THE director of a West Belfast Children’s Centre says vital programmes they offer could be lost due to budget cuts.
Whiterock Children’s Centre offer a number of programmes, including Pathways for children aged 0-4 years and services to BAME families.
With proposed budget cuts on the horizon, Whiterock Children’s Centre is facing weeks of uncertainty with regards to the vital role they provide for children and families in the community.
Deirdre Walsh, Centre Director says some of their programmes are in danger of being axed if a budget is not agreed by the end of June 2023.
"Pathways is a programme for children 0-4 years which is funded by the Department for Education," she explained.
Whiterock Children's Centre provide vital services in West Belfast
"This supports children for many different reasons who may not reach their full potential.
"Some of the children we support are asylum seeker or refugee children who have come here with their family to make a better life for themselves and in some cases escape conflict in their country of origin.
"Pathways is in 19 settings in West Belfast and Shankill supporting over 500 children with a cocktail of different needs.
"If there are Department for Communities cuts to Neighbourhood Renewal funding, we have a Family Support Manager's post funded through this and her role is to oversee all our Family Support programmes.
"The Executive funded Minority Ethnic Development Programme (MEDF) is also under threat as well. We offer a service to BAME families who are either asylum seekers or refugees who are making West Belfast their home.
"We help to integrate these families into the wider community and ensure they get access to all the services."
Deirdre is hoping funding can be found to ensure key services at Whiterock Children's Centre remain.
"Funding is so vital to an organisation like ourselves. We are asking parents to support us and write to their MLA and MP.
"I understand that tough decisions will have to be made by civil servants in the absence of a Stormont Executive.
"Our community is one of the top 20 deprived areas in the North and one of the highest rates of children in the care system.
"Programmes that we offer allows us to do more work with parents and children in the local area.
"This is a problem that many community organisations are battling with at the minute. We really need Stormont up again and a budget agreed."
