Dee France, of CA Support, writes:

CA Support is a registered charity that is funded by donations from members of the Institute, and exists solely for the purpose of providing emotional, practical, and financial support to Chartered Accountants, students, and their families, for life. Simply put, we are here to help if things go wrong. Through our mental health, wellbeing, and advisory services, we ensure that nobody encountering unexpected difficulties is left behind.

During the COVID pandemic, we have seen those members and students contacting us for help increase by over 50%. During 2021, these numbers are rising further. From a member survey conducted in June 2020, we asked members if their mental health had been negatively impacted since the beginning of COVID. The response was that this was the case for at least 50%.

In conversations we have had with members in practice, many have told us that they find the current circumstances extremely stressful and pressurised. Running a business can be isolating at the best of times, and that isolation has been exacerbated by the impact of the COVID crisis. There are intense pressures arising from meeting deadlines, managing staff and the impact on financial security.

The good news is CA Support can provide tangible assistance to any member or student, or their families, who are experiencing any type of hardship at any stage of their career. We have members who have reached out to us due to bereavement, job loss, critical illness, or marital breakdown. Others have reached out because their mental health is

suffering, and so need to avail of our professional counselling services. Thankfully, the majority of these members managed to turn a corner and benefit greatly from the help they received, as demonstrated in some of their feedback:

“It is a shame more members and students do not avail of this amazing service. It has been such a positive experience for me. I have told so many about it and hope I can help to spread the word in 2021 on your behalf.” – Member who was made redundant.

“It has been a source of great consolation to me and my wife to know that there was an organisation like CA Support in existence, funded by charitable members, who care about those who didn’t set the business world on fire and needed help.” – Retired member

“I have gone back to work part-time. At long last I have my life in order. I wish to thank CA Support for their help and kindness over the last few years. You have made a great difference to my life.” - Member (separated) who received emergency financial assistance.

It is heartening to see that these members with their own unique set of challenges have benefitted greatly from the assistance they received from CA Support. We know it is not always an easy decision to reach out for help, but rest assured all contact with our team is completely confidential. We understand that the stigma surrounding the issue of mental ill health still exists and some members may feel it is a step too far to admit that they, or someone close to them, has a problem. Please be assured that you will be treated with kindness and understanding, and will be offered all the support you need to get back on your feet.

You may be interested in checking out our latest webinar, Ending the Stigma of Mental Health where we listened to mental health advocate, Barbara Louise Brennan from Ireland’s charity, See Change, address some of the misconceptions and misunderstandings that exist in our society today. She tells us that we all have mental health, just as we have physical health, but very often our perception of mental health is a negative one. She takes us through some practical ways to normalise conversations around mental health and take action to seek help for both ourselves, and for our loved ones. You can view the webinar here.

You can find out about all our services and supports available from our CA Support pages.

The CA Support team are here to help and are only a call or email away:

CA Support team mobile: (353) 86 024 3294 or email: casupport@charteredaccountants.ie.