SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Children's and Women's Spokesperson: Marjorie Hawkins

Older People's Spokesperson: Kieran McCarthy

Last updated: 17 May 2004

As a united community, we must be able to live side-by-side with our neighbours, regardless of our nationality, class or creed. Alliance will provide more choices for people with mixed marriages, and for those with backgrounds outside Northern Ireland.

MANIFESTO PLEDGES (2003 NI Assembly)

Poverty and Social Inclusion

Alliance will fully implement integrated policies that target social exclusion. Such policies need to be based on improving income, employment, health and education.

• Clarify and simplify benefit applications and procedures, which will particularly improve the situation of our elderly population. Alliance will make the benefit system more transparent and accessible.
• Ensure adequate funding for Citizens Advice Bureaux and other independent advice centres. This is essential to help people disadvantaged by inadequate advice on social security, debt, housing and employment.
• Improve provision for training, to better advise those who are entitled to benefit schemes. This is to assist the training provided by charities and voluntary groups.

Women

Women are fully equal citizens in society, and Alliance is committed to redressing those issues that prevent them from being deemed as such. These matters include the facts that:

• The majority of low-paid workers are women.
• Reported incidents of domestic violence against women is increasing.
• The majority of the elderly poor are women.

Alliance pledges itself to:

• Lobby for the provision of adequate pensions and a living minimum wage, as well as further enforcement of the 1970 Equal Pay Act. Alliance also supports gender-based affirmative action programmes.
• Ensure access to information and advice on health and fertility issues.
• Provide support to the network of crisis centres for women.

Children

Alliance endorses the establishment of the Children and Young People’s Unit, the Children’s Commissioner, and the consultation for a Children’s Strategy. We are committed to safeguarding and improving children’s lives. Alliance notes that:

• Few employers have family-friendly policies.
• Children’s provision is inadequate in Northern Ireland.

Alliance pledges itself to:

• Increase resources for parenting and family support. This includes early intervention programmes, such as Sure Start and others, which promote better health, education, play and child development. We will create a singular advice and information line, to make it easier for parents to learn the range of support available.
• Provide adequately resourced childcare provision. There are successful childcare voucher and employer/employee tax incentive schemes that we will promote and implement with sufficient financing.
• Improve educational outcomes for all children, especially as a means of escaping poverty.
• Ensure that children’s rights are secured in a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland, entrenched as a named group. Of all in society, children’s welfare must be the best protected.

Young People

Young people are a vital part of our community. Our long-term aim of eliminating sectarianism is driven by the desire of enabling future generations to enjoy a better life. This requires respecting their dignity and enabling them to contribute positively to society.

• Ensure a proper system of civic education. (See separate Alliance policy theme on Education.)
• Encourage a Northern Ireland Youth Assembly, which will enable young people to have a more direct and empowering relationship with government.
• Lobby for the full minimum wage to be extended to those aged 16+.

Carers

• Provide recognition and financial support to carers, who look after the welfare of their sick and dependent relatives.
• Establish a respite care system that is flexible, reliable and meets the needs of carers and those they care for.

Disability

Alliance believes that people with disabilities should have equal rights and opportunities within an inclusive society. They must be able to access mainstream services in all areas.

• Improve the efficiency for Disability Living Allowance applications and appeals.
• Ensure all public transport vehicles are disability-friendly.
• Improve access to public facilities for all disabled people. This will be achieved through comprehensive access policies.
• Ensure the choice of mainstream education is available for people with disabilities.
• Create a strategy for serving the needs of people with learning disabilities. This has already been done in Scotland and England.

Housing

Alliance will provide the leadership necessary for the Housing Executive to tackle the blight of paramilitary graffiti and flags, which contribute to hostile living environments for so many in Northern Ireland.

• Break the cycle of homelessness, by creating linkages between employment, health and social services.
• Compel the Housing Executive to tackle the problem of unruly and disruptive tenants. Alliance would also tackle the segregation that has resulted in housing.
• Earmark resources for the Housing Executive to improve specialist accommodation for older people and people with disabilities, single homeless persons and those with specialist needs.
• Ensure adequate public funds to pay for housing arrears or repairs. Alliance would not increase rents of those living in Housing Executive properties above the rate of inflation.
• Allow those over 60 to buy existing Housing Executive bungalows. We would also review the ‘House Sales Scheme’, to secure social housing provision.

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