UK Government spending review provides opportunity to further strengthen investment in family support services
Barnardo’s Scotland director Martin Crewe has welcomed a commitment from the UK Government to invest £500 million in family support, including funding plans to create a network of family hubs, and has called for consequential funding to be used to further strengthen the £500 million Whole Family Wellbeing Fund already announced by the Scottish Government in September.
In its Programme for Government announced in September 2021, the Scottish Government announced a £500 million whole family wellbeing fund over the course of the current Scottish Parliament which will run to 2026.
Barnardo’s Scotland is calling for an urgent action plan to deliver the blueprint of the Family Support Delivery Group to ensure that families are supported now.
Martin Crewe, Director of Barnardo’s Scotland, said:
“Barnardo’s Scotland welcomed the Scottish Government commitment to the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund as a step in the right direction, and we welcome a similar direction of travel from the UK Government to form networks of family hubs.
“At Barnardo’s, we believe in children and our experience tells us that family support services are crucial for keeping families together and supporting them to thrive.
“Investment in family support is also crucial to meeting our commitments to ‘The Promise’.
“The Scottish Government should use any consequential funding arising from UK investment in family support to further strengthen the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund, and ensure that this funding is allocated urgently to the frontline and to families who need assistance now.”