Signs directing families to foodbanks at Antrim paediatric emergency department illustrate the devastating impact of the cost-of-living crisis, an expert in social security has said.
Dr Ciara Fitzpatrick is an Ulster University lecturer, researching the social security system and socio-economic rights.
On Friday evening, she had to take her son the the emergency department to make sure he didn't have appendicitis and said she spotted the signs there.
Read more: Northern Ireland 'Crushed by the Cost of Living' event hears shocking impact of poverty
They direct families to foodbanks in the local area, for those who are struggling to feed their children or themselves as the cost-of-living crisis bites.
Dr Fitzpatrick said it was the clearest sign of how the system was failing people in Northern Ireland, that foodbanks are increasingly seen as the first port of call for those in need.
"Before I went home I wanted to commend the staff for trying to support people, but also to let them know about some of the schemes and support the Department for Communities administer.," she added.
"The nurse said, they'd put up the information because they saw a visible need for it. Children were hungry and hadn't eaten, some parents couldn't bring their children for treatment as the cost of transport was too expensive.
"She also commented that parents couldn't afford to feed their children nutritious food and that processed food is cheaper."
Dr Fitzpatrick has previously organised conferences to try and highlight how badly affected some people are by the rise in food and fuel prices and said action needed to be taken now.
"This is a very clear and poignant example of how Northern Ireland is failing and the human impact of having no government to put in place policy and resources to mitigate the devastation being caused by high inflation," she said.
"The overstretched and underfunded community sector is trying their hardest to keep people from destitution and it's simply not a sustainable nor a dignified solution. This has been compounded in recent weeks by the cuts targeted upon disadvantaged communities.
"The loss of holiday hunger payments and the extended school scheme, which went some way to ensuring the poorest children had access to a hot meal. These schemes must be reinstated when the NI Assembly does come back."
Dr Fitzpatrick called for greater cooperation between Stormont departments to ensure that people were aware of the financial support they are entitled to and that schemes like the healthy start scheme, should be expanded and promoted more widely.
The scheme provides access to milk, fruit and vegetables for low income families from pregnancy to the age of four.
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