connected for life
Connected for Life was set up in January 2016 by Marie Blaney and Deirdre
McLaughlin who are social workers with over 50 years combined experience working
with young people who have been involved in offending, their families, victims
and communities, as well as supporting staff in this work. Throughout their
careers Marie and Deirdre have seen the pervasive wounds created by childhood
adversity, attachment issues and trauma. These issues transmit from generation
to generation and permeate communities, contributing to substance misuse, mental
health problems, suicide, violence, family breakdown, unemployment and
educational underachievement, homelessness, hopelessness and shame. Through
working with those who were often deemed inherently flawed and irredeemable,
Marie and Deirdre learned that there is always hope. While many of those they
worked with tragically lost their lives, others thrived despite significant
adversity and were able to desist from offending and become the best versions of
themselves.
