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£6 million for charities and councils to support vulnerable families.

A family centre at Polmont young offenders institution and outreach workers for Glasgow nurseries are among 20 projects awarded a share of £6 million.

The funding comes from the £18 million allocated from the Early Years Change Fund last year. Today’s allocations will help Scottish charities work with councils to support families who need extra help including access to out of hours support and parenting advice.

Minister for Children Aileen Campbell said:

“We want Scottish families to have the help they need. We will provide more free nursery care – saving families £700 a year per child while the UK Government cuts £700 from family benefits. We will also make nursery care more flexible. By next year, councils must ask what parents want and offer a choice. Together with the extra hours, this could mean two days a week instead of a few hours a morning or afternoon –– helping parents into a job or training.

“But we know that some families need more direct support – perhaps a source of advice on parenting or a neutral place to allow parents and children to spend time together. This funding will help charities across Scotland provide exactly that type of targeted help.

“This funding shows how decisions taken in Scotland are giving Scottish families the help they need. It will also help harness the expertise of those working in charities to help the councils deliver for families and maximise Scotland’s future economic prosperity.”

Background

The partnerships receiving a share of the money from the Early Years Change Fund:

Argyll and Bute Council, Children 1^st and Argyll Voluntary Action - £150,000 to provide parenting support in Oban, including at weekends and evenings.

Aberdeenshire Council, Homestart and Children 1^st - £250,000 to provide support out of core hours when families and children are most in need.

The Action for Children, Clackmannanshire Public Social Partnership, Stirling Council community Planning PSP delivery programme - £275,000 to provide family, crisis and peer support.

Dundee City Council and Children 1st -£440,000 to help families who are in crisis and children who are at risk of neglect by raising awareness, signposting and intensive support.

NHS Ayrshire and Council of Voluntary Organisations East Ayrshire - £350,000 – to work with vulnerable families and provide advice, accompany parents and children to schools and support imprisoned parents.

East Lothian Council and Children 1^st - £250,000 to visit every family involved with their “Intensive Four Stage Approach” to develop family support to access community services.

North Ayrshire Council, Children 1^st and Quarriers - £250,000 to provide support for families with very young children and those affected by substance misuse and/or domestic abuse.

Highland Council, Care and Learning Alliance and Action for Children - £250,000 for an early intervention service to address issues of accessibility by providing wrap-around, practical and emotional support.

The Church of Scotland and the Scottish Prison Service - £250,000 to create a family support “Help Hub” at Polmont for families of young people in custody to sustain engagement, reduce vulnerabilities and break cycles of offending.

Glasgow City Council and Children 1^st - £350,000 to help families who are just coping including outreach home support, play work and parenting group sessions.

Glasgow City Council, Scottish Refugee Council, NHS Glasgow and Money Matters - £365,000 to help break the cycles of inequality, poor outcomes and poverty in asylum seeker and refugee children by assigning a single worker to vulnerable families.

Aberdeen City Council, Barnados, Aberlour Childcare Trust, Action for Children, Children 1^st and Aberdeen Council of Voluntary Organisations - £450,000 to provide flexible and intensive support to families who have been identified as just coping.

Dumfries and Galloway Council and Scottish Pre-School Play Association - £200,000 to improve parent-child interaction, increase parental involvement in their child’s development.

Renfrewshire Council and Engage Renfrew - £300,000 to support families with children who are looked after at home or in kinship care who are just coping and provide financial advice, free meals and holiday activities.

Falkirk Council and Aberlour - £225,000 to launch the Falkirk Early Intervention Team – to help children and families by supporting them to make better use of services.

Glasgow City Council and Action for Children - £450,000 for the Intensive Family Support Services and Family, Health and Well-being Services in North Glasgow.

Inverclyde Council and Council for Voluntary Service -£250,000 for innovative community through existing family centres engaging with families on issues such as parental health or mental health.

West Lothian Council and Barnardos - £200,000 to focus on families where children are at risk of neglect, families affected by imprisonment, substance abuse, domestic abuse.

Moray Council and Action for Children - £150,000 to provide a virtual family centre covering rural issues and intensive outreach using sports and recreation to engage fathers.

Perth and Kinross Community Planning Partnership (CPP), Barnardos, Angus Council and the Scottish Prison Service - £420,000 a centre run by CrossReach staff to support families.