Visits to advisory groups
The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Division Outreach Service was launched in October 2005 to promote awareness of the CMED, improve relationships and communications with the Division's stakeholder groups, improve service to clients and ultimately get money to more children.
To promote and introduce the service, the Outreach Team initially visited Citizen Advice Bureau, Gingerbread, Homestart, and Women’s Aid, Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities and many other community based advice groups. The service was extended to MP constituency offices and following devolution, to MLA offices.
The Outreach team has delivered a range of services including:
- Client surgeries – Interview with clients and liaison between CMED staff and MP/MLA offices
- Information seminars / informal presentations have been delivered to a range of organisations including:
- The Forces Welfare Services;
- Women’s Aid;
- Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities;
- Love for Life;
- Citizen Advice Bureau offices;
- Twenty six Housing Executive offices; and,
- MP constituency offices.
To date Outreach staff has been involved in over 400 CMED cases and have provided guidance and information to prospective CMED clients.
Feedback from stakeholders has been excellent, resulting in an increase in requests for the Outreach service. MP/MLA offices in particular appreciate CMED staff coming to see their constituents.
There are two Outreach Officers and one administrative Support officer, if any one has any suggestions or comments regarding the outreach service please forward them to:
|
