Ministers urged to support Home Start

Ministers urged to support Home Start

12 February 2014

THE battle to secure ring-fenced funding for the district’s leading family charity is being taken to Stormont ministers Edwin Poots and Simon Hamilton.

Home Start, which provides vital support to almost 300 families across the district, warned in December that it faces a mounting financial crisis and revealed the need for its services has almost doubled in four years.

The organisation said it urgently requires additional funding and admitted having to dip into its financial reserves to maintain its services in Newcastle and Ballynahinch.

The loss of the charity’s main source of income when the Children’s Fund was axed in 2011 forced Home Start to close its office in Newcastle and significantly reduce its administrative operation.

Home Start, which is run by volunteers and provides a front line visiting service to parents under stress, is faced with a continual battle to secure guaranteed financial support.

Next week, Strangford MP Jim Shannon is due to meet with Finance Minister Simon Hamilton to see if money which government departments will not spend before the end of the financial year can be redirected to Home Start, while Down Council is writing to Health Minister Edwin Poots seeking clarification about who is responsible for funding Home Start, his department or the South Eastern Trust.

Mr. Shannon, who will be accompanied by Councillor Billy Walker when he meets Mr. Hamilton, wants to discuss with the Minister the need to provide the family support charity with ring-fenced funding.

“Home Start provides a front line service to families in need and should be funded accordingly,” declared the MP. “The organisation’s work is invaluable and it should be provided with ring-fenced financial support.

Charity officials should have the worry of trying to secure money lifted from their shoulders to allow them to get on with the brilliant job they do,” he added.

Councillor Walker said charity officials are concerned that sweeping changes to the benefits system will continue to place additional pressure on the organisation which “must be provided with ring-fenced funding” to maintain service levels required.

At Monday night’s meeting of Down Council, there was unanimous support for a motion calling on the local authority to write to Mr. Poots tabled by councillor Patrick Clarke. He said the charity must be provided with the cash to fund its operation in Ballynahinch and Newcastle.

“Home Start provides important front line assistance and support for families under stress and is struggling to cope with the demands on its services,” declared Councillor Clarke.

“Despite extensive fundraising efforts and charitable funding, the charity is unable to make up an annual shortfall of over £90,000 and has has to use some of its financial reserves to continue its operation in Newcastle and Ballynahinch.”

Councillor Clarke said the number of families using Home Start’s service

has doubled over the past four years and believes recent welfare reforms and the lack of an anti-poverty strategy will place an increasing demand on the charity.