This is a press release from the Department of Health. Health Minister Robin Swann has published the Mental Health Action Plan as part of his commitment to improve the mental health of the population in Northern Ireland. The Action Plan contains 38 actions, including a commitment to produce a mental health strategy, which will include […]
The co-convenors of the Childcare for All Campaign, WRDA and Employers For Childcare, welcome the publication of the Northern Ireland Executive five-stage plan for easing the COVID-19 lockdown. However while significant work is ongoing within the Departments of Health and Education to support the childcare sector and ensure its sustainability, and a financial support package […]
We received a reply to our request stating that mental health was one of Minister Swann’s top priorities. Whilst the reply noted that the need for mental health services would increase due to the pandemic, the work on the Mental Health Action Plan has been suspended due to the pandemic. This means work on delivery […]
The Women’s Sector Lobbyist has been added to the Department for Communities Emergency Leadership Group and has now attended two meetings representing the women’s sector. In the first meeting held on Thursday 30thApril, updates were given on COVID-19 and the impact on women alongside plans to work on a feminist recovery plan. At the second […]
This week is Maternal Mental Health week and the Women’s Sector Lobbyist, Rachel Powell has written to the Minister for the Department of Health, Robin Swann to request an update from the Department on the delivery of perinatal mental health services in Northern Ireland as a matter of urgency. WRDA coordinated the Maternal Advocacy Support […]
WRDA is a member of the Women’s Policy Group (WPG) and hosts the Women’s Sector Lobbyist, Rachel Powell who campaigns on behalf of the whole sector. As such we have been at the forefront of lobbying on ways to reduce the impact of Covid-19 on women. A statement from the WPG on the gendered impact […]
Introduction: The Women’s Resource and Development Agency welcomes the proposed legislative changes regarding domestic abuse and violence both within the Northern Ireland Assembly and in Westminster Parliament. Activists, women’s organisations and support providers have spent many years calling for adequate domestic abuse legislation in Northern Ireland. In the current global pandemic, domestic abuse and violence […]
Professor Hugo van Woerden, Director of Public Health and Medical Director at the PHA, said: “Coronavirus, and the impact it is having on our normal way of life, is understandably going to affect people’s emotional and physical wellbeing – concern about the virus and illness it may cause and the effects of staying at home […]
During COVID-19 normal maternity services will be temporarily reconfigured. To keep pregnant women informed of these changes the Public Health Agency (PHA) has launched a new Northern Ireland Maternity COVID-19 website. The website will provide pregnant women with information about services in their trust as well as useful information on what COVID-19 is and how […]
WRDA Covid-19 contingency planning commenced early March as uncertainty and panic levels were beginning to escalate. Yet despite the cancellation of some BC&B sessions, workshops and training programmes the majority of targets set for 2019/20 have been met and in some areas targets have been exceeded. Some areas of work e.g. lobbying & policy have […]
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