Making it Work makes the case for Specialist Support

Laura Millar, Fife Gingerbread, UK

Emails: laura.millar@fifegingerbread.org.uk    

Click to download Making it Work makes the case for Specialist Support (.pptx)

Watch the recorded session

Abstract

Making it Work for lone parents is a partnership project which has been empowering lone parent families in their journey towards work since 2013. The project has supported 1175 lone parents with 2212 children living at home, achieved 371 positive outcomes and secured £652,369 financial gain for households.

This lightning talk will present a case for change to inspire partners, funders, students, employers and others to consider the need for more specialist support services. There is a clear direction of travel towards mainstream services that offer “tailored support”. However, this fails to acknowledge the advantages of investing in specialist provision.

Simply opening the doors of a service to all does not mean that all will feel able to take part.

Lone parents are a prime example of a “client group” that faces unique barriers:

• Multiple and complex barriers out with ‘employability’ (e.g. trauma and ACEs)
• More likely to be surviving poverty and stuck in low paid work
• 1 of the 6 priority groups in Child poverty Plans
• The main source of household income and the sole carer for their children
• Motivated to find work to improve their finances and child’s wellbeing
• Continue to face stigma and inequality
• Lack of accessible childcare

Despite this lone are parents are motivated to work, and through a strengths based we can empower them to progress. The project is grounded by our belief that the right job can be a sustainable and successful route out of poverty. The success of Making it Work for lone parents can be attributed to the specialist nature of the project – a model of support designed for lone parents, by lone parents, with relationships at its heart.