Western Australia's social services organisations say their work is on the line as funding fails to keep up with rising costs while demand surges.
abc.net.au/news/fears-for-wa-social-services-funding-shortfall/101386850WA social services organisations say their work is on the line, with a growing gap between funding that is falling in real terms and surging demand.They are weighing up where they might be able to make cutsThe sector was delivered a slight reprieve on Tuesday when the state government announced payments under its contracts would be increased by 3.53 per cent, in light of "cost pressures".
Evan Nunn runs Accordwest, a support service in Bunbury, and is among those facing difficult decisions. "This [increase] is not to cover the increasing demand that we know is out there due to the cost-of-living, housing crisis," she said.And those services are being stretched increasingly thin, with cost-of-living pressures taking their toll.Foodbank WA sees that on a daily basis, with the number of people helped by the service each day increasing from 200 a few years ago, to more than 700 on some days now.
Tuesday's decision will affect two of the service's contracts, including its work providing school breakfast programs. "Our board, our executive team and all the leaders are here to support our frontline workers, when we work with the vulnerable people we do.
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