Poverty campaigner Sheelagh Cooper has called on the Department of Financial Assistance to be more compassionate and respectful to people in need who request help.

Mrs. Cooper, from the Coalition for the Protection of Children, told The Royal Gazette that a survey of 60 mothers conducted by the charity found that many felt staff at the department were dismissive and judgemental.

She said she was going public with the results after a year of meetings with Cabinet Minister Dale Butler led to no improvement.

"If he is not able to...get them to be more compassionate then who can?" said Mrs. Cooper. "I had a series of recommendations and most of them were to do with the way people are treated over there.

"I sat on the survey because he (Mr. Butler) was willing to meet with me. The last meeting I had with him was about six months ago. At that point I realised that he was unable to get his staff to be more responsive."

Social Rehabilitation Minister Mr. Butler said last night: "I have had many interesting and productive meetings with Mrs. Cooper and they will continue.

"Mrs. Cooper raised some challenging questions to improve the delivery of service in Financial Assistance. We believe that we are doing an excellent job, but we are not perfect."

Mrs. Cooper said the attitude of staff at the Department was more important than ever with the current economic climate leaving "so many people in need".

"It's about respect, compassion and creating a system that's streamlined, effective and meets the real needs of these folks," she said. "Most of the women I see and who have obviously gone to Financial Assistance do not have the skills to get jobs to pay them enough money to support themselves in this market."

One of her recommendations was that clients be allowed to tape their interviews with staff. Another was that struggling women be helped to go back to school to gain skills for better-paid jobs.

The survey found that 54 percent of respondents felt staff at the Department of Financial Assistance were not understanding, with the same number finding officials very judgemental.

Sixteen percent said staff were understanding and 21 percent said they were non-judgmental. Thirty four percent of respondents deemed officers not friendly, compared to 26 percent who found them friendly.

Almost half said staff were not helpful, 35 percent said they did not listen and 56 percent said they did not get the help they needed. That compared to 21 percent who found them helpful, 35 percent who said they were good listeners and 29 percent who received help.

The questionnaire asked the women if they found the application process user-friendly or long and overly bureaucratic: 56 percent plumped for the latter and 29 percent for the former. Thirty percent of respondents said their privacy was respected; 19 percent felt it was not.

Mr. Butler said concerns were often raised by those rejected or unable to provide the required information to get help.

"While I agree with the recommendations Mrs. Cooper has made I have been advised that as simple as they might be they are contrary to 'best practice' and the ethical treatment of clients," he explained.

"There is an appeals process for aggrieved clients but few appeals have been lodged. This does not mean however that we will sit on our laurels."

The Minister said concerns are being used as a guideline for the delivery of service and staff would continue to review procedures.

"We are conscious of the need to treat all citizens with dignity and respect, regardless of their circumstances, and to always be professional, even when clients express their dissatisfaction in hostile ways to us," he said.

"We appreciate all feedback and will not compromise our professionalism or the public purse. While we receive very few complaints we do not ignore them but we continue to aim higher than the 98 percent we have frequently been given."

n What are your views? Have you been treated well or badly by the Department of Financial Assistance? Email sstrangeways@royalgazette.bm or call 278 0155.