Rainbows 

Ireland

 
Overview

Rainbows Ireland supports children and young people affected by bereavement and parental separation.
Their work is delivered through a network of centres, coordinators and facilitators throughout Ireland.

iWorks was engaged to modernise both the organisation’s public web presence and its internal operational
systems. The result was a two-part solution: a clear, accessible front-end WordPress website and a
bespoke backend control panel tailored to the day-to-day needs of the organisation.

  
The Challenge

Before the new system was introduced, Rainbows relied heavily on manual processes and a legacy
Microsoft Access database. Data had become fragmented, some relationships between records had broken
over time, and core administrative tasks placed significant pressure on staff.

The organisation needed a single platform that could:

• replace outdated manual and database-driven processes
• manage centres, personnel, courses, programmes and orders in one place
• support coordinators through structured workflows
• improve reporting and year-end data collection
• track safeguarding and compliance information
• reduce duplication and unnecessary administration

 
The Solution

iWorks designed and developed a bespoke control panel with role-based access for administrators and
coordinators, alongside a fully functional WordPress website for the public-facing side of the organisation.

  
Public Website

• responsive WordPress website
• clear information architecture for families and stakeholders
• accessibility-focused design and implementation
• aligned with the organisation’s identity and public messaging

 
Operational Control Panel

• administrator and coordinator user roles
• centre management
• personnel management
• programme and group setup
• training and course administration
• resource and stationery ordering
• office file management and document storage
• search, filtering, audit logs and dashboard reporting

 
Key Features

 
Programme Management

Coordinators can create and manage programmes for bereavement and separation support, assign
facilitators, link participants, track attendance and maintain weekly records as groups progress.

 
Automated Forms and Communications

The system allows coordinators to send secure links to parents or guardians, who then complete online
forms. These forms are converted into dynamic PDFs and automatically distributed by email, giving both
the parent and the coordinator a copy.

 
Digital Signatures and PDF Output

Several forms support digital signature capture. Signatures are applied to generated PDFs so the finished
documents are suitable for operational use and record keeping.

 
Week 3 and Week 7 Reporting

The platform automates milestone-driven workflows. Week 3 and Week 7 reporting forms are triggered
automatically, helping Rainbows gather consistent information from coordinators, facilitators, parents
and children for service review and year-end reporting.

 
Compliance Tracking

The system tracks key compliance information for personnel, including Garda Vetting and Child Protection
dates, helping the organisation maintain visibility over safeguarding requirements.

 
Orders and Resource Management

Centres can place resource and stationery orders through the system, while administrators can manage,
process and track those orders centrally.

 
File Management and Audit Trails

The platform includes structured file upload areas and modification logs, helping Rainbows retain
documents, monitor changes and maintain an audit trail.

 
Data Migration

A significant part of the project involved migrating legacy data from Microsoft Access into a new MySQL
structure. This required careful analysis of the old system, rebuilding tables and relationships, and
resolving issues caused by incomplete or broken legacy records.

iWorks developed scripts and import processes to bring across relevant data while cleaning and
restructuring it for use in the new platform.

 
Outcome

Rainbows Ireland now has a centralised platform that supports both public engagement and internal
operations.

• reduced dependence on manual workflows
• centralised operational data
• improved reporting capabilities
• better visibility over compliance
• more efficient programme administration
• scalable platform for future growth

 
Ongoing Support

iWorks continues to support Rainbows Ireland with ongoing development, maintenance and refinement of
both the website and the control panel.