The first New TSN Annual Report November 1999

4.

4.1

4.1.1

Progress on Promoting Social Inclusion

The PSI Model

New TSN: an agenda for Targeting Social Need and Promoting Social Inclusion indicated that PSI would be flexible. It would tackle a rolling agenda of issues concentrating on a small number at any one time. Each would be progressed by a Working Group comprising representatives of relevant Departments and involving people from outside Government as appropriate. The Working Groups have time-bounded Terms of Reference which emphasise PSI’s commitment to the principles of co-ordination, prevention and evidence-based decision making.

4.2

4.2.1

The PSI Consultation Exercise

The same publication initiated consultation on PSI. It invited views on the PSI model, the groups most at risk of social exclusion, the causes of exclusion and organisations’ experience of working together in a co-ordinated way. Eighty six submissions were received from voluntary and community organisations, District Councils, and other interested bodies.

4.2.2 Those who responded to the consultation generally welcomed PSI's approach of dealing with a series of issues, concentrating on a small number at a time. They argued that it was crucial to involve organisations outside Government which had a contribution to make and stressed the importance of engaging with people who were themselves subject to the problems of poverty and exclusion.
4.2.3 They identified a number of groups as being at risk of social exclusion. Most frequently mentioned were: minority ethnic people, Travellers, people with disabilities, young people at risk, older people and people living in isolated rural areas. They also identified a range of factors which could cause exclusion, including lack of education and basic skills; policies and service delivery which were not sensitive to the needs of minority groups (eg people with particular disabilities); and lack of access to, and information about, services.
4.2.4 SSG established a small cross-Departmental Subgroup to consider the responses to the consultation and to suggest what the first PSI priorities might be. Chaired by CCRU, this Subgroup comprises senior members of Departments and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA). In view of his particular understanding of social policy issues and his extensive experience of the voluntary sector, Quintin Oliver, the former Director of Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action, is also a member of the Subgroup.
4.2.5 The Subgroup was asked to identify areas which cut across administrative boundaries and in which work could be done to prevent or reduce social exclusion – rather than just to treat its symptoms. In doing this, the Subgroup avoided areas covered by existing cross-Departmental bodies – and where the initiation of further cross-Departmental work could result in less, rather than more, co-ordination. The Subgroup subsequently proposed Terms of Reference, membership and work plans for each PSI Working Group and considered effective ways of involving external partners in the work without placing undue burdens on the organisations or individuals concerned.

4.3

4.3.1

The First PSI Priorities

On 16 June 1999 Mr John McFall MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Northern Ireland Office informed Parliament that the first PSI Priorities would be:

  • a strategic approach to the needs of minority ethnic people

  • action to alleviate the needs of Travellers

  • the problems of teenage parenthood

  • strategies for making services more accessible to minority groups and others at risk of social exclusion – focusing firstly on how information can be presented and distributed in ways appropriate to their needs.

4.4

4.4.1

The Needs of Minority Ethnic People and of Travellers

Research shows that some minority ethnic people are placed at risk of exclusion by factors arising from linguistic and cultural differences between them and the rest of the population, by discrimination and harassment, and because service providers do not always respond appropriately to their particular needs. Contributors to the consultation emphasised these and other problems which minority ethnic people face.

4.4.2 There are about 1,200 Travellers in Northern Ireland and the Irish Traveller community is classified in law as a racial group. It is generally accepted that Travellers are amongst the most disadvantaged members of society. Many families are living in conditions which contribute to poor health and low educational achievement. Travellers’ life expectancy is considerably below that of the settled community. Historically, there has been an unwillingness among the settled population to accept their nomadic lifestyle and other aspects of their culture; and this has been associated with discrimination and harassment against them.
4.4.3 CCRU is leading a PSI Working Group on the needs of minority ethnic people, and the remit of this Group is relevant to Travellers in many ways. However, DOE is leading a further Working Group to deal with the additional needs of Travellers. These two Groups are working very closely together. Their respective Terms of Reference are provided at Annexes 8 and 9 of this Report.

4.5

4.5.1

The Problems of Teenage Parenthood

Respondents to the consultation had highlighted the position of young people at risk and emphasised the preventative role of early intervention. Northern Ireland shares with the rest of the UK high rates of teenage pregnancy and parenthood. In 1997, out of a total of 24,277 births, 1,646 were to teenage mothers.

4.5.2 Evidence suggests that teenagers who do badly at school, have emotional problems, come from deprived backgrounds or whose own mothers gave birth as teenagers are more likely than others to become parents during their teenage years. Young people who have been excluded from school or who have been in care are particularly at risk. Many teenage mothers find it difficult to continue with education, training or employment and this can impact on their own life chances and those of their children. Often they are subject to long term poverty and disadvantage. DHSS is leading a PSI Working Group which will develop strategies to reduce unwanted teenage pregnancy and prevent the exclusion of teenage parents and their children. The Terms of Reference for this Group are included at Annex 10.

4.6

4.6.1

Better Services

Respondents to the consultation identified issues which affected several of the groups of people at risk of social exclusion. Some respondents stressed that the problems which people in need faced were likely to be compounded if they had difficulties in finding out about, or accessing, services and benefits to which they were entitled and which could help them.

4.6.2 A PSI Working Group is being established to examine such problems and to identify solutions. Its Terms of Reference are provided at Annex 11. The first aspect to be tackled is the effectiveness with which service providers communicate with the public. The outcomes of this should be helpful to a range of groups, including people with particular disabilities, elderly people and people who live in isolated rural areas.
 
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