Anglicare Sydney Concerned About Welfare Payment Management Scheme

ANGLICARE Sydney Concerned About Welfare Payment Management Scheme

ANGLICARE Sydney has responded cautiously to the commitment from the Minister
for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Jenny Macklin to breaking the cycle of poverty and social exclusion experienced by many on welfare payments.

ANGLICARE Sydney CEO Peter Kell says legislation proposing the extension of the
scheme to manage the welfare payments of recipients who face severe disadvantage
might go some way to addressing the challenges they face, but needs to be
rigorously evaluated.

"ANGLICARE Sydney would like to see more detail as to how this expanded scheme will go beyond addressing the symptoms of disadvantage, and contribute to improved financial literacy and household management skills, and be integrated with other services such as those providing family counselling and support."

Mr Kell says that the number of government departments and agencies that welfare recipients have to deal with often overcomplicates the services people require. He says an integrated case management approach for families and individuals will address the complexities of the current system.

"If the proposed scheme was incorporated into a model that addresses immediate
needs of families and individuals, as well as identifying and addressing the underlying causes of the disadvantage they face, it would make a far greater contribution to the government's social inclusion agenda."

ANGLICARE Sydney has been promoting a case management model for the emergency relief clients it works with in seven community care centres throughout Sydney and the Illawarra.

A pilot program assessing the effectiveness of the model was launched in
Wollongong last month.

ANGLICARE Sydney CEO Peter Kell is available for interview.

Media Contact:
Jim Wackett
0408 426 381




SOURCE: ANGLICARE Sydney