West Cumbria, UK – Projects aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of vulnerable and disadvantaged children and families in West Cumbria have been announced for the next two years.
The Family Wellbeing program is part of the Transforming West Cumbria (TWC) initiative, which aims to enhance the lives of local residents. The program has already made a positive impact on thousands of people since its launch three years ago.
Funded by the Sellafield Ltd Social impact multiplied (SiX) program and delivered by Cumbria Community Foundation, Transforming West Cumbria was created in response to a study commissioned by Sellafield Ltd in 2019. The study revealed persistent social issues in the area, including 3,900 children living in poverty, one-in-seven households with an income below £10,000 a year, and a higher number of children in care than any other part of the county.
In September 2020, an initial funding of £600,000 was awarded to projects focused on addressing issues such as domestic and sexual abuse, addiction, emotional resilience, and improved speech and language. A report published in November 2020 highlighted the achievements of the first three years, with 1,456 families and 2,709 children supported by these projects.
Now, an additional £200,000 has been awarded to five organizations to continue this important work.
One of the organizations, Cumbria Addictions: Advice and Solutions (CADAS), has been granted funding to continue its family support service. This project aims to reduce the number of children taken into care and improve their life chances. Families affected by parental substance abuse are taught emotional resilience techniques and how to use talking therapy and other strategies to change their behavior.
One service user shared the impact of the project, stating, “I now have different ways to manage how I’m feeling and I’m able to be a mother to my child. You’ve helped me to make sure I keep going in this way and don’t take a step backwards. I thought I’d struggle more than I have; but I think that’s the difference you all make; I wasn’t on my own, and you helped more than I could have imagined.”
Angie Milfull, West Cumbria Family Support Team Leader, expressed her gratitude for the funding, saying, “CADAS West Cumbria Family Support Service has brought transformational change both to CADAS and the communities of West Cumbria. This funding has enabled us to respond to what our clients were telling us and to help shape CADAS into a better service. Our experiences growing with this pilot have only strengthened our belief in the project and our long-term plans to embed our family support service within the wider organization, throughout the county.”
Another recipient, Howgill Family Centre, has been awarded funding to continue its program aimed at improving speech and language skills in children up to the age of four. The project will continue to work with families through local nurseries and group sessions, as parental engagement has been identified as crucial in aiding children’s early communication development.
Faye Eldon, Chief Executive of Howgill Family Centre, expressed her gratitude for the funding, stating, “The funding has allowed us to work with hundreds of parents who have attended our communication groups. This funding is vital to support parents in the understanding of the importance of early language and how this can impact positively on their child’s future learning journey. Parents share stories, songs, and have fun with their children, while meeting new people, and this would not be possible without the funding we receive. Thank you!”
Safety Net, another recipient, supports the recovery of those affected by rape, exploitation, sexual and domestic abuse across Cumbria. The organization offers advice, support, counseling, and therapy to adults, children, and young people affected by abuse and trauma.
Helen Davies, Senior Children and Young Person Therapist, shared the impact of the Family Wellbeing project, stating, “The funding enables us to employ two part-time Children and Young People’s Practitioners/Play Therapists, who work with whole families who have experienced abuse, including sexual violence, child sexual abuse, exploitation, rape, online abuse, and domestic violence. Experiencing such abuse at a young age can have a profoundly detrimental effect on the physical and mental wellbeing of a young person. Being part of this project means we can work collaboratively with partners to help children and families to recover, with the aim of improving their lives over the long term.”
Together We has been granted funding to deliver psychological interventions to parents and family units with children aged five to 17 through its Together We Talk program. Managing Director Sam Joughin shared her delight at receiving the funding, stating, “We are pleased to receive this vital funding to continue and extend our family interventions work. Over the past four years, Together We Talk has seen a vast demand for psychological support for children, young
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