£1 million funding boost to support Wiltshire's families in need

Wiltshire Council's got cash from the Government

Author: Faye TryhornPublished 14th Feb 2022

Just over £1 million has been given to Wiltshire Council towards their successful Supporting Families Programme.

The scheme's been running for the last ten years and helped 5,700 families in that time.

The service brings together agencies to support households in need of support, under one organisation and point of contact.

It uses dedicated key workers with the aim of resolving issues early, before they develop into more significant problems.

The latest funding will go towards:

  • Employment Advisors seconded to Wiltshire Council from the Department for Work and Pensions to offer targeted support for parents to increase their opportunities in the job market
  • Support for victims of domestic abuse provided by Splitz
  • Family Group Conferences where a wider family network works with professionals to make decisions and plans for children and young people who need support
  • Parenting groups and courses to help parents with children all of ages to strengthen their relationship
  • The Mind of My Own app which offers mental health support for teenagers

The money has come from the Government's Levelling Up fund.

The cash will go towards support for families to get them back on their feet after difficulties

Laura Mayes, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said:

“We have a well-established programme to support our families who need that additional help. This funding is going to be directed at specific projects that are making a real difference to families and helping them to get back on track.

“We offer a range of support including employment advice, support for domestic abuse victims and mental health support for teenagers. It really covers a range of issues and we will be working with all our groups to ensure every penny makes a difference to people’s lives.”

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