care, it is the first service of its kind in the region.
A senior clinical psychologist, Mr Tom McGrath, said the service would be available to adults who had been subjected to physical, emotional or sexual abuse, either in institutions or elsewhere. There had been a very good response in the first week after an information campaign in the local media.
"We were aware of the need for this service because of the large number of people with a history of abuse who were already availing of other services within the system," he said.
The campaign, he said, prompted a large number of calls from people who had never sought help before. A team of four full-time counsellors is working for the service, but Mr McGrath said he believed this would be increased as the service developed.
The service will be based in Donegal, but qualified counsellors will meet people throughout Cos Leitrim and Sligo in health centres and doctors' surgeries.
Mr McGrath said there might not be as many people in the north-west who had suffered abuse in institutions as in other regions because there was not the same tradition of large industrial schools.
"The good thing about this service is that people can refer themselves. They just have to ring up and get an appointment," he said.
The standard for the confidential service would be set nationally. It would be sensitive to the very different needs of people who had suffered abuse and be client-friendly. "It can affect people in different ways. Some people are very hurt and very damaged, while others may just need a short term of counselling."
Support will also be provided for spouses and family members. The service can be contacted on a Freefone number: 1800 234119.