Clare Cook
Development Worker,
Grassroots Project
Christine Foster
Project Worker, Grassroots
Project
Promoting healthier lifestyles in rural South Lanarkshire
Grassroots Project and Co-production
• “The Scottish Government and Cosla are of the view that using
assets-based approaches such as co-production are instrumental if
we are to successfully shift the balance of health and social care
and develop public services that are focused on prevention and
independence” Co-production of Health and Wellbeing in Scotland
2013
• The Grassroots Project is unique and uses an assets-based
approach to early intervention. Trained volunteers support pregnant
woman and families with children under 5 years old who live in rural
South Lanarkshire and who require extra help
Promoting healthier lifestyles in rural South Lanarkshire
Purpose of the project
Lottery Outcomes:
1. Vulnerable parents and carers are better able to cope for the arrival and aftercare of their child
Such as parents/carers will attend relevant ante and post natal health care appointments and
feel supported during this time
2.
Vulnerable families with children under 5 years old will be more confident and capable parents/carers
Parents/carers will improve their parenting skills and greater health awareness and improve
their emotional well-being
3.
Vulnerable families have improved relationships, both within the family unit and their local community
Parents/carers will increase family activities and meet new people at courses inc peer
support
Parents/carers will have improved knowledge of local agencies and where to go for
information
Promoting healthier lifestyles in rural South Lanarkshire
How we will achieve our outcomes
•
•
•
•
•
Secured Big Lottery funding from 1st April 2012 until 31st March 2015. Funding from NHS Lanarkshire
has been secured from April to June 2015
Recruited 1 Development Worker and 1 Project Worker
Asset based approach (underpins all of Healthy Valleys programme activities and empowers the
Grassroots Volunteers and beneficiaries
Volunteers are at the heart of delivery (It is essential we support, train, retain and value our volunteers
are they are crucial to the success of the project)
All of which will contribute to supporting pregnant women and families with children under 5 years old
who need extra help
Promoting healthier lifestyles in rural South Lanarkshire
DVD
• http://vimeo.com/111198240
Promoting healthier lifestyles in rural South Lanarkshire
What is the Grassroots Project?
Official launch of Project on 23rd November 2012 by Aileen Campbell MSP for Clydesdale and Minister for
Children and Young People
2 pronged approach to early intervention:
1. Intensive Parental Support Programme
2. Family Education Support Programme
the project is not time limited and we will offer
support for as long as the family needs it
Promoting healthier lifestyles in rural South Lanarkshire
Addressing Inequalities:
Referral criteria
•
•
•
•
•
•
Substance misuse
Domestic violence
Poor mental health
Homelessness
Teenage pregnancy
High/Low body mass index
• Family at risk/child protection
issues
• Isolated
• No family/friends support
• Post natal depression
• Unable to cope with
baby/toddler
However, Most of our referrals have a combination of these issues
Promoting healthier lifestyles in rural South Lanarkshire
Referral Process
1. Referral received
2. Development Worker meets with family and completes paperwork
including the Family Impact Star and Action Plan
3. If required, Development Worker will carefully match family to a
trained volunteer (IPSP)
4. All referred families can access to FESP
5. Development Worker will review Family Impact Star and Action
Plan every 6 months with family and remain in regular contact with
family and volunteers
6. Trained volunteers complete session records regarding family they
are supporting
Promoting healthier lifestyles in rural South Lanarkshire
What is the Grassroots Project?
Cover rural South Lanarkshire
Grassroots Project is not restricted to specific datazones
There are people who need extra help who live in all areas and postcodes
Intensive Parental Support Programme (IPSP):
supports pregnant women, dads and other carers in need of support to attend vital ante natal and post
natal appointments. Families will benefit from this by being matched to a volunteer who will support
their involvement with Grassroots to enable a positive, trusting relationship to form and provide
consistency and stability which will ultimately change positive outcomes
Promoting healthier lifestyles in rural South Lanarkshire
What is the Grassroots Project?
Family Education Support Programme (FESP):
Which offers a range of learning developments and opportunities that other services/organisations don’t already
run. This is includes:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Healthy weaning course
Cookery sessions
Baby massage/yoga
My Way Stress Management
Adult & Child First Aid
Peer support
Play@Home
Complimentary Therapies
Promoting healthier lifestyles in rural South Lanarkshire
Key Elements
• Grassroots Project Steering Group
representation from ICS, Community Midwife Team, health visitors, Stop Smoking, Leisure, Community Learning
•
Grassroots Project Volunteer Meetings
• Statutory, Voluntary & Community Sector involvement inc EYC & BPS
links with various agencies including ICS, HIT, Community Midwifes, Public Health Team, Social Work, Leisure,
CPN’s, Stop Smoking Service, Substance Misuse Team, Womens Aid, Community Learning and Home School
Partnership
Promoting healthier lifestyles in rural South Lanarkshire
Family Impact Star & Action Plan
Is a visual tool that we use to
measure:
Outcomes:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Self esteem/confidence
Parenting skills
Mental health and emotional well-being
Ability to cope under pressure
Control and decision making
Relationship with statutory agencies
Social networks and family relationships
Community engagement and participation
Promoting healthier lifestyles in rural South Lanarkshire
What difference is the project making
•
•
•
•
97 families have been supported
Currently supporting 20 families
Currently have 13 active volunteers
448 FESP sessions have been delivered from April 2012December 2014 with 365 individuals attending
Promoting healthier lifestyles in rural South Lanarkshire
Impact:
Grassroots Longitudal Research Report
According to the findings of the Longitudal Research Report (Coburn and Wallace 2014),
the service users experienced a range of benefits of being involved in the Grassroots
Project:•
•
•
•
•
•
In improvements in self confidence;
In the provision of personal support to attend appointments and project activities;
In the reduction of isolation and in the creation of social networks;
In the provision of information and advice to meet personal needs
In improved parenting with regard to learning, communication, nurturing and play
In greater resilience and well being.
Promoting healthier lifestyles in rural South Lanarkshire
Impact:
During the first 2 years of the project, we exceeded the outcomes by achieving the
following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
58 improved their emotional wellbeing
68 improved their parenting skills and a greater health awareness
64 parents/carers reported an increase in skills as a direct result from attending activities
91 parents/carers attended at least 1 FESP activity
64 reported they feel better equipped to look after their child
57 new mums/carers attended all relevant ante and post natal health care appointments
68 participated in parenting courses and learning life skills
33 families have completed goals in their action plan
63 parents/carers reported they have an improved ability to cope under pressure
70 reported being more informed of local agencies
32 participated in regular peer support group
91 reported doing more things are a family
Promoting healthier lifestyles in rural South Lanarkshire
Successes
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Asset based approach
Partnership working
Dedicated volunteers
Secured funding for a Volunteer Co-ordinator
Grassroots DVD published in October 2014
Car seat development
Improving Maternal and Infant Nutrition in Scotland conference 7th
February 2012
• The project has featured in the Big Lottery Magazine Issue 8
• Roll out of BabySounds in rural South Lanarkshire.
Promoting healthier lifestyles in rural South Lanarkshire
Challenges
•
•
•
•
•
•
Recruiting and retaining volunteers
Beneficiaries moving out of the area
Welfare Reform
Crèche services
Transport
Complex/child protection cases referred
Promoting healthier lifestyles in rural South Lanarkshire
Steering Groups Attendance
•
•
•
•
•
•
Grassroots Steering Group
Early Years Sub Group
VASLan Rural Thematic Group
Play@Home Steering Group
FIN
Sub Group of FIN (Food, Clothing and other goods)
Promoting healthier lifestyles in rural South Lanarkshire
The Future
•
-
Apply for Big Lottery funding to continue and extend the Project beyond March to include:
Pre-conception Information and Education Service (PIES)
Volunteer Co-ordinator
Total requested amount £530,236
•
Healthy Valleys is planning to relocate to a multi-functional, accessible facility which will better
support families and children in need of extra support
•
Roll out Grassroots into other areas of Scotland, promoting good practice of using asset based
approach
Promoting healthier lifestyles in rural South Lanarkshire
Quotes
Thank you so much for the help you
provided a grassroots client to get to
the hospital and to have her baby. I
appreciate all that Healthy Valleys does
and it really helps me out a lot and
makes it a lot easier. Your service is
absolutely vital in rural South
Lanarkshire to promote health for
pregnant women and to support them
to attend their health care
appointments, with the volunteers
providing this, these women wouldn’t
have healthy pregnancies or babies.
Thank you.
Midwife, March 2013
I’ve been with Grassroots since it started. I think its good for the families as
well as myself as its brought some people out of their homes that wouldn’t
go out without the support of Grassroots, its also helped build up my
confidence as well gaining new skills and certificates which is also good for
my CV and I hope to study childcare at college next year
Grassroots Volunteer March 2014
Grassroots was introduced to us for my daughter and grandson and I as a Granny
have had a new lease of life through Grassroots. We live extremely remote and both
my daughter and myself don’t drive so they have supported us with volunteer driver
who is one in a million giving up her time to drive out to us and bring us to
everything. Grassroots has boasted my confidence in that I’d love to volunteer if I
ever learn to drive (hopefully in the near future). It has introduced me to things I
never thought I’d have the confidence. Grassroots is a fantastic project not just for
young mothers and fathers but for grandparents as well
Beneficiary February 2013
Promoting healthier lifestyles in rural South Lanarkshire
Promoting healthier lifestyles in rural South Lanarkshire