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Demand for food and mental health support surges due to Covid-19

Family Resource Centres have seen a slump in their incomes because of the coronavirus pandemic.

DEMAND FOR FOOD packages, food vouchers and cooked meals has soared throughout the Covid-19 crisis, a community-based family support facility has said.

The vast majority of Ireland’s Family Resource Centres (FRCs) have experienced a sharp increase in demand for their services, with particularly high demand for parent and family supports, food parcels, and counselling and mental health services.

A survey released by the Family Resource Centre National Forum (FRCNF), shows that 83% of centres have experienced an increase in demand for their services over the past three months, with a significant majority seeing an increase demand of more than 25%.

Through a network of 121 centres, it supports families in communities experiencing poverty and disadvantage.

However, despite the demand almost all centres have seen a slump in their income.

Almost all centres are providing food packages, food vouchers or cooked meals to families in their local area, with some providing food for hundreds of families on a weekly basis.

They also provide activity packs for families and makes regular calls with vulnerable members of communities.

Many of the people working in the centres say Covid-19 has impacted on poverty, unemployment and social exclusion in communities while there are also serious concerns about the increase for mental health supports.

Clare Cashman, chairwoman of the FRCNF, said: “FRCs nationwide are experiencing significantly increased demand for their services and supports, at the same time as experiencing a decrease in income.

There has been a sharp rise in demand for mental health supports, food and essential home supplies, activity packs for families, and check-in calls for vulnerable and isolated members of local communities.

“FRCs have adapted quickly in response to Covid-19 restrictions and to meet emerging needs within their local communities.

“FRCs are playing a central role in the local community response, and the Covid-19 pandemic has copper-fastened their significance as a source of essential support to thousands of families nationwide.

“In the months to come, as the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic becomes more apparent, FRCs must be adequately funded and resourced to meet the demand for their services.”

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    Mute Rursmcsturs
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    May 17th 2022, 7:34 AM

    Testing times for the HSE, sort it out!

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    Mute John O Connor
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    May 17th 2022, 8:23 AM

    @Rursmcsturs: how

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    Mute chiqey
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    May 17th 2022, 9:08 AM

    @John O Connor: paying the workers properly might help

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    Mute Ci
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    May 17th 2022, 4:24 PM

    Best of luck with the strike ,totally deserve parity and better working conditions

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    Mute Mary O Dwyer
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    May 17th 2022, 10:05 PM

    I fully support equal pay if the expertise is on a par but why should patients pay they have paid with their lives in cases due to delayed care in getting a diagnosis during the past two years of covid . Bloods tell a lot and tomorrow patients suffer yet again . Really not professional and using the sick as bargaining tools . Nurses and front line staff didn’t strike during covid when they were over worked and underpaid and literally risked their lives pre vaccine and pre ffp2 masks . This is not the time as the system tries to catch up in treating the lately diagnosed . I loose sympathy when patients who the lab staff get paid to care for don’t care . Strike is not acceptable in a pandemic catch up phase

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    Mute Paul Owens
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    May 17th 2022, 10:14 PM

    @Mary O Dwyer: Listen darling the expertise is not only on a par but the medical scientists do most of the work,they have been getting hammered for the last 20 years ,work load,pay, everything.They kept all the PCR testing going during covid when everyone relied on them and I mean everyone in all our society.You should not be making comments you are clueless about so if u get time try and make your way back to planet earth!!

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    Mute Jj
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    May 17th 2022, 11:11 PM

    @Mary O Dwyer: when would a good time be? When the service is destroyed altogether by the loss of more staff that are not been treated equally in the workplace? If all other channels have been exhausted what other choice is there? What happened when penny pinching of this vital service a decision was made to send cervical services to America ? Penny pinching here again and not respecting this highly educated workforce will lead to huge quality issues down the line with more highly trained staff leaving. Enhancing and supporting a dedicated workforce is what a forward thinking government should be doing. The area of advanced medical diagnostics which Ireland has ambitions to be a leader in needs to be invested in and highly trained scientist at a minimum should be treated equally

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    Mute Laura Halfitz
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    May 18th 2022, 7:00 AM

    @Mary O Dwyer: When do you suggest we take action? When the service collapses?
    We purposely didn’t take action during the height of the pandemic due to the affect it would’ve had on the country.

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