The agency's outreach scheme aims to keep lone parents better informedabout case progress. "The agency is trying to improve its communicationsand services," said Alan Shannon, permanent secretary at the Departmentfor Social Development.
But Sean O'Neill, the advice service manager at Gingerbread NI, saidthat while the new service was welcome it would not solve the agency'sunderlying infrastructure problems. "It is okay to improve communicationwith claimants but if the person making the contact cannot move theircase on it is not helping."
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