Supporting Adoption: Vision and Priorities for Scotland Report specific funding information: FOI release
- Published
- 29 January 2025
- Directorate
- Children and Families Directorate
- FOI reference
- FOI/202400445794
- Date received
- 19 December 2024
- Date responded
- 22 January 2025
Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
Information requested
Regarding the funds (a) FASD Hub Scotland (b) Pathways Programme (c) ‘Supporting birth parents whose child(ren) have been permanently removed from their care’ Fund, and (d) Children, Young People and Families Early Intervention Fund that are all mentioned on page 17 of the ‘Supporting Adoption: Vision and Priorities for Scotland’ report:
1. The annual levels of funding allocated to each of the funds mentioned in the report since their inception.
2. A breakdown of where these funds have been allocated.
3. Details of how the funds have been used, including the types of initiatives, programs, or services supported.
Response
FASD Hub Scotland:
1) The annual levels of funding allocated to each of the funds mentioned in the report since their inception.
|
Year |
TOTAL |
|
2024/25 |
£216,500 |
|
2023/24 |
£195,544 |
|
2022/23 |
£195,544 |
|
2021/22 |
£192,650 |
|
2020/21 |
£176,401 |
|
2019/20 |
£140,000 |
2) A breakdown of where these funds have been allocated.
The Scottish Government has allocated this funding to Adoption UK Scotland.
3) Details of how the funds have been used, including the types of initiatives, programs, or services supported.
The work of the Hub includes provision of a helpline, a dedicated Facebook peer support group, workshops and training to families and tailored support and advocacy services. The service extends to provide a point of reference and training for professionals who work with and support these families (social work, education and other third sector organisations/charities) within Scotland.
PATHways Programme:
1) The annual levels of funding allocated to each of the funds mentioned in the report since their inception.
Scottish Government funding provided to date:
|
Year |
TOTAL |
|
2024/25 |
£445,558 |
|
2023/24 |
£445,558 |
|
2022/23 |
£98,000 |
2) A breakdown of where these funds have been allocated.
The Scottish Government has allocated this funding to Adoption UK Scotland.
3) Details of how the funds have been used, including the types of initiatives, programs, or services supported.
PATHways is a UK wide programme which was established by Adoption UK to provide services to meet the needs of families affected by adoption.
In Scotland, support through PATHways was originally provided for adoption in 2022/23, and in 2023/24, the funding scope was extended to include fostering and kinship care as well.
The programme utilises an early intervention and prevention support model, which provides clinical and peer support to adoptive, permanent fostering and kinship families.
The services help these families and caregivers achieve better outcomes for their children through three pillars of support:
1. A consultation for carers with a Psychologist, Psychotherapist or Therapeutic Practitioner,
2. Individual support for carers from a peer support partner (PSP),
3. A reflective group for carers facilitated by Psychologist, Psychotherapist or Therapeutic Practitioner and a peer support partner (PSP)
PATHways is based on the understanding that a child’s relationship with their parents or carers is key to their development and is founded on the principle of helping families with this. It aims to strengthen the capacity of parents and carers in order to create a nurturing environment in which children can flourish and avoid relationship breakdown.
‘Supporting Birth Families Whose Children Have Been Permanently Removed from Their Care’ Fund:
1) The annual levels of funding allocated to each of the funds mentioned in the report since their inception.
|
Year |
Grant holder funding |
Corra Foundation Administration Fee |
TOTAL |
|
2024/25 |
£819,921 |
£69,420 |
£889,341 |
|
2023/24 |
£420,387 |
£83,104 |
£503,491 |
|
2021/22* |
£774,771 |
£82,154 |
£856,925 |
|
Overall total: £2,249,757 |
|||
* The Corra fee was paid for 2021/22, and the organisations were given funding in 2022/23.
2) A breakdown of where these funds have been allocated.
|
Organisation Name |
2022/23 |
2023/24 |
2024/25* |
Total Grant to Date |
|
Aberlour |
£99,324 |
£74,800 |
£99,260 |
£273,384 |
|
Alternatives Dundee |
£22,537 |
£9,825 |
£24,209 |
£56,571 |
|
Barnardos |
£47,126 |
£32,575 |
£48,894 |
£128,595 |
|
Children 1st |
£49,851 |
£66,856 |
£98,892 |
£215,599 |
|
City of Edinburgh Council |
£88,005 |
£20,244 |
£100,000 |
£208,249 |
|
Fife Council |
£50,000 |
- |
- |
£50,000 |
|
Glasgow HSCP |
£100,000 |
£46,210 |
£99,137 |
£245,347 |
|
Midlothian Council |
£50,000 |
- |
- |
£50,000 |
|
NHS Grampian |
£50,000 |
£82,769 |
£100,000 |
£232,769 |
|
Renfrewshire Council |
£50,000 |
£30,688 |
£26,000 |
£106,688 |
|
Scottish Adoption |
£92,881 |
£51,535 |
£95,735 |
£240,151 |
|
Stirling Council |
£50,000 |
- |
- |
£50,000 |
|
Tayside Council |
£25,047 |
£4,885 |
£64,000 |
£93,932 |
* Underspend of £63,794 of grant holder funding in 2024/25
3) Details of how the funds have been used, including the types of initiatives, programs, or services supported.
|
Organisation Name |
Programme Summary |
|
Aberlour |
Aberlour deliver group and one-to-one support, including home visits, to parents in South Ayrshire. The sessions focus on peer support, crafting, parenting training, and confidence building. Staff carry out £99,262 advocacy work on behalf of parents, particularly with social services. They also deliver influencing work with South Ayrshire HSCP’s social work teams to change perceptions about birth parents. |
|
Alternatives Dundee |
Alternatives Dundee deliver one-to-one counselling using the organisation’s ‘Gentle Counselling’ model which was devised following research and consultation with birth parents. Project offers support in Dundee and Tayside. The organisation works in partnership with Tayside Council on Alcohol. |
|
Barnardo’s
|
Barnardo’s deliver group work and one-to-one support to birth parents in Inverclyde. Support is tailored to the individual and co-produced, so they decide what takes place at each session; activities have included cookery and relaxation. The project supports parents with letterbox contact and life story work. They have good links with Inverclyde’s local authority social work teams. |
|
Children 1st |
Children 1st provide one-to-one and group support. They also run a participation group who are involved in influencing at a local level. The organisation provides support in Moray, and work with local authority social work staff and health services. |
|
City of Edinburgh Council |
“Sparrow” operates in Edinburgh city and provides support to birth parents through a collaborative approach between the local authority and two third sector partners, Stepping Stones and Circle. Family Wellbeing Practitioners provide one to one intensive support that allows space, focus and someone to encourage parents to concentrate on themselves and their own individual needs. The service has allowed parents the opportunity to think about parts of their lives that have been forgotten or put to the side. Parents benefit from small lifestyle changes that enable them to experience realistic and tangible improvements to their day-to-day lives. |
|
Fife Council |
The project has delivered group support and one-to-one sessions for women who have had their children removed from their care. The group members reflect in a non-judgemental space and consider how they can make positive choices. The service holds sessions on the importance of remembering, memory boxes, arts and crafts, and talks from partner agencies, such as FRASAC, drug services, and See Me Scotland. Going forward, they plan to encourage the women to think more about their adoption story, deliver Seasons for Growth and Decider skills training, and a residential trip. |
|
Glasgow HSCP |
“Martha’s Mammies” operates a Glasgow wide service that addresses the mental and physical health, emotional support, and risk and resiliency needs of women who have experienced having a child removed from their care. A variety of inputs are provided within the service. This includes groups on self-esteem, therapeutic activities and shorter "taster" sessions on a variety of mood and mental health issues. The women accessing the service have varied and complex needs, the service therefore works with a range of partner organisations including, Children 1st, The Advocacy Project, Sandyford Sexual Health Clinic, Recovery Orientated System of Care (ROSC), Welfare Rights and housing providers. |
|
Midlothian Council |
Scoping work to understand current challenges and barriers to supporting birth parents, with plans to adapt/develop services in future. |
|
NHS Grampian |
NHS Grampian provide a birth parent support service in Aberdeen city and in Grampian and Peterhead prisons that gives one-to-one and group work support to birth parents. By providing resources, education, and opportunities for peer support, the service helps birth parents build confidence and develop the skills they need to navigate complex systems and advocate effectively for themselves and their families. |
|
Renfrewshire Council |
Renfrewshire Council offer group sessions where parents from across the local authority have space to socialise, take part in arts and crafts, and learn life skills e.g. cookery. They create memory boxes and do Life Story and remembrance work. Staff also support with letter box contact. The project works alongside local authority social work teams. |
|
Scottish Adoption |
Scottish Adoption offer one-to-one support, and counselling, and group work to birth parents in Edinburgh. Activities include preparing for final contact, digital life story work, social activities and peer support, and parenting support for those with children in their care. They receive referrals from the local authority and work alongside Edinburgh Council’s Sparrow project to deliver group support. |
|
Stirling Council |
The project delivers group and one-to-one support. The Birth Parents Support Worker has built links with local organisations, including recovery cafes and drug and alcohol services, which has enabled them to reach more parents. They have established a twice-monthly group for parents where they can receive peer support. The project has developed resources and participation tools to ensure parents have equitable access to support and have their voices heard. |
|
Tayside Council
|
TCA provide mentoring and support to women with substance use problems (a significant number of them have experienced the removal of their child). The service supports women to achieve their goals which have included improved recovery capital and social relationships. They have alsostarted delivering group work. They work in Dundee and Tayside and have recently expanded to Perth. They receive referrals from Children and Families social work teams. |
|
|
|
Children, Young People and Families Early Intervention Fund:
1) The annual levels of funding allocated to each of the funds mentioned in the report since their inception.
Annual Funding Levels
|
2016/17 |
£13,817,061 |
|
2017/18 |
£13,817,061 |
|
2018/19 |
£13,817,061 |
|
2020/21 |
£13,817,061 |
|
2021/22 |
£13,817,061 |
|
2022/23 |
£14,507,914 (5% Uplift) |
|
2023/24 |
£14,444,914 (reduced due to organisation withdrawing from fund) |
|
2024/25 |
£14,444,914 |
2) A breakdown of where these funds have been allocated.
This information can be found at the following weblink: Children Young People and Families Early Intervention Fund and Adult Learning and Empowering Communities Fund
3) Details of how the funds have been used, including the types of initiatives, programs, or services supported.
Funding is provided to organisations that are delivering services and support targeted towards positive outcomes for children, young people, families and adult learners. Including:
- Activity based on prevention and early intervention support for children, young people, families and adult learners, demonstrating engagement with the relevant Children’s Services Planning Partnership;
- Activity focused on lifting families out of poverty and/or improving their lives;
- Challenging and promoting action to prevent inequalities for children, young people, families and adult learners;
- Contributing to positive and sustained support for children and young people to achieve their potential using Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC);
- Intergenerational activities that support children and young people improved emotional development and social skills creating lasting benefits they can take forward in their lives;
- Promoting positive mental health and mental wellbeing for children, young people families, and adult learners;
- Providing holistic, whole family support in line with the National Principles of Holistic Whole Family Support;
- Providing support and promotion of healthy relationships in families, parenting, play and children and young people’s wellbeing and development;
- Supporting adult learning for adults and families who are experiencing poverty or at risk of entering/facing poverty;
- Supporting children and families to access their rights under the United Nations Convention on the
- Rights of the Child and raising awareness of children’s rights under the Convention;
- Supporting children, young people, families and adult learners who are affected by substance use;
- Supporting children, young people, families who live with physical health conditions;
- Supporting person centred/co-production approaches for children, young people, families and adult learners;
- Supporting youth work opportunities for young people to mitigate the impacts of poverty;
- Supporting those who have experienced gender-based violence in their recovery from abuse.
This funding also contributes towards core funding to cover infrastructure investment: to support the costs for running the organisation towards achieving core aims, including support for networks/members, including support costs, staff salaries, utilities, office rent, associated rates, IT, office equipment, income generation and governance activities.
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