When identifying the projects and programmes local authorities are taking forward that look to embed holistic, preventative partnership services, invariably the collective challenge that they are looking to address is child and family poverty. This is driven by the clear health and social disadvantages faced by children and families living and growing up in poverty and low-income households, and the resultant cost to the public purse.
Local authorities have reflected to us that the system of services, benefits and supports from the public and third sector that exist to help people out of poverty are fragmented and disjointed, forcing people to repeat their story multiple times to different agencies to get the support they’re entitled to and would benefit from. The project’s we are supporting are working towards integrated systems of support for people facing multiple and complex disadvantages with less emphasis on referrals, more on relationships, and strive to:
- Shift the focus from crisis intervention to prevention.
- Make the most of all available resources to benefit families.
- Ensure uniform access to holistic, multi-agency support wherever a person approaches a service.
The IS provides support to local authorities to make the necessary changes required to deliver outcome-led, person-centred services that engender long-lasting reform, in line with the Christie Principles.
We have offered support to local authorities and their partners to design and deliver place-based and person-centred approaches. This has included supporting the Glasgow Child Poverty Programme and Perth & Kinross.