Throwing the baby out with the contract!

Pictured: Some of the Life tenants and their children affected by proposed cuts

West Sussex County Council has proposed ending the entire housing related support budget for the whole county from April 2019. Help us to change their mind. #StopWSCCHousingCuts Click To Tweet

This will dramatically affect four Life houses in West Sussex, that provide support to teenage mothers and their children, and leaves vulnerable mothers, their babies and older children homeless with little or no support.

A final decision on this proposal will be made by West Sussex Council on Thursday 27 September. We need to act fast.

We need your help right now to try and get them to change their minds.

Here’s how you can help

Email or write a letter to:

Contacting your MP or elected councillor is a great way to share your concerns, garner their support and have an influence on government decisions. In addition you could contact Mrs Amanda Jupp (the decision maker) or Ms Louise Goldsmith (Leader of WSCC)

Find your West Sussex MP or councillor and get in touch by following these simple steps [please note, you need to be resident in the West Sussex area to email a West Sussex MP]:

1. Find out who your MP is and find their contact details by visiting the Parliament website and putting in your postcode.
2. [If emailing] You can copy and paste the drafted email template text below into an email and amend it as you wish to make it your own.
   [If writing a letter] Copy and paste the drafted letter template text below into a document, amend as you wish to make it your own.
3. Include your full name and address, so the MP or councillor knows you are a constituent
4. [If emailing] Choose your subject line – our recommendation is ‘Stop WSCC’s proposed supported housing cuts’
5. Send the email or letter

Keep an eye on our social media and share, repost stories relating to the cuts

Tweet your local MP – #StopWSCCHousingCuts

Sign the petition that the YMCA has set up

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Email / letter template

Dear [title and surname],

I am writing to ask for your support in imploring West Sussex County Council (WSCC) to reconsider their proposals to cut the Housing Support Budget in the county.

Life currently provides specialist housing and support services to teenage mothers and their babies/children across West Sussex, and withdrawing funding will decimate the supported housing sector in the county. This would leave vulnerable people at risk of homelessness, increased A&E admissions and higher unemployment.

In recent years, the proportion of young people Life supports with multiple or complex needs has increased. Should the cuts go through, these vulnerable young mothers and their babies/children are likely to be at increased risk as they are targeted and exposed to increased criminality, exploitation, abuse and gang activity.

The proposals have been put forward as a money saving measure, but the numbers don’t add up. Cutting these services will increase the use of other services such as NHS, Police, Social Services, Homeless services.

Please support us in calling on WSCC to reconsider their proposal to terminate all supported housing contracts, and help us keep vulnerable teenage parents and their babies/children  safe.

Yours sincerely,

[Full name] [Full address and postcode]

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