All Places

Mid-Ulster and South Tyrone (MUST) Hostel offers accommodation, support and help, tailored to the specific needs of single people who are homeless and aged 18-65.
At Extern’s MUST Hostel, our primary objective is to provide a contemporary and adaptable supported housing service that prioritises the holistic well-being of each individual.
Our approach revolves around flexibility, recognising and addressing the unique and varied needs of every resident. With a capacity of 20 beds, we extend a warm welcome to both men and women seeking refuge and support.
Our distinction as a Probation Approved Hostel signifies a critical partnership with PBNI, enabling us to offer supervised accommodation for individuals under specific supervision, including those subject to licenses or other restrictions.
This collaboration allows us to provide a secure and supportive environment, fostering positive progress and aiding in the process of reintegrating individuals into the community.
Beyond the provision of housing, our focus is on the comprehensive support and guidance we offer. Our dedicated team works tirelessly to create a safe space where residents can access not only accommodation but also a range of tailored services and programs designed to meet their diverse needs.
Through individualised care plans and a holistic approach, we aim to empower residents, helping them navigate challenges and progress towards their goals.
How do I get support?
Tel: +44 (0)28 8676 2065
Email: mustadmin@extern.org

The Marie Curie Patient and Family Support Team offer emotional, spiritual, psychological and practical support to patients, families and carers impacted by a life-limiting illness.
This service is available to families throughout Northern Ireland.
The team is comprised of social workers, counsellors and a chaplain.
Types of support provided:
Providing a safe space to talk about what’s important to you
Legacy work – creating memories
Assistance with applying for benefits
Arranging practical assistance at home or helping to find alternative accommodation
Giving advice and support with planning a funeral
Giving advice and support regarding wills and legal matters
Helping children to talk about death and dying
Spiritual support
Counselling support
Bereavement support
If you or a loved one is living with a terminal illness and would like a referral, please contact your
District Nurse
,
GP
or
Hospital Consultant
Information for healthcare professionals

Health Visitors are registered Nurses with an additional qualification in child health/development and family health.
Health visiting is a proactive, universal service that provides a platform from which to reach out to individuals and vulnerable groups, considering their different dynamics and needs, and reducing inequalities in health.
Your Health Visiting team can offer a family centred service from pregnancy until your child goes to school. We can offer advice and support on matters such as:
Play, stimulation and child development
Nutrition
Breastfeeding
Weaning
Healthy eating 1-5 years
Sleeping
Immunisations
Keeping your child safe
Toileting
When will I see my Health Visitor?
Our aim is to provide you with the help you need at the right time. Contacts will vary depending on your family’s needs. You will be visited at home and/or places (e.g. health centres) most suited to your needs. The usual contacts offered by the Health Visitor are:
An antenatal visit after 28 weeks
A new birth visit between 10 and 14 days
6 to 8 weeks
14 to 16 weeks
6 to 9 months (Health Visitor or Child Health Assistant)
After your child’s first and second birthday’s 3+ year review in nursery school
How can I contact the Health Visiting Team?
Every GP practice has a named Health Visitor.
Your Health Visitor will provide you with their contact details which they will write in your Parent Child Held Record (Red book).
If this information is not available, please contact your GP who will provide you with up to date contact information.

The Mid Ulster Child Contact Centre provides contact for mums, dads, parents and grandparents to have good positive contact in a safe, secure and child friendly environment with trained volunteers who are impartial and welcoming to all families.

MUCCC is a stepping stone to allow families time to build trust and children to have contact with the non-resident parent while other issues are being sorted out.
Opening Hours
Saturdays 10.00am – 12 noon  Wednesday 64.00pm -7.30pm.
Referral by: Self, Social Worker, Solicitor & Courts.
See
website
for more information

We offer support, advice or assistance as appropriate to parents, carers, children and young people in relation to childrens rights and complaints. If we cannot help we will signpost to someone who can.

We take complaints and enquiries into breaches of childrens rights. In particular we deal with complaints against relevant authorities, which basically means public bodies. We also take or intervene in legal cases concerning childrens rights.

Children their parents or carers normally contact us, but we also take initial enquiries from all interested parties.

Health Visitors are registered Nurses with an additional qualification in child health/development and family health.
Health visiting is a proactive, universal service that provides a platform from which to reach out to individuals and vulnerable groups, considering their different dynamics and needs, and reducing inequalities in health.
Your Health Visiting team can offer a family centred service from pregnancy until your child goes to school. We can offer advice and support on matters such as:
Play, stimulation and child development
Nutrition
Breastfeeding
Weaning
Healthy eating 1-5 years
Sleeping
Immunisations
Keeping your child safe
Toileting
When will I see my Health Visitor?
Our aim is to provide you with the help you need at the right time. Contacts will vary depending on your family’s needs. You will be visited at home and/or places (e.g. health centres) most suited to your needs. The usual contacts offered by the Health Visitor are:
An antenatal visit after 28 weeks
A new birth visit between 10 and 14 days
6 to 8 weeks
14 to 16 weeks
6 to 9 months (Health Visitor or Child Health Assistant)
After your child’s first and second birthday’s
3+ year review in nursery school
How can I contact the Health Visiting Team?
Every GP practice has a named Health Visitor.
Your Health Visitor will provide you with their contact details which they will write in your Parent Child Held Record (Red book)
. If this information is not available, please contact your GP who will provide you with up to date contact information.
Tel : 028 8167 1406

SureStart is a government funded initiative specifically for families with children under four years.
That means the government gives us the money and the services are completely free for families living in Sunnylands, Northlands, Clipperstown, Lovelane and Killycrot wards of Carrickfergus.
We also deliver services in Larne wards; Antiville, Ballycraigy, Ballylornan and Larne town
The overall aim of Surestart is “to improve the wellbeing and life opportunities of young children under 4, through better health, early learning and play opportunities” so that “children can flourish when they enter school”.
Every parent wants the best for their children. Let us help and support you to give your child the very best start in life –
A Surestart.
When you register with us we offer you:
A welcome to Surestart, a highly motivated and professional team.
Services that are designed especially for families with children under 4years old.
We provide help, support and advocacy to families who are new to our area.
All the services we provide are available to all families registered with us we also work in partnership with local statutory services community groups and parents to ensure the best quality service for the families and child.
Give us a call on 02893 359734 and register today and speak to any of our staff about the services we offer.
Our services fall under three categories:
Health
Family Support
Early Learning
We offer one to one support or group support, some of our programmes are for the parents, and the children will be offered a creche place, and other programmes are for parents and children together.
We need you to book a place in the crèche to ensure that we offer your child the best care and attention and we can plan for the numbers and ages of children.
See our
Facebook Page
for Programmes and Events

Home-Start Down District which includes Downpatrick, Ballynahinch, Castlewellan and Newcastle helps families who have at least one child under the age of five and who are going through a difficult time. Families are support for many different reasons including:-

• Loneliness and isolation
• Multiple births or several pre-school children
• Ill health or disability of a child or a parent
• First time parenting
• Postnatal illness
• Family bereavement
• Relationship difficulti

Home Start offers support, friendship and practical help to parents with young children in local communities.

Home Start offers a unique service, recruiting and training volunteers-who are usually parents themselves-to visit families at home who have at least one child under 5 to offer informal, friendly and confidential support.

To help give children the best possible start in life, Home Start supports parents as they grow in confidence, strengthen their relationship with their children and widen their links with the local community.
Ring 028 4461 5727 – Central Line for all local referrals
Home-Start Downpatrick provides a Home Visiting service and the Incredible Years Programme

Home-Start Ballynahinch provides the Home Visiting service and playgroups in following venues:
Home Start office 10b Lisburn Street the Family Group runs on a Monday, Tuesday and Friday 10-12noon.

Crossgar – Glasswater Primary School John Street Wednesday 10-12

Drumaness- in Dan Rice Hall Thursday 10-12

Newcastle Home-Start also provides the Home Visiting befriending service and their Family Groups runs in:
The Castlewellan Community Centre Monday & Tuesday’s 10-12noon
Kairos Centre above Xtra Vision in Newcastle Thursdays 10-12noon.

Carrickfergus YMCA currently delivers a range of programmes, services and activities to approximately 250 young people aged 6-25 and 100 vulnerable families each week through :
Youth Provision – The Youth Engagement Service and Carrickfergus Local Area Provision together provide a social and recreation space for young people aged 11-25, open 5 evenings and afternoons per week. This space offers a safe space for young people to socialise and provides activities such as art, sports as well as targeted provision that focuses on health promotion, personal and social development.
YMCA Outreach team – Targeting hard to reach young people across the Borough who are at risk or involved in anti-social behaviour through detached youth work, diversionary and educational activities as well as 1 2 1 support.
Parents and Kids Together Project (PAKT)- Provides a family support programme for children aged 6-12 and their families/ carers through after school activity clubs, parent support and education as well as family activities. Working out of 2 community houses, one in Glenfield the other Woodburn as well as the YMCA building on Irish Quarter West.
Get Active- Project based on the Right to food 365, this provides practical support, activities and youth advocacy around the issue of food poverty. Independent Living Programme- Provision of support to young unaccompanied minors, providing support and independent living skills.
The YMCA is also used by a number of charities and government agencies as they provide services to the local community, including Action Mental Health, Autism NI and Health & Social Care Trusts.