Child Poverty Practice Accelerator Fund (CPAF): evaluation - interim report

Annex A: Overview of CPAF Round 1 Projects

This annex features a general overview of what we know so far about each project funded by Round 1 of CPAF. These projects officially began in October 2023, and officially end in March 2025. Towards the end of the chapter, we also draw on what we have found so far from the early stages of supporting Round 2 CPAF recipients.

Aberdeen City Council Project

Data-driven identification of households experiencing child poverty, to inform and direct intervention and support

Priority Family Group/s Targeted: All

Project Design: The Aberdeen City Council project focused on transforming service delivery from a reactive to a proactive model using The Low Income Family Tracker platform, developed by Policy in Practice. The platform aimed to identify and engage people eligible for, but not accessing, benefits and other forms of assistance. The goal was to ensure residents received support before reaching a crisis point. A key challenge was data-sharing constraints, which Policy in Practice were able to support in overcoming as it is part of the service they offer with development of the Low Income Family Tracker platform. The data used was data within the control of the council, and that shared from the DWP. This approach aligned with the council’s broader ambition to improve social outcomes and reduce unclaimed benefits.

Project Implementation: The project’s implementation involved securing permissions and managing data-sharing constraints. A Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) was completed, and permissions were secured from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Aberdeen City Council’s internal systems. Policy in Practice integrated the data into The Low Income Family Tracker platform, overcoming any compatibility issues. Staff were trained to interpret platform insights and translate them into proactive outreach strategies. The council began running ‘Campaigns’ targeting households needing support. Some benefits can be delivered using existing data, while others require outreach to families to gain consent and other necessary application details.

Project Impacts: The project significantly improved the council’s capacity to identify and support at-risk households. Enhanced targeting resulted in increased take-up of support, including free school meal entitlements and discretionary housing payments. For example, they identified 86 households who were impacted by the Benefit Cap and sent them letters to let them know they could be eligible for a Discretionary Housing Payment. At the time of fieldwork, it was reported that 43 of these households have engaged with the council after receiving the letter, and 21 that went on to apply received the payment. This resulted in an additional £43,000 of support to these families.

The project shifted organisational culture towards a proactive model and facilitated better resource allocation. Collaborative service delivery across departments is increasing efficiency and improving outcomes for families.

Future of the Project: The future of the project involves further leveraging the capabilities of the Low Income Family Tracker platform, which will be funded as part of Aberdeen’s Round 2 CPAF project. The next stage will particularly focus on:

• Focused Support for High-need Families: Aberdeen City Council is both codesigning an employability service for young parents through CPAF Round 2 funding, and organising further targeted ‘Campaigns’ to get better take up of support from people who need it most. There is a clear intent to concentrate efforts on the most vulnerable groups.
• Integration into Broader Strategy: The project's next phase will involve integrating insights from The Low Income Family Tracker platform into the council’s broader strategic planning and service delivery processes, influencing policies and approaches beyond the immediate scope of financial support. It will also involve engaging other departments to understand the full utility of the Low Income Family Tracker for Aberdeen City Council.

Argyll & Bute Council Project

Evaluating the usefulness of third-party datasets for identifying communities in need of financial support

Priority Family Group/s Targeted: All

Project Design: Argyll & Bute council aimed to assess the accuracy and utility of third-party datasets—CACI’s Acorn Household and Paycheck Disposable Income—for targeting child poverty interventions. The goal was to determine whether CACI data could provide reliable, household-level insights to inform welfare rights referrals and local policy decisions.

Project Implementation; The project adopted a hypothesis-testing approach, systematically comparing CACI data against known local datasets which enabled both broad assumptions (e.g. the rural and island uplift) and household-specific information. The Data Programme Team at Argyll and Bute Council led the evaluation, working closely with other departments and external partners to test the accuracy of the household-level data.

Early testing revealed data inaccuracies first in rural and island communities, and then, in urban areas, demonstrating specific weaknesses in CACI’s data methodology.

Hypothesis Tests and Key Findings:

1. Second Homes vs. Primary Residences – CACI data failed to distinguish some second homes from occupied residences, distorting poverty estimates.

2. Cost of Living in Rural and Island Communities – CACI data’s disposable income estimates ignored the higher cost of living in rural and island areas, underestimating financial strain.

3. Tenure Type – Significant discrepancies between CACI data’s tenure classifications and the Scottish Household Survey (e.g. mortgage-paying households underreported).

4. Identifying Families with Children – CACI data misclassified known family homes as childless households, weakening confidence in data-driven interventions.

5. Residential vs. Commercial Properties – CACI data misclassified residential properties as commercial, undermining the accuracy of targeted financial support strategies.

Project Impacts: The project provided valuable insights into the claims and limitations regarding third-party data for household-level targeting. It showed the importance of triangulating data-driven insights with other sources of local knowledge and data before determining related strategy and action. It has established a model, and practical methods, for testing third-party data against local datasets, which could be adopted by other councils. It further strengthened partnerships between departments. The project findings have already influenced approaches by other councils in similar situations, and national data-sharing conversations.

Future of the Project: Moving forward, the council plans to continue looking at existing datasets and local data-sharing opportunities to support more proactive decision-making and support. They are engaging with SAVVI and the DWP to look at improving frameworks for household-level data-sharing, and advocating for finer-grained representation in national datasets such as the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD), particularly in rural and island areas.

• Refocus on local/national data – Prioritise Scottish Government datasets and data-sharing over third-party models.
• Explore legal gateways – Engage with SAVVY and DWP to improve data-sharing frameworks.
• Advocate for improved SIMD granularity – Push for better rural representation in national datasets.

North Ayrshire Council Project

Exploring the viability of a Single Shared Assessment data framework towards streamlining referral processes, access to support, and administrative efficiency within and between multiple council departments and services.

Priority Family Group/s Targeted: All

Project Design: The North Ayrshire project aimed to improve access to financial support through a Single Shared Assessment (SSA) model. The core objectives were to:

• Simplify applications through a single point of access for multiple services.
• Enhance service coordination through improved information management and consent-based data used
• Develop a more streamlined and consent-based approach to accessing support.

The project tested an integrated service delivery model combining financial inclusion, employability, and support services under a single corporate referral process.

Project Implementation: The project followed an incremental, test-and-learn approach between the council’s Customer services team, Financial Inclusion Team, selected third sector partners, and NHS Ayrshire & Arran. Four Tests of Change were trialled:

1. Corporate Referral Process (March 2024) – A single form linked to six services, reducing the need for multiple applications.

2. Free School Meals (FSM) and Clothing Grant Consent (June 2024) – A simplified consent statement allowed families to access additional benefits automatically.

3. Council Tax Discounts & Exemptions (September 2024) – Combined 17 forms into a single digital process, reducing administrative effort.

4. Consent Overlay (In Progress) – Aiming to create a single consent record for all means-tested benefits and services.

Project Impacts:

For Families:

• Increased benefit uptake – More people accessed entitlements they were unaware of.
• Reduced application burden – Single forms and consent statements simplified the process. Most families were happy to consent to multiple processes at once.
• Proactive support – Improved data-sharing allowed services to identify and meet needs.
• Less stigma – A more straightforward process made accessing support less daunting.

For the Local Authority:

• Clear identification of key enabling systemic interventions — particularly the central role of Customer Services as an entry point, and consent mechanisms as a necessary enabler of cross-service referral, integration and collaboration.
• Reduced administrative burden – Streamlined processes reduced duplication and manual effort.
• Data-driven decision-making – Insights from referrals shaped future priorities.
• Improved service coordination – Enhanced collaboration between council teams.
• Stronger partnerships – Better alignment between council and third-sector partners.

Future of the Project: The project team recognises the need to scale beyond its initial tests. The next steps include:

• Working towards piloting an effective data-sharing solution between Customer Services and Financial Inclusion to explore a team-based approach to supporting residents, and potentially providing a catalyst and exemplar which can act as a lever and motivation for data-sharing and integration across and between different council departments / systems / siloes.
• Continuing to promote citizen adoption of My Account, and its integration with the Customer Services CRM towards enabling user-controlled consent management, and laying the groundwork for a potentially universal consent mechanism.
• Expanding the Corporate Referral Process to integrate more third-sector partners.
• Testing further automation and / or process consolidation. This includes triggering benefit assessments automatically when a resident applies for one service, and / or for looking at other areas where multiple processes might be consolidated and simplified around consent, in the same way as the council tax test of change.
• The broader ambition is that North Ayrshire’s approach to SSA could provide a model for other councils to consider. This is particularly so regarding the universal consent mechanism, and using Customer Services, and a data-sharing relationship with Financial Inclusion, as a seed for broader integration, improvement and partnership-working. However, some of the core barriers identified—such as cross-system consent overlay and back-office interoperability—are unlikely to be resolved without strategic-level support or structural change.

South Lanarkshire Council Project

'Paths out of Poverty' - empowering parents/carers of disabled children through an innovative, holistic, strengths-based approach.

Priority Family Group/s Targeted: Families where someone in the household is disabled. However, this category also includes other priority groups

Project Design: The South Lanarkshire project provided intensive, targeted support to eight isolated families, each with a household member with a significant disability. Through a partnership with third sector partner COVEY, the project employed a whole-family wellbeing approach, addressing emotional, social, and financial needs. The goal was to improve resilience, independence, and overall family functioning. The project included financial support through Money Matters, helping families access benefits and financial assistance.

Project Implementation Referrals to COVEY were made through schools, targeting families with complex needs. The support involved home visits, travel assistance, and advocacy. Each support session lasted 4–5 hours, reflecting the complexity of the families’ circumstances. Challenges included overcoming families’ distrust of services, geographic isolation, and complicated support processes to navigate. Flexibility and adaptability were essential in tailoring support to individual family needs.

Project Impacts Families experienced improved access to essential services, better financial stability, and enhanced social connections. The whole-family approach increased parental confidence and emotional wellbeing. Families reported feeling more supported and empowered.

Future of the Project While project-specific activities will conclude with the end of the funding period, there is a strong intention to embed key learnings into ongoing practice across local services.

COVEY has identified an alternative funding stream that may enable the transfer of existing families to continue receiving support. However, there is a significant challenge in maintaining the necessary engagement to support the current families effectively while simultaneously addressing the needs of new families facing equally severe circumstances.

South Lanarkshire Council is also keen to capture and integrate project insights into broader service improvement strategies, ensuring sustainability of impact beyond immediate project beneficiaries. This includes knowledge exchange both internally, and with other local authorities and partners.

Future considerations include:

• Developing post-project plans for each supported family.
• Integrating successful practices into standard operational procedures.
• Continuous evaluation of practice improvements post-project.

Inverclyde Council Project

Parent Centred Early and Intensive Intervention – supporting parents with children and babies under 5 years

Priority Family Groups: All covered, but particularly families with a child under the age of 1 and/or have a member of the household who is disabled.

Project Design: The Inverclyde project expanded Home Start Inverclyde’s support for families with children under 5. The project provided volunteer befrienders, welfare advice, and targeted support for financial stability. This provides a whole-family wellbeing approach. This includes a standing offer of weekly parent and parent and child groups to attend. Two new roles were created from the funding to oversee volunteer relationships and provide direct intervention for complex cases. The aim was to strengthen family resilience and financial wellbeing. It also involved more specific integration of an income maximisation offer.

Project Implementation The project built on existing anti-poverty initiatives and partnerships with the local welfare rights service. Challenges included initial staff hesitance due to concerns about damaging relationships with families by making referral for income maximisation support that have long delays. However, a dedicated welfare rights contact helped improve trust and service engagement. This known contact attended groups to help build trust with families, and engage them in a space where they felt most comfortable.

Project Impacts Families experienced improved financial stability, increased confidence, reduced isolation, and greater trust in services. Families attending sessions felt they were building strong, core friendships and a network they can rely on in hard times. Direct financial gains included higher take-up of benefits and reduced anxiety about finances. Improved family wellbeing was reflected in better social connections and parental confidence. Leisure activities such as a trip to the Zoo and a Christmas party were especially commented upon by families as a successful part of the service.

The project engaged 72 families (162 children and 27 adults), which is more than was originally targeted. Gains in financial support for families totalled £23,548. Home Start found it beneficial to have targeted and specific financial conversations early with families who have been referred, and found that many were entitled to support they did not realise.

Future of the Project: Home Start has been working effectively with Inverclyde Council for years, and there is strong interest to continue that partnership. Looking forward, the project team identified opportunities for enhancing family support further, particularly around managing the financial gains families have achieved. They highlighted a need for additional funding or resources dedicated to guiding families in effectively managing their increased financial resources. This support would address ongoing cycles of disadvantage, such as reliance on expensive local shops or food delivery services, often driven by anxiety, mental health issues, or logistical challenges (e.g., managing a large family or children with additional support needs).

There is also an interest in expanding the project’s successful model to other service areas, such as Renfrewshire, where similar practices have not yet been implemented. Exploring possibilities for additional funding or integrating welfare rights advisors directly within Home Start’s team is something they would like to explore as a practical way to replicate and strengthen their support model.

The team also wants to consider more developmental opportunities for families beyond immediate financial stability. Families raised that they would like more support for transitions, such as children starting school, by facilitating engaging and enriching activities like visits to museums.

Moray Council Project

Improved identification of families affected by disability and delivery of support to maximise income

Priority Family Groups: Families where someone in the household is disabled. However, this category also includes other priority groups

Project Design The Moray project targeted families with additional support needs, focusing on financial barriers. This involved initial open-ended conversations with families across Moray, and later the parent-run Moray ASN Parent Carer Action Group provided insights into family challenges, informing project design and implementation. The aim was to improve income maximisation and support access to services. However, the project became as much about a capacity building approach for engagement with families to understand and support the needs they see as most important to them.

Project Implementation Initial delays occurred due to recruitment challenges and staffing issues. However, the council facilitated open dialogue with families to understand challenges and has run multiple events to bring financial advice and support to families who need it. Collaboration with the ASN Parent Carer Action Group helped tailor support to family needs, and the Council regularly takes part in Action Group meetings to provide, receive, and pass on information.

Project Impacts Families reported improved understanding of support options and better knowledge of how public systems work, and how to influence them. However, ongoing frustrations about respite care, educational support, and service responsiveness remain. Positive outcomes include better communication and targeted financial advice. While families report frustration with the slow pace of change, they were very supportive of the work that had taken place through CPAF to increase capacity for engagement.

Future of the Project: Looking towards the future of the project, both the council and the parents group acknowledged significant ongoing challenges and potential pathways for improvement.

From the council’s perspective, future efforts include enhancing understanding and support around Self-Directed Support (SDS), which is currently perceived as overly complex and lacking in the flexibility families require. The project lead will continue. raising concerns about the sustainability and effectiveness of current provisions, and acting as a link between the issues parents raise and collaborative strategic groups that include sports, education, and various third-sector organisations, pushing for further multi-agency involvement and coordination.

Future actions are also shaped by recent funding applications and initiatives, such as examining financial burdens associated with frequent hospital appointments. There is a clear intent to reduce these practical challenges by possibly reorganising service appointments to minimise travel demands, especially given the significant logistical difficulties families face when accessing specialist services located far away. This project has received CPAF Round 2 funding, and is being run by Aberdeenshire Council and NHS Grampian.

From the parents' perspective, while some developments show promise, they continue to feel challenged by systemic barriers and limited responsiveness from services. This is particularly with regard to education. The parents emphasised the urgent need for more practical support and clearer communication about available resources. They also recognise the potential value in formalising their action group into a constituted entity, which could strengthen their collective identity, amplify their voice within decision-making structures, and facilitate greater engagement with committees and funding opportunities. The council is keen to support this through enterprise support, but families are clear that this needs to progress at their own pace.

Both perspectives agree that enhancing collaboration and creating a more inclusive and responsive support network are critical. The pathway forward includes structured dialogue, practical reforms, and ensuring parents are actively engaged in meaningful ways to shape future strategies.

Midlothian Council Project

Midlothian Peer Research – A Case for Change through a Place Based Approach Building Skills and Influencing

Priority Family Groups: All covered through the research and by the Lived Experience Researchers themselves.

Project Design: The Midlothian project involved recruiting community researchers to capture lived experiences of poverty. Sure Start facilitated the project with council support, focusing on informing the Child Poverty Action Plan through community-led insights.

Project Implementation Recruitment and training of community researchers involved structured support from Sure Start and university partners. Challenges included managing researcher wellbeing and establishing clear ethical boundaries for the work. Researchers conducted over 60 interviews and created installations for Challenge Poverty Week.

Project Impacts The project has enhanced local understanding of poverty and is informing strategic planning. Researchers gained confidence, alongside research and advocacy skills. Some have expressed future ambitions to build on their learning from the programme through further education or new types of work.

Future of the Project: The future trajectory of the Midlothian project involves multiple considerations from different stakeholders, including Midlothian Council, Sure Start, and the Lived Experience Researchers themselves. While the project as it stands will end in April, the experiences gathered from it will be impacting upon the running of Midlothian Council and Sure Start.

Midlothian Council is seeking to integrate project outcomes within broader child poverty planning frameworks and community planning. They anticipate further impactful events, such as showcasing outcomes in April and presentations to key community planning structures. Sure Start is also reflecting on all that has been learnt through the project, and the training they prepared in collaboration with local universities could be used for future projects that involve peer researchers.

The Lived Experience Researchers themselves are optimistic about the long-term impacts arising from their insights and their increased confidence to hold authorities to account, although they recognise there are currently uncertainties and tight timelines. All partners feel that a longer timeline would enable a clearer and more sustainable future for continuing to involve the Lived Experience Researchers.

Perth and Kinross Council Project

Beyond Emergency Support to Sustainable Livelihoods – Capacity Building Programme for Local Communities

Priority Family Groups: All.

Project Design: The Perth and Kinross Council project had three key components:

1. Social Needs Screening Tool (SNS): A person-centred tool designed to assess unmet needs, support financial conversations, and guide referrals. The tool was informed by codesign workshops with input from families and frontline staff to ensure it was adaptable to local needs.

2. Support and Connect Training: Delivered by Perth Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), this programme trained over 150 frontline workers in using the SNS.

3. Building Resilient Families (BRF): The aim was to set up groups which might provide direct peer-led support for priority families. However, the programme faced implementation challenges that led to a shift in lead partners. This component will be delivered through Early Learning Centres (ELC) after the conclusion of the CPAF funded element.

Project Implementation: Following co-production workshops in early 2024, the SNS and Support and Connect Training were rolled out. Training demand quickly grew, reflecting strong interest from frontline workers. CAB’s expertise in financial wellbeing and their Fast Online Referral and Tracking (FORT) streamlined delivery by allowing workers to track referral outcomes and build stronger relationships with service providers. Over 300 referrals were successfully processed within the first six months, reducing delays in connecting families with essential services.

The BRF component faced delays due to funding pressures and staff turnover. Transitioning its delivery to ELCs is now seen as a more effective approach, providing sustainable pathways for families through integrated support linked to childcare and employment opportunities.

Project Impacts: The project has demonstrated several positive impacts:

• Increased Referral Efficiency
• Workforce Confidence Growth
• Identification of Hidden Poverty
• Service Integration into Child Protection Guidelines, linking financial wellbeing with safeguarding efforts.

Future of the Project: The project is evolving, with a focus on integrating SNS into broader service frameworks using Support and Connect, expanding training to managers and team leads, and embedding process changes at an organisational level. The involvement of EYS is a strategic move to create sustainable pathways for priority families, linking financial wellbeing with employability and childcare accessibility. In short, supported by FORT, the ecology of three interrelated constituents enabled (in the main) by CPAFs -SNS, Support and Connect, and Building Resilient Families- look set to endure as key pillars of Perth and Kinross family service provision, and a successful model which might usefully inform approaches elsewhere.

City of Edinburgh Council Project

Income Maximisation Outreach

Priority Family Groups: All covered through Chill ‘n’ Chat. Income Maximisation approach targeted families where someone in the household is disabled.

Project Design The Edinburgh project focused on income maximisation and extending their Discover holiday programme through term-time Chill 'n' Chat sessions in four localities. The aim was to improve family financial stability and strengthen community support.

Project Implementation Chill 'n' Chat sessions progressed smoothly, benefiting from existing Discover programme structures. However, one of the four localities did not get up and running as fast, due to challenges with staff availability. The Council is now looking at how to move forward and codesign the approach in this area, using the same model as the other successful Chill ‘n’ Chat groups. Challenges in the income maximisation strand included procurement delays and funding uncertainty for the local advice sector.

Project Impacts Chill 'n' Chat increased family engagement, financial support access, and social connections. Families gave resoundingly positive feedback for the support they were receiving and the relationships they are building, benefiting the well-being of the whole family. The other income maximisation strand’s outcomes were limited due to implementation challenges.

Future of the Project: The project's two strands—Chill 'n' Chat and Income Maximisation Coordination—are anticipated to have different futures, shaped largely by their respective experiences during implementation and available funding:

• Chill 'n' Chat: Continuation and Adaptation The Chill 'n' Chat sessions have demonstrated clear value and garnered strong support from participants and stakeholders alike. This strand is expected to continue. Positive impacts and community engagement have led to proactive discussions about securing council funding to maintain and possibly expand these activities. Plans are already in place to continue operations in all four localities, though some adjustments to the delivery model are anticipated. For example, in the Southwest locality, a pause is proposed to better understand and address lower engagement rates. Sustainability appears feasible, given that much of the service delivery relies on internal staffing, which will facilitate ongoing support and continuity for participating families.
• Targeted Debt Support: Closure and Learning Integration The second strand focused on income maximisation activities is unclear due to ongoing considerations with regard to funding constraints. Despite its potential benefits, securing future resources to sustain or expand this programme has proven challenging. While the discontinuation represents a setback, valuable lessons have been learned from the implementation process, highlighting systemic challenges in the advice services sector and partnership coordination. These insights will significantly inform future strategic planning across council departments and third-sector collaborations. This will include Edinburgh’s round 2 CPAF project. Specifically, the lessons regarding effective partnership working, communication strategies, and overcoming sector-wide funding uncertainties will directly shape the design and delivery of future programmes.