Core funding cuts 'risks collapse' of Northern Ireland community and voluntary services
Cuts to Core Grant funding in Northern Ireland will reduce community and voluntary service provision, collapse organisations resulting in children suffering, it has been warned.
The Department of Health announced a decision to cut Core Grant funding, which accounts for approximately 0.05% of its 2023-24 budget, from the end of September.
Children in Northern Ireland (CiNI) is an umbrella organisation for the children's sector.
It conducted a survey of the affected organisations which makes for stark reading for the sector.
The group said that while the funding accounts for a "small proportion of overall spending, the scheme supports Community and Voluntary Sector organisations to deliver a wide range of essential services that support our Health and Social Care system".
These include, but are not limited to, early intention, parental support, counselling and mental health support, care and support for older people, disabled people and those with substance abuse issues, as well as palliative care for babies, children, young people and adults.
A total of 34 organisations responded to the CiNI survey.
Respondents said the majority of Core Funding is used for "salaries and staff costs", and that any reduction in funds would "affect recruitment, lead to reduced services, redundancies, and some organisations no longer operating in NI".
Around 68% of groups anticipated challenges in sustaining current service provision levels, while one in four said reduced funding would "threaten the sustainability of their organisation this financial year".
When asked about the sustainability without Core Grant funding, 62% of groups said they "would risk collapsing".
They explained that the knock-on effect would be a "loss of experienced staff, reduced services and that some organisations would likely cease to exist".
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