Not all can work right away
A SOCIAL entrepreneur involved in providing accommodation for Ukrainian families has warned of the ‘significant medical and psychological needs’ of many refugees.
‘These aren’t all people who are able to work right away,’ said Dídean founder Ed Dunne. ‘It’s also people who have significant psychological, psychiatric and medical needs.’
Dídean, a non-profit organisation set up to provide an alternative to hotel-based direct provision centres, is filling 15 houses around the country with 85 families in need of care.
Ultimately Dídean aims to provide accommodation and care for more than 3,500 people in houses in every county in Ireland.
‘If Ireland takes 80,000 migrants, what percentage of them are going to have neurological disorders, learning disabilities, autism or Down syndrome?’ Mr Dunne asked.
‘There are significant problems trying to manage medical needs that people don’t think about. There are people arriving into this country with no heart medication for three weeks. They’re arriving with no prescriptions, no meds, nothing. Some people have diabetes who need care.’
To deal with this, Dídean provides a wraparound service for each case.
‘We have a social care team that supports them,’ he said. ‘We started last week and we’re working through as fast as possible, transitioning families out of hotels into these communities.’
So far 50% of those slated for transfer to the service have been accommodated, with the remainder due to proceed in the coming days.
‘We’ve got pretty much everybody set up on the medical side, everybody settled in schools now with learning supports.’