Category

• Fully Validated and Adopted Local Practice

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Poverty impact

• Prevention
• Mitigation
• Awareness

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Poverty driver

• Provide benefit in-kind (experience)
• Increase income from benefits
• Increase employment income
• Non-driver - improving quality of life

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Keywords

• Early Intervention
• Substance Use
• Whole Family Support
• Youth Work
• Partnership working

Aim

The aim of this project is to make early interventions to support families, and young people in P7, S1, & S2, who are struggling with substance use to achieve positive wellbeing during and after the school years.

Summary

Making it Work for Families is a multi-agency partnership project. Partner agencies work with families, offering a holistic whole family support approach to family wellbeing. Support activities include: One-to-one support. Positive family centred fun learning activities. Confidence building groupwork. Outdoor education with a youth-based approach. Family socialisation and support. Benefit entitlement, income maximisation and budgeting support, and intensive family focused substance rehabilitation support.

What difference does it make?

The project provides whole family support (at home and in the community) to vulnerable young people who are at risk of leaving school without qualifications or a positive destination. Successes of the project include supporting school refusers to return to school, income maximisation for families, and helping people to overcome addiction issues.

Key take-aways

• Early intervention and enhanced transitions from P7 to S1 are having a positive outcome for young people.
• Staff are keen to stress that a person-centred, tailored support is crucial to success i.e., that success looks different for everyone.
• The project highlights the importance of supporting the whole family when dealing with complex issues such as issues with the use of substances and employability issues. The ‘whole family’ approach is particularly valuable for reducing isolation with adolescent groups.

 

Organisations

Clued Up (Primary organisation), Fife Gingerbread, Citizens Advice & Rights Fife & Fife Intensive rehabilitation & Substance Misuse Team.

Location

Kirkcaldy and Levenmouth area, Fife, including, Viewforth High School, Kirkcaldy High School, St Andrews High School, and Levenmouth Academy. Plus 20 associated feeder primary schools.

The project was piloted in 2017.

Contact