The Scottish government and Inspiring Scotland have announced the names of 24 children’s charities which will share a £6.8m Early Years Early Action Fund to support vulnerable children and families in the country.
Some 28 projects spread across Scotland have been selected from over 70 applications to the Fund, which was announced on 8 March this year. These organisations will also be supported by over 120 individuals and businesses providing free or reduced fee services to awardees.
Organisations offering support include Microsoft, which will provide IT support and Pagoda PR, which will deliver marketing and public relations support. Five legal firms and two accountancy firms have also pledged their support.
Andrew Muirhead, chief executive of Inspiring Scotland, the charitable company which launched the fund in collaboration with the Scottish government, said the scheme offered unique support:
“We are confident that through our venture philanthropy model of providing substantial development support from the private sector in addition to financial investment, we will strengthen the voluntary sector's response in supporting families and children with the best start in life," he said.
The Scottish government is the single investor in the fund which is managed by a team of performance advisers, through Inspiring Scotland, who worked closely with charities throughout the application process and will continue their support throughout the funding period. The advisers will monitor performance of the charities and release the investment in stages, based on delivery results.
Action for Children is one of the charities receiving support. Its project Roots of Empathy will be delivered across 15 local authorities to increase pro-social behaviour and empathy amongst primary school children between six and eight-years-old. The scheme will introduce school children to mothers and babies to help the children develop an understanding of the babies’ needs and what is necessary to care for them.
Big Issue Foundation Scotland has also been selected and will use the scheme to expand its With Kids project, which currently delivers play therapy and family support to vulnerable children in Glasgow, to Wester Hailes in Edinburgh.
List of charities and projects selected:
Aberlour Child Care Trust
Glasgow Bridges & D&G Partnership
Action for Children
Roots of Empathy
Action for Sick Children (Scotland)
Special Smiles
Barnardo Services Ltd
You First
Big Issue Foundation Scotland
With Kids Wester Hailes Project
Breastfeeding Network
Ayrshire Project
Care and Learning Alliance
Play Practice and Toddler Group
Circle
Early Years Project
Crossreach
Service 1 - The Hub
Four Square (Scotland)
ADAPT
Grounds for Learning
Nurturing Outdoor Play
Licketyspit
LicketyLeap
Mellow Parenting
Mellow Bumps with Teenage Mums to Be
National Deaf Children's Society
Early Years Programme
One Parent Families Scotland
Families at Play & Fathers & Children
Open Secret
Early Years Service
Partners in Advocacy
Young Voices for Choices
Quarriers
Ruchazie & Glasgow School Transition
Save the Children Fund
Born to Blossom
Scottish Childminding Association
Fife and Stirlingshire
Scottish Pre-School Play Association
Learning Through Play
Smart Play Network
Play on Wheels
Stepping Stones For Families
Girvan & Glasgow
YWCA Scotland
Teen Parent Project