In cases where there are social problems and it is beneficial to a family to have a child placed in a crèche for short periods an SWA supplement ranging from £8 to £10 per child per week may be paid in respect of children attending playgroups.
Up to mid last year the processing and payment of supplementary welfare allowance claims, including various supplements, was a normal process. The Department has introduced a new integrated computer system for short-term payment schemes, including supplementary welfare allowance. SWA claims are being computerised on a phased basis and it is planned to complete this by mid-1998.
The introduction of the new system has brought a range of benefits for the customers, the health boards and the Department.
In the case of SWA, the system replaces the manual system which involved keeping manual records of the claims made, hand-writing of cheques and the manual preparation of accounts. The system provides for a computerised record of the claim, and payments and accounts are produced automatically by the system.