Treehouse Practice

Treehouse Practice Specialized trauma informed and attachment based multi disciplinary team for children and families

Clinical psychology, psychotherapy, speech and language, and occupational therapy services for children, adolescents, and families

This week we want to welcome Alanna Moore, Senior Speech and Language Therapist (and Child & Adolescent Psychoanalytic P...
04/09/2026

This week we want to welcome Alanna Moore, Senior Speech and Language Therapist (and Child & Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist in training) to our team.

We're so lucky to have her on board. Alanna joins us from a child mental health background and will work with both neurodivergent children and children who have experienced adversity in their lives.

She will complete the communication components of our FASD assessments. Alanna is passionate about taking a strengths-based and holistic approach to assessment and intervention. She’s looking forward to welcoming children and young people into Treehouse.

Welcome to the team Alanna 💛

For children and young people with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, assessment is an important step but it is only one ...
03/09/2026

For children and young people with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, assessment is an important step but it is only one part of what is needed.

FASD is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that can affect learning, memory, attention, regulation, sensory processing, communication, adaptive functioning and day-to-day independence.

Families, schools and communities often need help to understand what these differences mean in real life and how to respond in ways thatreduce pressure, build capacity and affirm strengths.

This is why Ireland needs integrated FASD pathways: pathways that do not end with a diagnostic report, but connect assessment with practical intervention, school consultation, parent and carer support, professional training, and community-based
planning.

At Treehouse Practice, we want to extend beyond assessment-only pathways. Our aim is to support children and young people within the systems around them: families, schools, care teams and wider communities so that recommendations can become lived, practical support.

It’s that time of year again!As children settle back into school, this can be a good time for parents to think about whe...
01/09/2026

It’s that time of year again!

As children settle back into school, this can be a good time for parents to think about whether an Individual Education Plan (IEP) could help support their child’s learning and participation in school.

An IEP is a collaborative plan that brings together the child’s strengths and needs, identifies meaningful goals, and outlines the supports that can help them make progress.

If your child has additional educational needs, you can contact their school to discuss whether an IEP meeting would be appropriate.

I’ve put together this post to explain who can request an IEP, who can be involved, what it can include, and why regular review is important.

💡 Save this post for later and share it with another parent who might find it helpful.

Geraldine Brosnan
Clinical Specialist Speech & Language Therapist
Treehouse Practice

Redress should never draw a line that leaves survivors on the outside.Survivors and families are being urged to engage w...
27/08/2026

Redress should never draw a line that leaves survivors on the outside.

Survivors and families are being urged to engage with the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme but awareness alone isn't enough.

The scheme's six-month exclusion rule leaves out people whose early experiences were shaped by institutional care, despite clear evidence that early adversity can have lasting effects on development, attachment and identity.

Treehouse Practice has raised this directly with the Oireachtas Committee for Children. We're calling on the State to revisit the exclusion rule and ensure any reform is shaped by survivors' voices and up-to-date evidence.

Read our full statement to the Oireachtas, link in comments

What if the behaviour you’re seeing is communicating a need? 💛For children who have experienced trauma, adversity, loss,...
26/08/2026

What if the behaviour you’re seeing is communicating a need? 💛

For children who have experienced trauma, adversity, loss, disrupted caregiving or repeated change, school can be both a place of safety and a place of huge demand.

Teachers can be some of the most important protective adults in a child’s life. Building understanding around trauma, attachment, neurodivergence and relational safety can help create classrooms where children feel safer, more connected and more available for learning.

We’ve shared some of our favourite trauma-sensitive resources for teachers and schools including practical books, visual resources and approaches that can support understanding, regulation and connection in the classroom.

Save this post for later and share it with a teacher or school colleague who might find it useful.

At Treehouse Practice, we believe that when children feel safe, connected and understood, they are better able to learn and thrive.

We are pleased to share that we have limited availability for autism assessments from September at Treehouse Practice.We...
25/08/2026

We are pleased to share that we have limited availability for autism assessments from September at Treehouse Practice.

We provide multidisciplinary, neuroaffirmative assessments for children and teenagers, drawing on established assessment tools and best-practice approaches to autism identification.

Assessments are recognised by the department of education
and the HSE.Our clinicians are CORU registered and highly experienced in neurodevelopmental assessment, with training in tools including the ADI-R, ADOS-2 and MIGDAS-2.

Where clinically indicated, speech and language and/or occupational therapy assessments can also form part of the wider assessment process.

Importantly, our support doesnt necessarily end with identification. We also offer post-diagnostic support for young people and parents, including support with understanding the young person’s profile, accessing appropriate community and educational supports, and navigating any emotional adjustment that may follow an autism identification.

If you would like further information about the assessment process, availability or fees, please contact Nicola or Máire at:

[email protected]

Please share with a parent or professional who may find this information helpful.

What if FASD was finally recognised?At Treehouse Practice, we believe this is an important question for Ireland’s disabi...
20/08/2026

What if FASD was finally recognised?

At Treehouse Practice, we believe this is an important question for Ireland’s disability system.

We are currently preparing a submission to the public consultation on the reform of the Disability Act 2005, advocating for the explicit recognition of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) as a neurodevelopmental disability.

FASD is lifelong and can affect learning, memory, attention, executive functioning, communication, sensory processing, emotional regulation, adaptive functioning and everyday life.

Yet when FASD is not recognised, people can fall between services. Their needs may be understood through behavioural, educational, mental health, relational or attachment-based lenses, without recognising the underlying neurodevelopmental disability.

We believe recognition must lead to access.

Access to appropriate assessment.
Access to education and therapeutic supports.
Access to family and carer support.
Access to appropriate services and lifelong planning.

For Treehouse Practice, this is about making sure people with FASD are named, understood and supported across childhood, education, family life, care systems, adulthood and community life.

We also believe the voices of people living with FASD, families, carers and professionals who see these gaps every day have an important part to play.

If FASD has touched your life or your work, consider making your voice heard as part of the consultation.

Together, we can advocate for a system that recognises FASD and responds to what people actually need.

At Treehouse Practice, we’re passionate about helping children, young people, families and professionals better understa...
17/08/2026

At Treehouse Practice, we’re passionate about helping children, young people, families and professionals better understand Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) through a trauma-sensitive, neuroaffirmative and strengths-based lens

There are some wonderful books and resources that have shaped our thinking and that we regularly recommend to carers, educators, clinicians and wider support networks. Here are some of our current favourites:

Raising Kids and Teens with FASD: Advice and Strategies to Help Your Family to Thrive by Barb Clark

A practical, relatable and hopeful guide to the day-to-day realities of living with FASD. It focuses on adapting environments and expectations to support the child, rather than expecting the child to simply “try harder”.

Life in the FASD Lane: Rossi’s Fabulous Guide to Navigating Your Teens and Young Adulthood by Rossi Griffin

An engaging lived-experience account written by a young adult with FASD. Rossi shares the realities, challenges, humour and strengths of life with FASD, offering valuable insights for young people, families and professionals.

Understanding Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder by Maria Catterick and Liam Curran

A highly informative and readable book that supports understanding of FASD in a clear and engaging way. The use of visuals and illustrations helps make the information accessible and brings key concepts to life.

Books and publications by Dr Raja Mukherjee

Dr Mukherjee’s work has made an important contribution to awareness, assessment and understanding of FASD internationally and remains a valuable resource for professionals and families.

Free Treehouse Practice Resources

As part of our developing FASD pathway, we’ve also created practical resources for families, carers and professionals, available **free to download** from our website:

✨ Strengths-Based Profile for a Child with FASD
✨ Visual Story of FASD
✨ Explaining FASD to Children

🔗 Download our resources:
treehousepractice.ie/publications/

Have you read any of these?

Which FASD books, podcasts or resources have made the biggest difference to your understanding? We’d love to hear your recommendations in the comments.

We're delighted to share that Treehouse Practice has been accepted to deliver two presentations at the upcoming Psycholo...
12/08/2026

We're delighted to share that Treehouse Practice has been accepted to deliver two presentations at the upcoming Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) Annual Conference 2026. 🎉

Our team will be:

Delivering a workshop exploring the intersection between neurodivergence and developmental trauma.

Presenting a poster showcasing our clinical pathway for FASD identification assessments.

We're looking forward to sharing our learning, connecting with colleagues from across the profession, and contributing to important conversations about trauma-sensitive and neurodiversity-affirming practice.

We look forward to seeing everyone in Galway this November!

One of the most valuable parts of speaking at the recent IFCA Conference was listening to foster carers share their expe...
10/08/2026

One of the most valuable parts of speaking at the recent IFCA Conference was listening to foster carers share their experiences. A key message that emerged was how helpful it can be to understand a child's attachment system.

Many children in care have adapted to difficult or unpredictable environments long before they join their foster family. The ways they seek comfort, manage emotions, trust others, or keep people at a distance often reflect strategies that once helped them stay safe.

When we view behaviour through an attachment lens, we move from pathologizing and rather than asking "What's wrong with this child?" we shift to, "What has this child learned about relationships?"

But attachment is not just about the child. Foster carers also bring their own attachment histories, strengths, and relational styles into family life. Understanding how a child's attachment strategies interact with those of their carers can provide important insights into moments of connection, misunderstanding, closeness, and conflict.

The foster carers we met highlighted how powerful it can be to explore these patterns together, not to assign blame, but to deepen understanding and strengthen relationships.
Healing happens in relationships, and understanding those relationships is often the first step.

Address

1 Summerhill Parade
Sandyford
A96T180

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 2pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+35312937882

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