Working for Families Annemarie Pattison Development & Regeneration Services

Rationale “…. To tackle poverty and worklessness in selected areas by ensuring that childcare is not a barrier to parents entering education, training or employment” (Working for Families – Guidelines for Implementation, Scottish Executive Dec 2003)

The Client Group Families on low income Families with other stresses in the household Lone parents No postcode lottery

Working for Families The Projects Guidance & Mentoring Projects Sitter Service Childcare Works Voluntary Option Project HNC Pilot Project Rosemount Transitions Project Money Advice Services Young Parent Project

Mary Carson Team Leader Careers Scotland

Over the next year 4000 Scottish teenagers will become mothers!

teenage pregnancies in 03/04 – 706 to 13/15 year olds 4000 teenage births in Scotland - over 5000 abortions or miscarriages Of the births there were 278 in Scotland 25 in Glasgow who were from the least deprived areas of Scotland 1 in 5 teenage pregnancies occur in Glasgow (796) Average age of first time mums in deprived areas is 19 And 28 in better off areas

Teenagers Designer labels Music Going out Experimenting with alcohol/smoking/drugs/sex Money Self Conscious/self confidence/self esteem Sleeping 23 hours a day Mood Swings Distain for adults

Parents Sleepless nights Colic Teething Childcare Money Babysitters Emotional rollercoaster Interfering Grandparents Single parent?

Teenage Parents Everything before + Homelessness or managing a house for the first time Difficulties in prioritising demands on money Now not the child Grandparents – extremes Not having the skills to find out what they need to know Housing lists/ housing applications Benefits/ Income Support/Tax Credits/Community Care Grants/Milk Tokens/Crisis Loans

Young Parent Project Structure Criteria Referrals Community Health & Social Care Partnerships Links with other agencies

What do we do – How do we differ from other Working for Families Projects Key worker Role Social/emotional support Greater flexibility Employability Childcare Discretionary Fund Budgeting Link into other agencies

Supports - We don’t work alone Money Advice Childcare Mentors Teenage Pregnancy Midwife Social Work Single Parent Employment Zone JC+ Education College supports

Plans for future Group Work Ante Natal – focus on pregnancy & childcare issues Post Natal – focus on employability

What kind of successes have we had? 92 have registered out of 135 referrals Mostly 16/17 year olds either pregnant or with babies under 1 year old Voluntary Work 2 Training Employment College7 + 2 Biggest Success is that Young Parents are engaging with us!

Challenges Accommodation issues Benefit issues Partnership working Lack of information Miscarriages Babies taken into care Childcare Emotional challenges

How do we do it? Single greatest factor in success is in the relationship between the individual and the Key Worker with the Young Parent Project

Kathryn Roarty Key Worker Careers Scotland Young Parent Project

Case Study A Susan, aged 15, referred by Social Work Child Aged 4 months School non attender Agencies involved: Young Parent Project, Education Dept Social Work Services Health Client Need: Support to return to school Confidence Building Support for transition to college Linking with other young mums

Case Study B Rhona, aged 17, self referral Child aged 10 months Completed S4 before having child Agencies Involved Young Parent Project Client Needs Support to make career choice Support to make transition to college

Case Study C Susan, aged 19, referred by Single Parent Employment Zone Child aged 2 years No formal qualifications Agencies Involved Young Parent Project Single Parent Employment Zone Client Needs Support to find childcare for existing job Support with Budgeting Support with Benefits