Survivor Service

London Irish Centre's Survivor Support Liaison and Information Adviser Service

Our survivor service provides advice and advocacy to former residents and survivors of Irish institutional abuse living in Britain. The survivor service is fully funded by Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) and is delivered at London Irish Centre by Katie, a Survivor Support Liaison and Séan, a Survivor Information Adviser. The details of their roles within the service are below. Both have personal survivor knowledge with lived experiences, and are highly committed to delivering a great service.

Katie and Séan work to provide a professional, responsive and individualised advice and advocacy service, using a holistic and strengths-based approach. They work across the London Irish Centre team to connect people to activities and appropriate services, including emotional support and signposting to counselling, aiming always to achieve the best outcomes for those who require their service.

National Response Line

Our newly launched Response Line is a freephone service in which clear, up-to-date information is given to former residents of Mother and Baby Institutions and County Homes on the upcoming Payment Scheme.  The response line is also open for signposting towards suitable emotional support and/or specialist counselling, for all former residents of Mother and Baby Institutions and County Homes.

Our Survivor Support service wishes to serve survivors in a way that will make the upcoming applications for the Payment Scheme as straight-forward as possible.

This is an open, comprehensive service that operates on a basis of compassion and understanding and that values all survivors of Irish institutions and their lived experiences.

Our Response Freephone Line is 0800 519 5519. It is open 10am – 4pm every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Please note that our freephone can only be rang from within the UK.

Other organisations that support Irish survivors in Britain


Katie Doyle, Survivor Support Liaison

Katie delivers advice and advocacy to survivors of institutional abuse. She is the primary point of contact for survivors accessing services at the London Irish Centre. Katie arranges activities, workshops and connects people with external support networks. She works one to one with survivors, delivering a high-level of emotional support where needed. Katie also delivers outreach to survivors across London and the South-East region, according to need, including home visits. She provides information on support and entitlements available to survivors, including emerging Irish government supports.

Contact Katie on 0207 4282071 or 07947111493, Tue-Thurs 10am – 4pm.

Séan Kaluarachchi, Survivor Information Adviser

Séan delivers information to survivors of the Mother and Baby and County Homes Institutions in advance of the upcoming payment scheme. He provides information regarding the scheme via the freephone response line, along with appropriate signposting towards further support. Séan also assists Katie in organising survivor activities and managing the partnerships and support networks that are central to the initiative. He is also focused on maintaining constant communication and inclusion within the survivor network.

Contact Séan through the Freephone Response Line on 0800 519 5519, every Tues, Wed & Thurs 10am – 4pm.

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