Barnardos workers avoid unpaid leave

Staff at Barnardos will be spared having to take unpaid leave this year due to an improved financial situation, while the charity has called for the introduction of a State child trauma service to help meet demand.

Barnardos operates its national bereavement service for children from an office in the Cork suburb of Mahon and is dealing with 36 families, while another 24 are on a waiting list.

Project leader Gina Cantillon said there had been an increase in recent years in the number of cases due to traumatic death, including suicide and homicide.