Charity Warns Vulnerable Children Will Be First Victims Of Stormont Collapse

A charity in Northern Ireland has warned vulnerable children will be the first victims of the Stormont collapse following a decision to close one of its projects at the end of March.

Extern said its Intensive Family Support Service (IFSS) must close with the loss of 47 jobs.

The service works with families who are known to several statutory agencies, and who have a range of long standing, entrenched and complex problems.

Charlie Mack, Chief Executive of Extern, said the decision is "devastating".

He said: "IFSS is a life-altering, and often life-saving service, which is seeing 50 per cent more children in Belfast being removed from the Child Protection Register, is keeping children in school, and is significantly reducing anti-social and violent behaviours.

"This decision is devastating, not only for the vulnerable and marginalised children and families we work with, but also for our dedicated and professional staff, who are to be made redundant.

"This is a decision which is also a completely false economy. For a paltry 83p per Department, per child or family member, per day, it is releasing capacity within the statutory agencies, has significant cost saving implications in the areas of justice and education, and is leading to less dependency on the public purse both now, and in the future.

"This project was created because it was identified that the existing supports were not meeting the needs of these 'hard to reach' and complex families. We have now been told that those supports, previously viewed as inadequate, are what these families are going to be signposted back to. Just days after people came out to vote for a better future, thousands of those most in need are being told they don't matter."

The NIPSA Union has organised a protest at Stormont from 1pm to 4pm on Monday, 13 March.

(CD)