Accord Northern Ireland Catholic Marriage Care Service Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating Ihe Director's Report) Year ended 31 March 2023 The trustees, who are also the directors for the purposes ol company law, present their report and the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2023. Chalr's report Reference and admlnistrative delails Regislered charity name Accord Northern Ireland Catholic Marriage Care Service Charity registration number NIC102332 Company reglstralion number N1627165 Principal office and registered Cana House off ice St Mary's Church. Chaple Lane Grotto Entrance 1 st Floor. 68 Berry Slreet Belfast BT1 1FJ The trustees Archbishop Eamon Marlin Archbishop Noel Treanor Bishop Michael Router Bishop Donal McKeown Bishop Lawerence Duffy Mrs C O'Loan Mr P McGuinness Mrs G Loughran (Resigned 20 January 2023) Company secretary Deirdre O'Rawe Audltor Hill Vellacott Chartered accountants & statutory auditor 22 Great Victoria Street Belfast BT2 7BA Accord Northern Ireland Catholic Marriage Care Service Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (contlnued) Year ended 31 March 2023 Struclure, governance and management Accord Nl has centres across N. Ireland with its Regional Office based in Belfast. This year the company was fully operational wilh a central administration- account payment processes were effectively implemented and reviewed. In 2022123, the company had 2 full time and 2 part-time employees, 50 volunteers, and 6 in training. The Board of Trustees mel on a quarterly basis and the day-to-day operations are delegated to the Regional Director. Accord Northern Ireland CLG Catholic Marriage Care SeNice has 8 regional centres in Belfast, Derry, Armagh. Newry, Maghera. Omagh, Ballymena and Enniskillen. with outreach centres in Downpatrick Icrossgar). Coleraine and the Nl Regional Off ice in Belfast. Oblectlves and activllles Accord Nl is an agency of the Catholic Church providing a service to couples preparing for or seeking a deeper commitmenl within the Sacrament of Marriage. Accord Nl's services are open to all regardless of faith, denomination or none. Services are provided, based on client need rather than abilily to pay. In the Marriage Education Programme. couples are invited to explore and reflect on the essential elements of their marriage and the purpose and value of their choices within a committed relationship. Accord Nl specialises in Inter-church marriage preparation and works with clergy from the other main denominalions. Relationship counselling is provided for couples, as well as individuals in a couple relationship. in a caring and confidential manner. People who benefit from our work are- Those whose ability to communicate in marriage is enhanced in marriage preparation. Those who learn through counselling to cope with, what on their own, would be over-whelming challenges in their relationships., Those who avail of the fertility and wellbeing service; The children, parents and teachers who benefit from the pioneering work in relationships and sexuality education in schools. Those who are helped Ihrough counselling to separate amicably and to minimise the consequential damage to their children. Accord Northern Ireland Catholic Marriage Care Service Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees, Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (conNnu8d) Year ended 31 March 2023 Objectives and activitles (continued) Accord Nl's counselling service contributes in a very positive way to the happiness and well-being of many children, often very significantly, when their parents seek help in order to resolve their relationship difficulties. As a pastoral seNice based on gospel values, Accord Nl seeks to support and strengthen marriages, relationships and families. Research clearly shows that inter-parental conflict can damage intimate relationships and cause disruption in family life. This is even more critical for children living in situations of domestic violence or abuse. The family is necessary for the stability of society as a unit in which children. Ihe future generalion, are nurtured, cared for and reared into adulthood. Emotionally unhealthy or dysfunclional families find the lask of rearing and enabling children to be balanced and happy quite challenging and difficult. Because of the importance of the family for the life and well-being of society, it is essential that Accord Nl continues to work to provide the necessary supports to strengthen marriage and the family. Accord Nl's work falls within activities mandated by the Department of Health, Family and Children's Policy Directorate. In addition, the aims of the organisation dovetail with and compliment the Government's Families Matter - Supporting Families in Northern Ireland {2008). This strategy supports Ihe aims and objectives of another strategy - 'Our Children and Young People, Our Pledge, which sets out the vision for improving supporl for families and children. With 11 locations throughout Northern Ireland, Accord Nl strives to be as accessible as possible and to reach out to those most marginalised in our society. The vast majority of people who avail from our services could not afford counselling within the private sector. An additional direct benefit is that helping families to remain togelher reduces the cost to the exchequer. Stralegic report The following sections for achievements and performance and financial review form the strategic report of the charity. Achievements and performance Accord Marriage Education Facilitators offered support and delivered marriage preparation to 2,009 couples. Both face-to-face and the adapted Virtual Interaclive Marriage Preparation programme developed in 2020 continued to provide an opportunity for couples. including inter-church couples, preparing for sacramental marriage and was enthusiastically delivered by our facilitalors. There were 1,289 hours ot marriage and relationship counselling provided both in-person and online. Communication 220/0 noted that they and their partner were never or seldom able to talk and listen to each other 340/. felt they were always or often ignored or not listened lo by their partner 150/0 reported that they always or often ignored or did not listen to their partner 230/. felt they were alway5 or often criticised or insulted by their partner 1 Oyo reported that they always or often criticise their partner 14 % felt they were always or often belittled or put down by their partner 4Vo reported that they always or often belittled or put down Iheir partner. Accord Northern Ireland Catholic Marriage Care Service Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) {contlnued) Year ended 31 March 2023 Achievements and performance (continued) Problematic Behaviour 130/0 reported their own or their partner's use of alcohol was always or often problematic 3 % reported their own or their partner's use of drugs was always or often problematic 2 % reported their own or their partner's gambling was always or often problematic 16 % reported their own or their partnerfs use of the phoneAexling. internet or social media always or often caused problems 21 /0 reported that trust in the relationship was always or often affected by problem behaviours. Inllmacy 34 /0 reported that they never or seldom experienced closeness and affection with their partner 47 /. described their sexual relationship as eilher absent. poor or very poor 100/0 reported difficulty always or often having sex 7•/0 reported their partner always or often having concerns about another close, physical, or emotional relalionship of theirs 9•/0 reported always or often having concerns about another close, physical, or emotional relationship ol their partner's. Family Issues 19°/o reported that childcare and home duties always and often caused problems in the relationship 21°/o reported problems between them and their own or their partnerfs extended family always or often 50/0 reported issues of culture, religious beliefs or values often or always caused difliculties between them and their partner 18°/o reported bereavement, other loss or grief experienced by them or their partner affected their relalionship always or often 22°/o reported that either they or their partner always or often experienced depression 26°/o reported that finances and financial management always or often caused problems between them. Confllct 49°/o reported they always, repeatedly or often argued with their partner 230/0 reported that arguments are never resolved calmly 490/0 reported that arguments are sometimes resolved calmly 350/0 reported that they or their partner always, repeatedly or often yelled or shouted during arguments 20/0 reported that they or their partner always, repeatedly or often throw things during arguments. Accord Northern Ireland Catholic Marriage Care Service Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (¢ontlnuedJ Year ended 31 March 2023 Achievements and performance (¢onlinued) CPD for counsellors Included: An Introduction to Addiction in Couples Work, Sharing Best Practice, - Taking Stock - Moving Forward, Training for Accord counsellors who made themselves available lo take cases who present with issues linked to their role as host families for Ukrainian refugees, A Master Class in Family Therapy Skills covering An Overview of Family Therapy.Skills used in Family Therapy. Genograms. Family Dynamics, Blended Families, Step Families. Co-Parenting and Parental Alienation CPD for facilitators included: Facilitator Training in the delivery of Ihe new Marriage Educalion Programme.- Exploring the Church's teaching on the Sacrament of Marriage During this year, the Board has begun a fundamental review of the work and luture direction of Accord {Nl). This has involved consultation with facilitators and counsellors through a s￿￿eY (February 20221. The Board understood that for many counsellors and facilitators the principal motivation for involvement in Accord is lo be of service to the Catholic and to the wider community. However. the Board in recognition of the hours of dedicated and professional service which have been provided by our facilitators and counsellors- several of whom have been with us for many years considered a new way of recognising financially the role of our counsellors and facilitators. The Board's decision was to offer to every facililator and counsellor a contract as a worker with effect from 1 September 2022. Under the new contractual arrangements, facilitators and counsellors chose to work some or all of their hours on a voluntary basis. Flnanclal review Accord Northern Ireland Marriage Care Service obtains finance from a number of sources,. primarily grant support from the Department of Health and the northern dioceses. as well as marriage preparalion courses, and preperation programmes. As of 1 st May 2016, the Accord Regional Office and the 9 eentres ceased to operate individually and all resources were translerred inlo the bank accounts of Accord Northern Ireland Catholic Marriage Care Service. Since then, all funds have been lodged into and all expenses have been paid from accounts operaled under the narne of the Accord Nl CLG. Accord Northern Ireland Catholic Marriage Care Service Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (contlnuedj Year ended 31 March 2023 Plans for future perlods Implementation of the new Accord Marriage Preparation Programme and rolling out training for all Marriage Education Facilitators. The development of a Certificale in Couple Counselling in partnership with Marriage Care UK. Selection and Training of Couple Counselling Supervisors. A Synodal Reflection on the Challenges facing the fulure of the Service of the Catholic Church in supporting Marriage, Relationships and Families through Marriage Preparation and accompanying Couples in their relationship difficulties. Supporting priests in completing the final slage of the Marriage Preparation Programme. Piloting of a new Marriage Education Facilitator Supervision Model. Review of Child Safeguarding and Domestic Abuse policies. Trustees. responsibilities statement The trustees, who are also directors lor the purposes of company law, are responsible for preparing the trustees. report and the linancial statements in accordance with applicable law and Uniled Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Company law requires the charity trustees to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure. for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to.. select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistent5y', observe the melhods and principles in the applicable Charities SORP. make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent. state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements. prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business. Accord Northern Ireland Catholic Marriage Care Service Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees, Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) fcontlnued) Year ended 31 March 2023 The Irustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are suflicient to show and explain the charivs transaclions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time Ihe financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with Ihe Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. Auditor Each of the persons who is a trustee at the date of approval of this report confirms Ihat: so far as they are aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the charitls auditor is unaware., and they have taken all steps that they ought to have laken as a trustee to make themselves aware of any relevant audil information and to establish that the charity's auditor is aware of that information. The trustees, annual report and the strategic report were approved on 14 November 2023 and signed on behalf of the board of trustees by.. Archbishop Eamon Martin Trustee Deirdre O'Rawe Charity Secretary