The bigger picture...

It’s good to step back to look at the ‘bigger picture’… even better when there’s an opportunity to influence this on a national level.  This month A Way Out’s CEO, Sarah McManus, met in London in partnership with 5 other charities with Amber Rudd, Secretary of State and Will Quince, Minister for Family Support, Housing & Child Maintenance.  This invitation came following Sarah providing evidence in Westminster at a Select Committee discussing issues around universal credit and direct links to the increase in women involved in survival sex work.

A Way Out was invited in recognition of its expertise in this area and the part the charity plays in reshaping and bringing about change for vulnerable women, young people and families in this region.  We are proud that A Way Out ensures the voices of those we work with in Tees Valley are heard and can be instrumental in influencing the development of this system.

Collectively several concerns were raised including the delay between application and receipt of money and the impact of sanctions, demonstrating the difficulty for people to survive during these periods – a current direct influence upon offending rates and women moving into sex work.  Sarah also emphasised the complexity of the system for those already struggling with a range of challenges and vulnerabilities and this was also reflected in other areas of the country.  Highlighting the wider context, attention was drawn to the increased need for emergency food parcels and the Children’s Society prediction that by 2020 there will be 5 million children living in poverty in the UK  - all underpinning and reinforcing the hardship that this benefit is causing to some of the most vulnerable in our community, the very people it was intended to provide a safety net against such poverty.

The hope is that this is the start of ongoing conversations with agencies and charities in order to positively improve the current system.

By supporting A Way Out and you too are making a difference and be part of the bigger picture.  Find us at  www.awayout.co.uk / info@awayout.co.uk / 01642 655071.