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Additional support is being made available to help families living with autism and parents who are unemployed, thanks to the latest grants from the Communities and Families Fund.

Across the country 26 community led projects are sharing in £208,118 from the small grants scheme supported by the Scottish Government and Big Lottery Fund.

Parents of young children diagnosed with autism or developmental delays, are to benefit from a grant of £9,960 awarded to Speur-Ghlan Early Intervention Service. The Stirling based charity works across Scotland and will use the award to expand its parent and training coaching project into North Ayrshire.

Ruth Glynne-Owen, Founder and Chief Executive of Speur-Ghlan Early Intervention Service, said yesterday: “This grant will enable us to support many more families in North Ayrshire to connect more effectively with their child through focused parent training and coaching, while also providing connections with other families nearby. We are the only place in Scotland that uses an approach called Pivotal Response Therapy, which has shown significantly better results for children whose parents have accessed this training versus the more generic autism training that is currently offered. This is why this project is so important to us, not only because of the support we can offer parents, but also the impact that this training will have on their child’s ongoing development. We’re delighted to receive this Communities and Families award as it will help us to make an important difference to so many lives.”

In Edinburgh, Home Link Family Support will be able to recruit and train new volunteers as family befrienders, thanks to a grant of £7,100. This will mean more practical and emotional support available to families with young children who are experiencing a range of difficulties. Volunteers will spend two hours a week with their family – playing with the children, helping and reassuring the parents and encouraging them to engage with services within their community.

Paula Swanston, Manager, Home Link Family Support, said yesterday: “This Communities and Families Fund award is essential as it will allow us to continue to support vulnerable children and their families with our Early Years Support Service.  Growing demands for the service places increasing pressure on opportunities for funding and so we are delighted to receive this continued support which will enable us to recruit and train more volunteers.”

Families Like Us based in Larkhall, South Lanarkshire provides support for lone parent families and unemployed parents. Thanks to a Communities and Families grant of £9,997, the group will open a 'families like us cafe' where parents will attend workshops on how to find employment, help build confidence and eat healthily. Children will also benefit from structured play, as well as parent and child fun days and activities.

Lesley Robertson, Founder of Families Like Us, said yesterday: "We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded funding from Communities and Families Fund - the difference we will be to make to the local community is huge and we can't wait to get started."

Announcing the awards Maureen McGinn, Chair of the Big Lottery Fund Scotland Committee, said yesterday: “Today’s funding will support a range of projects which help parents make informed choices to benefit their children now, and in the future. This includes parent training and coaching courses for those living with autism; and a volunteer led befriending service which will provide peer support for the most vulnerable families. We’re keen to fund more projects like these which assist families and children under eight, so if you have an idea for funding, simply call us on 0300 1237110 for a discussion."

Fiona McLeod, Acting Minister for Children and Young People, said yesterday: “I am heartened to hear about the range of projects that have secured funding through the Communities and Families Fund and the additional support this will provide for community led projects.  I share the ambition to make Scotland the best place to grow up and understand the huge impact local projects, such as these, can have on improving the lives of children and families in Scotland.”

The Communities and Families Fund has a budget of £4.5 million from The Scottish Government and £1.5 million from the Big Lottery Fund. Groups can apply for funding from £250 to £10,000. Find out more about the scheme and how to apply by visitingwww.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_communities_and_families_fund, or phoning 0300 1237110.

Details of other projects receiving funding yesterday is available here.

Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 0141 242 1415
Website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Twitter: @BIGScotland #biglf
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BigLotteryFundScotland

Notes to editors

• The Big Lottery Fund is responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised by the National Lottery.
• The Fund is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK. Since its inception in 2004 it has awarded close to £6bn.
• In the year ending 31 March 2013, 28% of total National Lottery revenue was awarded to projects. Since the National Lottery began in 1994, £31 billion has been raised and more than 400,000 grants awarded.