Partnership between third sector and local authority

Aberlour Children’s Charity and Angus Council have launched an innovative new service to support families in the Angus council area, commencing in November.

The new Sustain service will help struggling families to stay together, by giving them the help and support they need, when they need it, to prevent a child from being taken into care.

Sustain’s approach is to create positive partnerships with families through genuinely listening to them, understanding their needs, and jointly finding solutions to challenges they experience. Sustain Family Workers will spend time with children, young people, parents, and carers helping them develop their strengths and engage with their local communities. Together Sustain will help families build safe nurturing, loving homes, where children can thrive, and families can stay together.

This new service builds on the success of Aberlour’s other Sustain services. Each time Aberlour has developed a new Sustain they have made it a priority to attentively listen to what families tell them they need. Families have said their problems do not wait until Monday morning, so the service is available and accessible in the morning, evenings, weekends and on public holidays.

Jim Wallace, director of children and families, Aberlour said “Aberlour is delighted to be working in partnership with Angus Council to introduce this new tried and tested service to families in Angus. Aberlour will provide the right support in the right way at the time families need it most. We believe all families have amazing strengths and capacities and we will focus on helping them through difficult times and overcoming the difficulties that they face.”

Kathryn Lindsay, director of children, families and justice at Angus Council, added: “In Angus we want to provide the best outcomes for our children and young people and their families. We know families face many challenges which is why we are working with Aberlour’s Sustain service to ensure families get the right help and support at the right time, helping prevent problems becoming crises and allowing families to stay together.”