Jane's Place Women’s Services at MQI
All of our services welcome women, however in 2019 we saw that the numbers of women coming through our door were not representative of the numbers we felt needed the services. After some research, it was clear that females often did not feel comfortable coming into spaces which were predominately used by men.
So, in 2022 Merchants Quay Ireland launched Jane’s Place, an all-female service that offers one-to-one and group support to women who are dealing with homelessness and addiction issues.
A safe, warm and welcoming environment that provides holistic, trauma informed services such as Wellbeing Groups, Self-Care Days and Psycho-educational health, to name but a few.
Jane's Place
Jane's Place services include:
- One to One Keyworking
- GP and Nursing Service
- Counselling Service
- Mental Health Support
- Health and Wellbeing Groups
- Addiction Education/Stabilisation Groups
- Social Activities
This service also offers a program focusing on recovery and healing from trauma and offers art therapy, mindfulness, maintaining physical and mental wellbeing and understanding trauma.
MQI’s female services are fully inclusive of women of all backgrounds including LGBTQI+ women, migrant women, women in addiction and women involved in sex work.
| Contact Details | Location |
Call 086 197 5117 or 086 107 8384 Or for queries email janesplace@mqi.ie | 28 Denzille Lane (off Holles Street) Dublin 2, DO2 KD36 |
We have an onsite Medical team who provide Women's specific healthcare, including;
- Smear Tests
- Breast Checks
- S.T.I. and Blood Borne Virus Screening
- Wound Care (includes compression dressings, suture & staple removal)
- Contraception: Long-term & Emergency
- Management of chronic diseases e.g.: epilepsy, diabetes, asthma, COPD
- Vaccines
- Minor Injuries.
History of our first all-female service
In 2019, Merchants Quay Ireland and Dr Sarah Morton of UCD conducted research into the complex needs of women who are homeless and in addiction. This research showed that women are often unable or unwilling to access existing services. Higher rates of gender-based violence, sex work and coercive control among women can leave them too ashamed, stigmatised and afraid to seek the help they need.
International research shows that female-only spaces facilitate greater emotional and physical safety for women, especially those who have experienced trauma and abuse.
In response to these findings, MQI has introduced Jane’s Place, a gender-specific service for women who are homeless and/or in addiction in Dublin city centre. The service, staffed only by women, provides a safe, welcoming and non-judgemental environment in which women can access support.