Safety Nets: Social Security for Families in a Devolved UK

Image showing 2 people and row of houses.Text - Is there something you'd like to share about your experience with benefits?

Image showing 2 people and row of houses. Text – Is there something you’d like to share about your experience with benefits?

The research team which includes six universities from across the UK would really appreciate your help in spreading the word. It explores how benefits vary across all 4 countries of the UK and how this impacts families with dependent children. 

As a central part of the project, we’re holding a series of 14 online discussion workshops with parents and carers in receipt of benefits to hear about their experiences and what needs to change. The workshops are open to parents/carers across the UK who receive at least one UK benefit, such as Universal Credit, PIP, or Tax Credits, or who are receiving asylum support. 

The discussions will take place in small, friendly online groups where participants can share their personal experiences and ideas for policy change. To thank them for their time, we are offering £50 in Love2Shop vouchers for each 2.5 hour workshop they attend, with the opportunity to take part in up to two workshops on different topics relating to social security (e.g. employment support, free school meals, welfare mitigations).

Uisce from the research team would be delighted to arrange a Zoom call if you’d like to discuss this further and can be reached on 07552 285828 or safety-nets-project@york.ac.uk

 

Image with text and QR code

Image with text and QR code

Mental Health Champion visit to Ebrington – May 2025

Pictured at the roundtable event are (from left), Lorna Ballard, Louise Kearney, Siobhan O’Neill, Donna Downey and Bronwyn Campbell.

Pictured at the roundtable event are (from left), Lorna Ballard, Louise Kearney, Siobhan O’Neill, Donna Downey and Bronwyn Campbell.

 

Mental Health Champion for Northern Ireland, Professor Siobhan O’Neill, recently visited Ebrington, Derry~Londonderry, to hear first-hand how Family Support Hubs are supporting local people.

 Organised by the Western Health and Social Care Trust and chaired by Action for Children, a roundtable discussion on Thursday 8 May was designed to showcase the work of the eight Family Support Hubs from across the Western Trust.

Donna Downey (Western Trust) and Bronwyn Campbell (Strategic Planning and Performance Group, Department of Health) introduced the background and context of Family Support Hubs. Essentially, a Family Support Hub is multi-agency network of statutory, community and voluntary organisations that provide or signpost to early intervention services. Hubs are a part of the Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership (CYPSP).

Each of the Hubs gave a short presentation on their area, including the challenges they face and as examples of success stories they are proud of.

Attendees then had an opportunity to hear from Ms O’Neill herself. She said she was ‘really struck’ by the ‘passion and commitment’ of the Hubs’ staff and was moved by the case studies they shared with her.

She echoed the presenters’ concerns about the rates of poverty in Northern Ireland and how that underpins so many aspects of people’s lives, including their mental health.

Ms O’Neill also answered a number of questions, including how to make government understand the needs of people on the ground.

She said: “There’s this misguided idea that if we could just get more people back to work then there would be more money in the economy and everything would be fine – that’s just wrong.

“What we really need first and foremost is a healthy population that are fit and well. The cost of poor mental health is £3.4 billion annually here. We’re fighting a battle against short-termism – early intervention, parenting support, Sure Starts and so on is where money needs to be going.”

 Other questions included Ms O’Neill’s position on linking and utilising key pieces of legislation, including a Mental Health Strategy and an Anti-Poverty Strategy for Northern Ireland. She agreed that policies and strategies need to be aligned and actually implemented, and she said she would be seeking a meeting with the Department of Health to raise a number of the issues that were highlighted at the event.

Speaking after the event, Donna Downey (WHSCT) said: “It was a pleasure to meet with Siobhan O’Neill and share the innovative work the Family Hubs. It is an opportunity to acknowledge the professionalism and commitment of all of the staff who work collaboratively with families every day.”

Louise Kearney (Action for Children) added: “In the North-West the statutory and community and voluntary sectors work ‘hand in glove’ to make sure that vulnerable children, young people and families are supported and given the chance to thrive.

 “Mental health underpins so much of the work we do so we’re delighted that Ms O’Neill has been able to hear about the challenges we face, and also learn about the stellar work that’s happening. Family Support Hub model has potential for further growth and development to support more people in local communities.”

 

Western Area FYI Issue 18 – May 2025

Your FYI is a monthly round up of all things family support and early
intervention prevention across the Western trust and beyond.

Download Issue 18

If you would like to contribute upcoming consultations, training, articles, or
events that practitioners from the community, voluntary or statutory sectors
within the Western Trust will find useful please contact: –

Dr Priscilla Magee Mobile 07880723076  priscilla.magee@westerntrust.hscni.net

Paul Sweeney  Mobile 07387259117  paul.sweeney@westerntrust.hscni.net

World Salt Awareness Week (12-18th May)

Reducing salt in our diets is a quick and effective way to reduce our blood pressure and improve our health. We often don’t realise just how much salt we are eating because most of the salt we eat is already in the food we buy.

Find out more in our short video: https://youtu.be/JC9ZoGD6T0w?si=Ws9Mtsb5x4s0FBnd

 

 

Western HSC Trust Autism Support Cafés 2025

March 2025 saw the end of the Western Health and Social Care Trust (in colloboration with CYPSP) Autism Support Cafés for the financial year. Coordinated by the Health Improvement, Equality and Involvement Department in partnership with local councils and Community organisations, the cafes bring together statutory and community and voluntary sector services. These services offer support to adults, parents, carers and their families who have an Autism diagnosis, are awaiting assessment or are displaying early indicators that they may be Neurodivergent.

Our last café took place in Castlepark Leisure Centre, Lisnaskea to coincide with the beginning of Autism Acceptance week 2025. With over 20 services regularly attending the different cafes over the last year to provide information, support and signposting, the cafes have proven to be popular with some service users commenting;

“Services is great. Loads of information and staff was lovely” and “Great event, lots of variety of support available for families”

We want the cafes to be a place where adults, parents and carers can come and speak with different services which are all in one place in an informal way.

Image with text - picture of 2 people holding cup and saucer and write up about autism cafes which took place in 2024/25.

Image with text – picture of 2 people holding cup and saucer and write up about autism cafes which took place in 2024/25.

Images with text showcasing some highlights of the 2025 Autism Cafes

Images with text showcasing some highlights of the 2025 Autism Cafes