Houben House Family Hub

The service caters for families of various composition (mums, dads and children, legal guardians and their partners, etc.).

Majority of our families constitute of larger families, young mums and their children of all ages.  

Each family has their own room with an en suite bathroom tv, sofa, table, chairs, desk and bunk bed.

There are 7 training kitchens on the ground floor which are available for the residents within specific times.

Families also have 24/7 access to a large laundry room which is located at the rear of the service.

There are a communal dining room, a toddler room and a library on the ground floor available for all the service users.

Families are expected to engage with HAP (Housing Assistance Payment) which is a form of social housing support provided by all local authorities.

These local authorities can provide housing assistance for households who qualify for social housing support, including many long-term rent supplement recipients.

Families are expected to link in with both keyworkers and specialist support worker to organise and attend viewings. Key workers are responsible to assess service users’ needs and link them in with external services.

The service recognises the importance of having families establishing strong relationships with external agencies prior to their move- on’s. 

It is hoped that families externally supported in the community will be in a better position to sustain their accommodation which will prevent them from re-entering the homelessness cycle.

The service offers a number of activities that are run by both internal TSA staff and externally sourced agents.

Internal activities include;

• Community meetings
• Little fitness childrens camp
• Mental Health Community – run by staff and service users focusing on promoting positive mental health
• HAP workshops
• Arts & Crafts for children
• Arts & Crafts for adults
• Afterschool clubs
• Language and translation service
• Childrens afterschool program
• Gardening for children
• Various campaigns (Anti bulling week, positive mental health week)
• Seasonal (Easter, Christmas) activities and outings – cinema trips, zoo, wax museum excursions, jump zone etc.   

External:

• Information sessions provided by MABS, Parenting services, Family Services, Crumlin Local Counselling Service, ARC centre crumlin.
• Capuchin centre for family language translation
• Little fitness for childrens physical and mental health
• PUP – parents under pressure counselling/advice service
• Dublin Southside partnership providing a range of educational courses and programmes
• Paediatric First Aid workshops provided  by South Dublin City Childcare Committee.
• TUSLA – programmes and advice
• Community Health Nurse meeting individual  families on a weekly basis (on site).
• Southside Partnership/ Citizens Information providing information sessions.

Families are also receiving a weekly food parcels distributed by TSA staff, secured via the service from FEAD.

Families are referred to the service through the Central Placement Unit operated by DRHE.

Families are booked to the service trough PASS system.

The families are referred to the services based on their family composition and at times previous/existing links (i.e. children’s school, existing family, other services ) to the area.