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Therapy & Support for Children affected by Child Sexual Abuse

CARI (Children at Risk in Ireland) provides child-centred therapy for children & adolescents who have been affected by sexual abuse. CARI also provides therapy to children, up to 12 years of age, who present with sexually harmful behaviour.

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SUPPORTING CHILDREN & ADOLESCENTS

We provide child-centred therapy and counselling at our centres in Limerick, Dublin and Wexford.

Help for Families

SUPPORTING PARENTS & FAMILIES

We support families coping with the trauma of child sexual abuse, non-abusing parents and carers.

Help for Professionals

SUPPORTING PROFESSIONALS

We offer guidance and support to teachers, social workers and others working with children and teenagers.

Ways to Support Us

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Fundraise

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Events

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The CARI Helpline Appeal

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#CARIhelpline

It costs over €85,000 a year to run the CARI Helpline but we get no State funding for the service. So please sign up to our Helpline Appeal to raise essential funds for the CARI Helpline Service.

News & Events

Exposure to pornography leading to ‘increased levels of sexualised behaviour’ among children

There is an urgent need to deal with “increased levels of sexualised behaviour among children exposed to internet pornography” according to the new Chief Executive/Clinical Officer of Children At Risk Ireland (CARI). Emer O’Neill is CARI’s former national head of...

Sponsored Spinathon

WHAT: As part of our Fit 4 February Challenge CARI are holding a sponsored ‘Spinathon’ which will kick off on Friday 24th February at 8am. WHERE: The event will be held in the car park of CARI’s Limerick HQ on the Ennis Road, and CARI will have two spinning bikes...
New Head of Child Abuse Charity Announced

New Head of Child Abuse Charity Announced

Children at Risk Ireland (CARI) has announced the appointment of their new Chief Executive/Clinical Officer, Emer O’Neill. Ms O’Neill is CARI’s former national Head of Therapy and will retain a clinical role in the national charity, which supports children, teenagers...

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CARI Launch Southeast Outreach Service

CARI Launch Southeast Outreach Service

Children at Risk Ireland (CARI) have officially launched our new southeast Outreach Service, to support children, teenagers and families affected by child sexual abuse.  The service has two dedicated therapists and will serve counties Wexford, Waterford, Carlow,...

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CARI Concern About Child Protection

CARI Concern About Child Protection

Child Protection must remain a priority because the most unimaginable abuse is what we witness every day, says Head of Therapy at Children at Risk Ireland (CARI). Emer O’Neill was commenting on what she described as the horrifying details of the rape and abuse of a...

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Johann-Callaghan

The Hope Tree Podcast

Series 1, Episode 3 – Available Now

Johann Callaghan, Co. Kildare

Thriving as a Coach
despite her early abuse

Frequently Asked Questions

When was CARI established?

The CARI Foundation was established in 1989.

Why was CARI established?

CARI was established to address the needs of children, families and groups affected by child sexual abuse, regardless of means and provide a child centred specialised therapy and assist the recovery process.

Who founded CARI?

CARI was founded by a group of medical, business and lay people concerned about the absence of services for children who were beginning to disclose their experiences of child sexual abuse. The very first services for women had just been set up and Ireland was only beginning to acknowledge the level of sexual crime in the country. The original founders hoped that CARI would provide a comprehensive service for children and families facing the consequences of experiencing sexual abuse.

What is the CARI philosophy?

CARI believes that children have a right to a service that respects their freedom of expression and right to child centred services. CARI respects the strength and resilience of children and design our services to build on this strength, enabling children to grow into adulthood defined not by their abusive experiences but by their individuality and creativity.

What is the current level of service provision for children affected by CSA?

Inadequate funding means that CARI’s services are limited. However, we aim to provide a service throughout Ireland and have already launched our first outreach centre in the south east. We believe children, teenagers and families affected by child sexual abuse should not have to travel more than an hour to access therapy services.

In order to reach this level of service, we need more State funding and help from the community to raise money to meet the funding shortfall.

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