Our Supporting 21st Century Life investment area has focused on improving the quality of family life in Scotland by helping families most in need with early action to give children a better chance in life.
In 2012, we appointed Ann Sanders to review 23 family support projects we had funded and to:
- determine what has worked well, and less well, within the different approaches employed by the projects,
- inform our future approach to supporting parenting and families, and
- support our contribution to the development of the Scottish Government’s National Parenting Strategy.
Among other findings, the report from the study highlights the following:
- There is no single model approach. The most effective programmes tend to take a holistic approach that considers the needs of the whole family, and to invest in time to build relationships and trust.
- Partnership working can offer particular benefits. Statutory services can help to achieve universal coverage, while voluntary services can offer more flexibility and tailored support.
- Projects report a number of challenges, including meeting increased demand and balancing direct service delivery with management requirements and networking.
The report expands on these findings and includes examples from the projects we have funded.
Read the full report.
Please contact us if you have any questions or comments.