7 days ago
Cabinet Secretary backs Glasgow hub's child poverty support
Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP visited the Wise Group's Glasgow hub to meet mentors, customers and partners delivering the Scottish Government-backed Relational Mentoring Scotland (RMS) service.
This visit follows her £2.2 million investment in the Whole Family Relational Mentoring service designed to help eradicate child poverty.
The scheme provides intensive, personalised support to families facing multiple challenges including housing, mental health and unemployment.
It aims to integrate with public services to deliver better, joined-up outcomes.
During her visit, Somerville awarded the Relational Mentoring Changemaker Award, acknowledging dedication to helping families achieve sustainable change.
She said: 'It was good to meet mentors and those supported through the programme, which is providing life-changing support in areas such as employability and skills, improving household finances, and mental health and wellbeing.
'Eradicating child poverty is the Scottish Government's top priority and we are committed to doing all we can to support families with the cost of living including offering free school meals to more than 270,000 pupils, free bus travel for 2.3 million people and early learning and childcare worth more than £6000 per eligible child every year – demonstrating our determination to invest in our communities when they need it most.'
Read more: New programme launched to help people in Glasgow get back into work
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and Wise Group mentors (Image: Supplied)
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The Wise Group's data shows that 98% of people supported have needs across at least three areas.
Progress in one area, like housing, often leads to improvements in others, such as health or employability.
The Whole Family model is now informing wider conversations around public service reform and child poverty prevention.
Sean Duffy, chief executive of the Wise Group, said: 'The Cabinet Secretary's investment in this service is making a real and measurable difference.
'Our mentors walk alongside families – not just signposting, but staying the course.
'The integration we've seen with local authorities, health and employment services is key to the outcomes we're achieving.
'Today's visit affirms what we know to be true: that ending poverty means transforming how support is delivered, not just what is delivered.
'We are proud to be part of that mission.'
