Around £19 million could be awarded to Glasgow’s Whole Family Wellbeing Fund (WFWF) to help reduce the number of children and young people living in care.
In 2021/22 the Scottish Government’s £500 million WFWF was established to transform the way that family support is delivered and to ensure “person-centred holistic support” was made available to help those in need from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The WFWF aims to improve family wellbeing, reduce inequalities between the most and least disadvantaged communities, reduce the number of families needing crisis intervention and reduce the number of children and young people living away from their families.
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A report being presented to members of Glasgow’s City Administration Committee later this week asks members to approve the grant funding of around £19 million which will be made available over the next four years and develop “universal” services to identify the needs of families at an early stage, engage with them and support them.
So far early intervention activities undertaken by Glasgow’s City and partnership working have seen a consistent reduction in the number of children in formal care, from 1413 in 2016 to 965 at the beginning of lockdown.
There are currently 687 children and young people in care totalling a reduction of 726 since 2016.
There has been an 82% increase in the number of health visitors across the city, from 150 in 2016 to 249 in 2023 and an 82% reduction in the admissions of children under 5 into care since 2016 from 105 to 19 in 2022.
The number of young people “placed” out with the city has also dropped from 789 in 2016 to 389 in March 2023 allowing children to remain close to family, school and friends.
If the report is approved by councillors three strands have been identified as the “foundation themes” of the WFWF plan.
They include developing the capacity of universal services to identify a family’s needs at an earlier stage, helping families engage with co-ordinated support at an earlier stage and developing a practice model for family support.
Organisations successful in securing WFWF will be expected to address any barriers experienced by children, young people and families with “protected characteristics” – including but not limited to age, disability, race or religion.
The report is expected to be approved on Thursday.
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