A new South of Scotland Whole Family Rural Collaborative between Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish Borders and Midlothian will benefit from an initial £1.6m of investment from the Scottish Government Whole Family Support Third Sector Delivery Fund.
A £1.63 million investment in partnership will bring stronger, more joined-up support to children, young people and families in Dumfries and Galloway, as part of a new South of Scotland-wide initiative.
The funding comes from the Scottish Government’s Whole Family Support Third Sector Delivery Fund and covers Dumfries and Galloway, alongside Midlothian and the Scottish Borders.
Locally, the programme will be led by Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway, working in partnership with Borders Community Action and Midlothian Community Action and alongside around 30 locally rooted organisations across the three areas to deliver coordinated, community-based support through a new collaborative approach.
The approach responds to mounting pressures on families across Dumfries and Galloway’s rural and mixed-geography communities, including low incomes, rising living costs, fuel poverty, mental health difficulties, childcare, connectivity and isolation. By bringing trusted local organisations together, the Collaborative will help ensure families across the region get the right support, in the right place, for as long as they need it.
Families in Dumfries and Galloway will benefit from integrated support options working alongside them, with a particular focus on responding to their individual needs and working in a place-led way, not simply adding more services.
The Collaborative will also work in a more integrated way with other local and regional programmes, aligned with our Children’s Services and Whole Family priorities to reduce duplication and maximise reach. It will also bring a significant learning model across the third sector network to strengthen whole family support across Scotland.
Alan Webb, Executive Lead at Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway, said: “We welcome this Scottish Government investment in our sector, which recognises the vital role community and voluntary organisations play in achieving our Whole Family Support ambitions. Through this new Collaborative, we will embed a place-led, family-focused approach to advice and support without creating new services, ensuring we align with our local priorities.
“Two important elements of the collaborative will be having shared understanding of family impact to make sure we are getting it right, and shared learning across the sector that will help us realise our ambition of a great childhood for every child and supporting families to thrive. I’m very pleased that TSDG will take the lead on these important aspects of our new South of Scotland Collaborative. Work will now begin on taking this across our local sector.”
Across the three areas, the aim is to reach 3,000 family connections during the initial funding period, with a strong focus on the often-hidden poverty found in Dumfries and Galloway’s rural communities, alongside areas of recognised need.
Jim Brown, Chair of the Children’s Services Partnership Executive, said: “This investment is a positive step towards delivering more joined-up, place-led support for children, young people and families. By building on the strengths of local communities and organisations, we can ensure support is coordinated around families’ needs and aligned with our shared ambitions for Whole Family Support across the South of Scotland.”
More details on the national programme are available here: Further investment to tackle child poverty.