Can I refer my family member who has had the brain injury to Headway services directly or does the referral need to come from a professional?
Yes, you can refer your family member to Headway yourself – you can download the relevant application form here.
How can Headway support me?
Headway provides a number of support services to adult (18 years +) family members. We run support meetings, education sessions about brain injury, individual and couples counselling. We also operate an information & support helpline (1800 400 478) which runs Mon – Fri 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm.
How long does it take to get an appointment?
The Headway centre you apply to will tell you the waiting time for your first appointment. We offer groups for family members once a month in some locations. You can call the information & support helpline (1800 400 478) which runs Mon – Fri 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm to find out about the groups.
How do I know what Headway services to apply for, for my family member who has had the brain injury?
We do not expect you to know what Headway services to apply for. Instead, we invite your family member, and another family member/carer or friend to the first meeting. At the first meeting with Headway, your family member and the person who is with them will meet with members of our rehabilitation team. This is an opportunity for you and your loved once to tell us what your needs are and for our team to see if we can meet your loved ones needs. Based on that meeting, recommendations about Headway services will be made and clearly explained to your family member. We will also send out written confirmation after the meeting.
Is my family member guaranteed a Headway service?
We are not able to guarantee services based on a referral application alone. On some occasions, our rehabilitation team may decide that Headway services will not meet your family member’s needs or are not appropriate for your family member. In these circumstances, we will do our best to refer your family member to a service where their rehabilitation needs can be best met. Read more about our eligibility criteria here.
Is there a fee for accessing Headway services?
Headway is funded in part by the Health Service Executive and as such there are no fees or costs to accessing any of Headway services. We fundraise to raise additional funds for the services we provide. If you are interested in helping us to fundraise, please contact us.
Do you provide transport for my family member to your service?
At the moment Headway is not able to provide transport to and from most of our services. However, we do assist with helping you access transport if there is a need. We have developed strong links with transport services and will help your loved one as much as possible to access transport
My family member is taking a legal case about their brain injury, can Headway support us in that action?
Headway is a rehabilitation service and as such does not act as an expert witness in court / legal proceedings. We do not provide medico-legal reports either. On application to Headway, this will be explained to your family member and they will be asked to sign a document to say they understand this.
What do you do with our personal information and medical documentation?
All information and documentation received by Headway is recorded and kept on file in accordance with Data Protection legislation. We have a clear and transparent confidentiality policy which will be explained to you at your first meeting with us. We are very happy to discuss any part of this policy with you.
My family member with the brain injury doesn’t want to access Headway or any other support services, what do I do?
This is often a stressful situation for family members. All clients who access Headway do so of their own accord. If your family member does not wish to access Headway or other support services, we are still available to support you. You are welcome to call our Information and Support Helpline 1800 400 478 where a member of our team will discuss this issue with you.
Can I access entitlements and benefits to care for my family member?
When you care for somebody with a brain injury, there will be several welfare benefits for which you or the person you care for may qualify. Some of these benefits are aimed at people on low incomes and are means tested but some of them are not means tested and everyone who meets the qualifying criteria is entitled to the full payment amount. If you have any questions about which benefits apply to you contact your local Social Welfare office or your local Citizen’s Information Centre. For more information call Citizens Information Phone Number 0818 07 4000 and/or HSE Information Line 1800 700 700