The Whole Family Wellbeing Fund: A national programme for system change
The Whole Family Wellbeing Fund programme aims to transform family support in Scotland by shifting towards prevention and early intervention and driving local system change through Children’s Services Planning Partnerships. Introduced in the 2021–22 Programme for Government with a £500 million investment (2022–2026), the funding supports CSPPs to strengthen family support locally, builds national learning and collaboration, and funds twelve cross government projects to enable wider system change.
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Rather than prescribing a single delivery model, the programme asks CSPPs to review how family support currently works in their area and identify where it can be improved. A National Support Team, made up of CELCIS and Children and Young People Collaborative (CYPIC) advisors, provides structured, evidence based support to help local leaders and practitioners implement change effectively. Since October 2022, East Lothian’s Children’s Strategic Partnership has been working in a Collaborative Partnership with the National Support Team.
Since October 2022, East Lothian’s Children’s Strategic Partnership (CSP) has been working in a Collaborative Partnership with the National Support Team.
Read more about Scotland’s Whole Family Wellbeing Fund programme
Key information and background to the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund programme
Since 2006, Scotland’s Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) National Practice Model has set out a national commitment to ensuring children, young people and families receive the support they need through a holistic, whole family approach across universal, targeted and intensive services.
In 2020, The Promise of the Independent Review reaffirmed the need for early, joined up family support to help families stay together where it is safe. Building on this, the Scottish Government co produced a national Vision and Principles for Holistic Whole Family Support, ensuring families get the right help, at the right time, for as long as they need it.
Find out about Scotland’s Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) National Practice Model
Read the Promise of the Independent Care Review
Read the route map and National Principles for Whole Family Support
Whole Family Wellbeing Fund programme Collaborative Partnerships are structured, multi agency initiatives designed to transform how family support is delivered across Scotland. They bring together the National Support Team with local Children’s Services Planning Partnerships (CSPPs) and third sector partners who work closely to design and deliver improvement activity that shifts practice from crisis driven, siloed interventions toward early, preventative and holistic support for families.
The Scottish Government established Collaborative Partnerships, as part of the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund programme, to help develop and share learning about what it takes to implement the system changes needed to ensure families get the right help, at the right time, for as long as they need it.
Listen to Gavin Russell, CYPIC’s Portfolio Lead for Children’s Services, Priorities and Family Support, explaining the role of Collaborative Partnerships
The Learning into Action Network has been developed as part of the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund programme. It provides a space to share experiences and learning about reshaping whole family support and promote effective joined up working across CSPPs in the shift to an early intervention and preventative approach.
Read more about the Learning into Action Network
The National Support Team (NST) draws on the Quality Improvement, Active Implementation, and participation and co design methodologies. The Quality Improvement Journey (see diagram below) sets out principles needed for improvement initiatives to be successful.
The NST supports change teams to apply these principles in planning and delivering their work to develop a clear understanding of families’ needs, strengthen partnership working, and use data and testing to guide decisions. This growing capability is helping create ongoing feedback loops that support continuous improvement in family support.
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Read more about the Quality Improvement Journey
National Support Team: how we support local improvement
The National Support Team (NST) brings together implementation expertise from CELCIS and Quality Improvement expertise from CYPIC. Advisors work side by side with local leaders and practitioners to understand their family support systems, identify gaps, design, test and embed change.
The NST provides structured, evidence based approaches to change; offers teaching, mentoring and coaching; facilitates connections and shared learning; supports local systems reviews and prioritisation; and helps partnerships strengthen collaboration and decision making. The NST tailors support to each local area’s goals, context and pace.
Close collaboration between national and local teams is essential for effective improvement. This approach builds local capability and confidence to lead change, fosters shared ownership and cross agency working, encourages data informed and participatory decision making, and keeps the focus on what matters most to families.
Listen to Gavin Russell, CYPIC’s Portfolio Lead for Children’s Services Priorities and Family Support, explaining the role of the National Support Team.