Members of South Lanarkshire’s Integration Joint Board (IJB) recently heard about early success and details of next steps for the South Lanarkshire Family Support Strategy at its recent meeting. 
The combination of health care, social care and third sector teams collaborating at community level, married with thorough planning and investment, has seen the successful launch of a number of initiatives. 
The Strategy’s early rollout has ranged from Family Support Hubs to peer support for parents. 
The aim is to reduce perceived stigma of families seeking help and preventing challenging situations deteriorating to the point where children may need to enter care, or other formal measures or support are required. 
“We know – and can see – the impact that effective early intervention and prevention can and does have on the lives of children, young people and families”, said Soumen Sengupta, Chief Officer of South Lanarkshire’s IJB.
“Early progress with this approach demonstrates the wealth of work that goes on at a local level, the active engagement and collaboration between our children’s social work teams, our health care children’s team and the third sector.”
The approach is supported by the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund, which comprises resourcing from the Scottish Government matched by funding from the Corra Foundation,  South Lanarkshire IJB and South Lanarkshire Council. 
Mr Sengupta said the overall approach underlines the IJB’s commitment to protect the most vulnerable members of South Lanarkshire communities – amid challenging financial times.
He added: “Significant cost pressures are being faced across all local public services and I fully recognise the scale and implications of these challenges will be concerning for our communities.”
Lesley McDonald, Chair of South Lanarkshire IJB said: “The IJB has only been in a position to make this investment in early intervention and prevention due to a prudent and responsible financial decision-making coupled to the unremitting commitment of our innovative, hardworking staff and leadership team to keep people safe across the generations.” 
Ms McDonald added: “The continued implementation of this new Strategy will further reinforce the innovation and strong partnerships between organisations that are crucial to success.”
 
A strategy in action
 
A number of initiatives are already in place to support the Strategy, including Family Support Hubs. The hubs are where a range of social work staff, peer support workers and third sector staff, can be accessed and provide help or refer to other supports.  
Two Family Support Hubs are already based at Cambuslang and Blantyre, and two new centres in East Kilbride and Lanark will now be opened. 
Other initiatives include rolling out the pathfinder programme in all school areas, following successful evaluation in Cambuslang & Rutherglen. The aim is to provide help to young people at school and link them other areas of support quickly. 
Peer-to-peer support, organised at community level, is also provided for parents, helping to avoid perceived stigma and increase engagement with help.