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 PSIs 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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