THE threats facing Family Resource Centres (FRCs) in Limerick are being highlighted by a national representative body in the lead up to the general election.
The Family Resource Centre National Forum is calling on candidates to pledge their support for families and FRCs.
There are four FRCs throughout Limerick city and county – in Croom, Coodalough (Hospital), Ballynanty (Northside) and Southill.
According to the Family Resource Centre National Forum (FRCNF), the future of these FRCs is under threat because the Family Resource Centre programme does not have a dedicated government unit administering it. The FRCNF is also highlighting the threat caused by insufficient core funding for FRCs; and the dilution and dismantling of their unique community development model of family support.
“In the lead-up to the 2020 general election, FRCs nationwide – through the FRCNF – are calling on candidates to pledge their support for our future. By supporting FRCs, candidates are supporting families right across their constituencies.
“We have three main asks for all candidates and political parties. Firstly, we want them to commit to establishing a dedicated government unit – permanently housed within an appropriate government department – to administer the Family Resource Centre programme,” Mary Mulcahy from the Northside Family Resource Centre explained.
“Secondly, we want candidates to commit to preserving the autonomy of FRCs, and the unique model of family supports we offer. FRCs focus on early intervention and prevention, and on supporting families from the ‘cradle to the grave’. We offer services and information that extend far beyond the needs of families with young children, working with older members of the community, minority groups, people with disabilities, and a range of diverse service-users.
“Thirdly, we are asking candidates to work to ensure all FRCs receive ring-fenced, multi-annual core funding – a minimum of €160,000 per FRC per year – and have at least three full-time staff-members. This would enable us to provide the full range of supports so desperately needed by the communities in which we work,” Miss Mulcahy concluded.