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` One Parent Families Scotland Supporting Lone Parents to achieve their Potential Edinburgh One Parent Families Scotland works to ensure that all families, particularly lone parent families, have the support, information and confidence needed to play a full part in Scotland’s economic and social life. OUR VISION • A Scotland in which all families, especially Lone parent families can prosper from life’s opportunities OUR MISSION • To ensure that lone parent families have the access to services, support and contacts and the confidence to play a full part in Scotland’s life ` Lone Parents in Scotland • That there are over 163,000 lone parents with 295,000 children in Scotland. • Between 2008 and 2033, the number of households containing one adult with children is projected to rise to 238,000. (24% to 38% of households with children) (Source: Household Projections for Scotland- 2008 based) • Lone parents are 52% of families in the poorest 10% of areas in Scotland, but only 9% in the least deprived areas. (Source: Scottish Household Survey 2005 and GROS 2001 Census) Lone Parent Hubs Family Finance Service Flexible Childcare Confidence Building Programmes Tel & On-line Advice OPFS Services Employability Services Engagement Family Support One to One Mentoring Legal Advice Surgeries ` Our Experience • A national lone parent helpline, information and support service – including telephone mentoring, a website for lone parents and professionals working with lone parents and 30 factsheets; • Training for organisations and practitioners working with lone parents (e.g. welfare reform, Tax Credits); • Flexible childcare services (childcare@home, crèches, stay and play); Edinburgh • Family support services – from targeted work with lone parent families to proactive outreach contact activities for vulnerable families. Initiated new forms of support for dads/male carers (lone and contact dads), pregnant teenagers and young lone parents ` • Early education places for 2 year olds with additional support needs and services for parents/families; • Employability/training for lone parents (including specific provision for young lone parents); • Welfare and debt advice services for lone parents. • Policy development and campaigning/ influencing work in areas Edinburgh that particularly affect lone parent families such as welfare reform, childcare and child poverty. Impact of Welfare reform changes • Lone Mothers will be hardest hit by benefit changes (IFS: lose on ave.8.5%of income after tax by 2015) - withdrawal, restriction, reduced value of idv. benefits: * housing benefit reductions; * restriction on Maternity Grant; * Child Benefit freeze; *10% cut in childcare element WTC • Lone parents are hit hardest by public service cuts. Project Contribution • Share our experience in working with lone parents. • Contribute to the development of the handbook and transferring best practice. • Hosting a Project Meeting in Edinburgh. ` How to contact us… Marion Davis marion.davis@opfs Linda Pople [email protected] Brian Closs [email protected] One Parent Families Scotland 100 Wellington Street, Glasgow, G2 6DH Tel: 0141 847 0444 Lone Parent Helpline: 0808 801 0323 www.opfs.org.uk Find us on and .