Family Wellbeing Partnership in Clackmannanshire: evaluation

4. Child Wellbeing Partnership (CWP)

4.1 CWP context and evolution

The Clackmannanshire Child Wellbeing Partnership (CWP) was originally developed to provide accessible, place-based wrap-around childcare, supporting families while enabling the creation and sustainability of employment opportunities. The CWP also aims to support and nurture community partnerships to ensure that “children in Clackmannanshire have a nearby, safe space where they can, without stigma, access food and childcare.”^[35]

Scottish Government funding for School-aged Childcare ‘Early Adopter Communities’^[36] fully funds CWP provision. In 2023/24, the team created a community-based model that provides school age childcare before and after school where families on the lowest income pay nothing. Between April 2023 and March 2024, the CWP has supported 239 children in 165 families across Alloa South and East.^[37]

The CWP takes an intentional inclusion approach - a proactive strategy to design services and programmes that are accessible, equitable, and responsive to the needs of all individuals, especially those who are marginalised or face barriers to participation. It also maintains a focus on using data to inform future expansion. To achieve their aims, the CWP has, as of March 2024, provided term time breakfast club places in three primary schools within Clackmannanshire, as well as term time after school places for up to 207 children. The CWP also offers holiday provision with 125 places during holiday periods throughout the year, with cover provided for in-service days and industrial action where required. This network of support has been developed with a range of partners, as can be seen in Figure 2 below, including but not limited to Play Alloa, Kidz World and Community House. Updated figures for 2024-25 show an increase in provision in these areas, with 417 children provided with school-aged childcare, 35 children and their parents/carers placed into enhanced baby and toddler groups, and 112 infants provided with pre-5 places.

The CWP work aligns with and is informed by the broader FWP in its focus on wellbeing and capabilities approaches to improve outcomes for children and families. A key goal is empowering children, families, and frontline staff by transferring power and agency. This empowerment has included partnering with Columba 1400 to deliver leadership experiences with leaders, practitioners, parents and young people that set the conditions for change, enabling families to lead ‘flourishing lives’. Leadership experiences are designed to create an environment or framework where positive, meaningful changes can occur - both within the individuals participating and the systems they interact with. By equipping participants with values, skills, and a shared vision, the aim is that these experiences will empower families to overcome challenges and thrive.

Mapping the CWP System

Figure 2 above provides an overview of stakeholders linked to the CWP. These include third sector providers such as Community House Alloa and Play Alloa; Clackmannanshire Council services including local schools and social work services; private sector partners such as Kidz World; and partners operating at the Forth Valley level including NHS Food Nutrition services and Allied Health Professionals. Since then, it has continued to evolve geographically and now includes many new partners.

The CWP involves a range of local authority services, private and third sector providers, and partners in Clackmannanshire and across the broader Forth Valley system.

1. Local Authority (Clackmannanshire Council)

Works directly with:

• Family Voice Participation Group
• Sport & Leisure
• Housing Services
• Educational Psychology Partnership
• Social Work Services
• Schools, namely:
  • Park Primary School
  • St Mungo’s RC Primary
  • Sunnyside Primary School
  • Lochies School
  • Clackmannanshire School Support Services
  • Alva Primary School Ochil Classes (ASD provision)
• Parental Employability Team

2. Private Sector

• Kidz World

3. Third Sector Providers

A network of community organisations including:

• Hawkhill Community Centre
• Community House Alloa
• Connect Alloa
• Play Alloa
• Resilience Learning Partnership
• Family Voices Participation Group
• The Gate (Foodbank)
• Scottish Childminding Association
• Clackmannanshire Economic Regeneration Trust
• Promoting a More Inclusive Society (PAMIS)

4. Forth Valley System

Statutory partners providing specialist support:

• Department for Work & Pensions (DWP)
• NHS Food and Nutrition
• Allied Health Professionals

The evaluation of the CWP was based on the data collected as follows.

Table 7: CWP Key data sources

Qualitative interviews with families - 6

FWP staff and stakeholder interviews - 19 in total

Survey responses from wider partners - 15 in total

Previous reports from CWP - CWP Quarterly Progress Report 2023/24 Q3

Quantitative data on CWP benefits - Data on numbers of children supported via childcare and participation in particular CWP activities collected by the workstream as part of their regular reporting.

Quarterly feedback forms - Collected by the workstream as part of their regular reporting.

In the majority of cases, response rates to feedback questionnaires are uncertain or not reported.

Impact statements - Collected by the workstream as part of their regular reporting. It is unknown how this data was collected or by whom.

Direct feedback from events - Collected by the workstream as part of their regular reporting. It is unknown how this data was collected or where.

Feedback survey in 2023/4 (31 responses) - Collected by the workstream as part of their regular reporting.

Pre- and post-project measurements for Thrive (a mental health support programme that predated, but is now integrated into, FWP) in collaboration with NHS Forth Valley - Data on self-reported mental wellbeing and capacity as a parent taken from Clackmannanshire’s statutory child poverty reporting, publicly available figures. Data refers to all who completed the programme.

Data quality

The strength of qualitative data collected for CWP was satisfactory, with a significant number of participants reached for interviews and case studies. Quantitative data on participation provides an indication of the reach of the CWP, with feedback surveys providing evidence of short-term impacts amongst some participating families. However, conclusions are limited due to an incompleteness of both quantitative and qualitative data with no long term outcomes captured. Data was collected at a singular time point and no baseline data was collected against which later findings could be measured. Feedback forms lacked substantial contextual information to help support and explain findings.

4.2 CWP Process Evaluation

Below, we present our findings on the impacts of CWP on public service delivery and system change in Clackmannanshire according to key themes and outcomes identified in the ToC. We discuss these themes in the context of strengths and challenges of the CWP workstream.

Strengths of the CWP approach

Collaborative ethos, integration and partnership working

Since 2021, the CWP has been a cornerstone of the Family Wellbeing Partnership (FWP), significantly advancing its goals of early intervention and holistic support. The CWP has contributed to a shared agenda that unites Council departments, third sector organisations, private providers and community stakeholders. This collaborative ethos has created a strong foundation for systemic change, making the CWP a model of partnership working.

Through the integration of diverse services - including childcare, food provision, employability assistance, and tailored activities for children with Additional Support Needs (ASN) - the CWP addresses a wide range of needs. The co-design of services, informed by input from children, parents and community stakeholders through surveys and focus groups, aims to align programmes with communities’ priorities.

Person-centred support

A key element of the CWP has been providing flexible support that meets individual families’ needs. For example, based on interview feedback and case study examples, flexible scheduling and subsidised or free childcare have enabled parents to balance employment, education, and family responsibilities. CWP providers have also provided flexibility for parents around short notice shift changes, providing cover for parents wishing to pick up an extra shift.

Initially, targeted initiatives like the "Summer of Wellbeing", a series of organised family activities over the summer holidays, delivered vital services such as meals, clothing, and enriching activities for households experiencing poverty. Subsequently, building and expanding on partnerships with local providers, such as Hawkhill CC and Community House has expanded service capacity, enhanced staff training in areas like trauma-informed care, and ensured a consistent quality of care. Play Alloa, a specialist ASN service, has also provided a specialist after school care service with funding from the CWP. In addition, specialised support for families with Additional Support Needs (ASN) has been an important part of the CWP approach more broadly. Collaborations with organisations like Promoting A More Inclusive Society (PAMIS) and Play Alloa - in collaboration with Lochies School a specialist school for learners with profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD), and Alva Primary Ochil (ASD provision) has reduced isolation for families, providing sensory activities and learning sessions that foster inclusion.

Effective capabilities approach

As with all FWP work, central to the CWP’s success is the capabilities approach, which emphasises tailoring services to individual family circumstances. This provides families with "options and lifelines" through a flexible approach that caters to their varying needs and stages. By 2025, the CWP had set up four community locations in Clackmannanshire, called Play Roots, offering enhanced four-hour baby and toddler group work where families participate in activities, including food preparation. The sessions are supported by a practitioner from Home Start and a practitioner from Action for Children. Additionally, a speech and language therapist and an educational psychologist are involved to provide support. Interlinked with the wider FWP, this represents an important increase in outreach through the Community Link Workers and Family Support Hubs to build trust with parents and improve early access to services. One interviewee highlighted this holistic approach, stating,

“We’re looking at how we improve the outcomes for both the child and the parent, not just offering childcare.”

Feedback from those closest to the CWP highlights how its implementation has exceeded initial expectations. Initially started as a project-based initiative, the CWP has evolved into a comprehensive system of support. As one interviewee reflected,

“It was always intended to be a project at the beginning… but it’s grown bigger than I suppose we anticipated.”

This growth illustrates the adaptability of the CWP and its ability to respond effectively to the diverse needs of families.

Partnerships with third sector

The role of third sector organisations is vital to the success of the CWP. The consortia model has enabled these organisations to respond flexibly to emerging needs while maintaining alignment with the partnership’s goals. This approach ensures that services are responsive and community-centred. As one interviewee explained,

“We’re asking families, what do you need and what do you want? The emerging themes from families then inform what the third sector can provide.”

Co-Design with Families

Co-design has been central to the CWP, ensuring services reflect the real-life needs of families. Recognising that childcare, family support, and employability initiatives must be responsive, the CWP embedded structured parent involvement in service design. Rather than just consulting, it empowered parents as co-creators, ensuring services remained relevant, accessible, and impactful.

Co-design started with focused work with children who designed a Charter for School Aged Childcare in Clackmannanshire and then participated in a National Charter for School Aged Childcare. The co-designed Children’s Charter was used as the basis for parent consultation workshops in community hubs, schools, and family centres provided a platform to share experiences and barriers related to childcare, employment, and wellbeing services. Targeted questions such as “What would make childcare easier for your family?” led to concrete solutions, including flexible childcare hours, holiday provision, and integrated transport options.

To ensure diverse perspectives, the CWP established Family Voice Panels, engaging lone parents, ethnic minority families, families with a child with ASN, and care-experienced households. In response to transport concerns, dedicated transport was introduced for after-school activities.

Co-design was an ongoing process, with continuous feedback through surveys, focus groups, and informal discussions. A major outcome, according to interview feedback and case studies, was expanded holiday childcare and addressing employment barriers. Parents also influenced the direction of staff training, ensuring trauma-informed and inclusive childcare.

This long-term engagement extended beyond childcare, into support around income maximisation, food security, play opportunities, whole family supports and employment pathways. Staff interviews show families taking part report improved wellbeing, reduced financial stress, and better mental health, while case studies highlight parents’ personal and professional growth, increasing confidence and resilience. Using evaluative tools like Viewpoint surveys and focus groups, the CWP continually refined its approach to address emerging challenges, such as transport barriers and funding constraints. Collaboration and pooled resources created a sustainable support model, with the Education Transport, demonstrating the power of partnerships.

An example of how the CWP shows flexibility of activities based on feedback from families is the need for more tailored support for additional support needs, with parents of children with ASN reporting feeling underserved by mainstream school-based activities. The CWP expanded partnerships with ASN-specialist organisations, such as Promoting A More Inclusive Society (PAMIS) alongside Lochies School, to co-design sensory-friendly and adapted extracurricular activities. One parent noted:

"We’ve never had a space before where my child could just be without me worrying about them fitting in. This programme has made such a difference."

Building trust with families and communities

Building trust and creating welcoming environments have been central to the CWP’s success. At a December 2024 event, participants praised programmes like THRIVE (a forerunner to the CWP^[38]) for boosting self-esteem and access to opportunities. Beyond THRIVE, the CWP’s broader relational approach has also played a key role in building trust. Practitioners are encouraged to invest time in developing sustained relationships with families, offering informal check-ins and working at the pace that suits the individual. Families have reported feeling more comfortable engaging in support offered in trusted community spaces - such as schools, libraries, and family centres - where they could speak openly without fear of being judged or labelled.

Instead of relying on traditional referral routes, the CWP encouraged the use of “warm handovers” to help families engage more confidently with support services. This meant that practitioners who had already established trusted relationships would personally introduce families to new services, rather than simply passing on contact details. In some cases, this involved accompanying a parent to their first appointment with an organisation such as Women’s Aid, helping to reduce anxiety and ensure the family felt supported throughout the process. This approach reinforced continuity and trust, making it more likely that families would engage meaningfully with the help on offer.

This model of engagement - combining practical help, emotional support, and consistent presence - has helped reframe how services are experienced by families. Rather than being seen as bureaucratic or reactive, practitioners are increasingly viewed as trusted allies, supporting families to navigate challenges and build their own resilience.

Challenges faced by the CWP

Despite these achievements, the CWP has also faced a number of challenges in meeting its vision and achieving the outcomes set out in the ToC. These are summarised below.

Level of need

The scale of social issues in the community presents substantial barriers, including persistent social isolation. One interviewee acknowledged,

“We have contact with 100% of people around here but [we are] maybe only meaningfully supporting about 10–20% of families, and social isolation continues to be a significant barrier.”

Expanding the CWP’s reach has meant investment in outreach workers and requires further investment to engage those who are more isolated. In response to the FWP Stakeholder Survey, children with profound and multiple disabilities were among the groups seen as having been less involved in aspects of CWP activities. Looking forward, respondents felt that further increasing flexibility around the provision of funded places, as well as providing more activities aimed at involving those with communication challenges, would help to ensure the voice and needs of groups such as these are incorporated into the CWP more effectively.

Raising awareness of services

Another survey respondent suggested that raising further awareness of the CWP, ensuring that as many families as possible can benefit from its activities, would be a way of enhancing the effectiveness of the FWP:

“More visibility of what this 'looks like, feels like and sounds like' in key areas of the community - does everyone know and understand this? More visibility of the journey, key learning and how people can be involved.”

This was supported by interviews with families who had participated in CWP activities. Parents described how they would have benefited from accessing services sooner, with others saying that an expansion of childcare support which helps parents who need to work over the summer while children are off school would help ease anxieties about the future, for example, when it comes to relying on ageing parents with health concerns for support.^[39]

Resources

Looking ahead, sustainability remains a priority. Continued investment in infrastructure, partnerships, and staffing is essential. As one interviewee noted, long term planning and allocation of resources is important because “we’re not just addressing immediate needs… we’re building a foundation for systemic change.”=

Summary of activities driving changes

A key factor in the impact of the CWP has been its commitment to inclusion for all, including children with complex Additional Support Needs (ASN). According to previous evaluations,^[40] places provided at Play Alloa for children with ASN have had a significant positive impact on families, offering them respite from caregiving responsibilities. This support has enabled parents and caregivers to pursue employment and training opportunities. Furthermore, the implementation of trauma-informed practice training within the Sport and Leisure team has enhanced support for children with ASN, leading to increased engagement.

The location of services and childcare is also important with services which are local to the communities. Feedback from the summer programmes suggests that parents are more likely to engage with services that are both familiar to them and based close to where they live.^[41]

4.3 CWP Impact Evaluation

Below, we present our findings on the general impacts on Child Wellbeing Partnership (CWP) participants according to several key themes from the Theory of Change.

4.3.1 Impacts of the CWP on service users

Impacts on children and young people

Qualitative data gathered by the CWP team through case studies and surveys with parents and children shows that attending CWP activities increased socialisation, increased confidence and resulted in new friendships, as well as practical benefits such as having a main meal where one may not be available at home. In a survey of 42 young people, emotional wellbeing benefits of the provision included a reported reduction in anxiety, development of anger coping skills and general emotional development.^[42] Impact statements from Play Alloa^[43] also suggest that children have built social skills and confidence through building strong positive relationships with staff members, which has in turn led to having stronger relationships and friendships with their peers.

According to the Summer of Wellbeing report, 32% of 5-8 year olds, 46% 9-11 year olds and 53% of 12-14 year olds throughout Alloa South and East participated in activities provided through the ‘Summer of Wellbeing’ programme in 2022^[44]. Direct feedback from participants at these events indicated improvements in social connections, confidence, wellbeing, sense of achievement and resilience, however, data collection methods and sample size are not specified so findings should be interpreted with caution.

Interviews conducted for the evaluation support some of these findings, indicating that CWP activities take a holistic approach to family wellbeing with both parents and carers as well as children benefiting from the social and community aspects of CWP activities.^[45] Interviews with four parents/carers of neurodivergent children offer an indication that this may be particularly true for this group. In one interview, a parent of a child with autism who accesses the provision explained that childcare has improved the quality of life for the whole family. Accessing after school childcare has reduced pressure on extended family members who were providing support and struggling to cope. It has also enabled the parent to connect with another of their children who previously had less one-on-one time and provided a safe environment in which their child can socialise.^[46]

This story is typical of the findings from interviews conducted across the CWP workstream, with another parent of a child with autism sharing their experiences of accessing Home-Start, a local community network of trained volunteers and expert support helping families with young children through challenging times. The service helped the parent manage their child’s behaviour and eased pressures in the home. Home-Start also supports the family by taking them to appointments and helping in the house when the parent is overwhelmed and by signposting them to relevant groups and services such as parent and carer meet-ups. Parents and carers report that this has had a positive impact on their mental health and wellbeing, resulting in reduced feelings of isolation.^[47]

Four parents who were interviewed within an after school provision highlighted that their children benefited from increased social skills and meeting new children from other schools. Another parent discussed the change in confidence that their child had experienced after attending the provision for several years, saying that “...she has come out of her shell”.

Employment and impacts on parents

One of the most profound impacts on parents has been the ability to seek employment in the knowledge that their children are receiving childcare. In a feedback survey gathered by the CWP team as part of their regular evaluation efforts in November 2023 to January 2024^[48], 90% of the 31 respondents highlighted that attending the club (breakfast or after school) had been helpful for both themselves and their child. Additionally, 19 of the 31 reported that their circumstances had changed during the last 6 months (May 2023 - November 2023) related to returning to work, maintaining work or moving from part time to full time employment (although it is unknown whether this can be fully attributed to accessing CWP services).

Financial Impacts on families

Access to childcare has also positively affected the financial stability of some of the families, with specific feedback highlighting how individuals were able to stay in the workplace, improve family circumstances through providing stable, consistent routines for the family and by freeing up a parents’ time to apply for a new, higher earning job.^[49]

Interviews conducted for the evaluation further demonstrate the financial impacts of the CWP, with parents accessing CWP activities reporting improvements in financial stability, resulting in decreased feelings of stress and anxiety.^[50] For example, through Play Roots, a wrap-around support group for families with babies and toddlers, one parent of a child with a dairy intolerance was able to save £15.99 a week through connecting with a healthcare visitor who informed the parent that the child’s required vitamins were available on prescription.^[51] They were also able to connect with an educational psychologist who helped ease concerns about the family’s overall wellbeing in light of a recent difficulty the entire family had been dealing with.

The cost of childcare was highlighted as a source of stress and worry, with one parent sharing that their salary had just been covering the costs of childcare, without considering other activities.^[52] According to interviews with several parents/carers accessing CWP, the CWP has supported parents to access more affordable childcare, with free spaces available.

Some parents interviewed as part of the evaluation highlighted that accessing childcare through the CWP had enabled them to increase the number of hours at work, which had further supported their financial stability. Other parents stated that the biggest impact had been time for themselves to improve their own mental health or some ‘down time’ whilst their children were in a safe space.

Accessing services

Case studies produced by the CWP also indicate how parents accessing childcare may be subsequently signposted to other services, including debt relief and housing. Examples include:

• support with supplying evidence for a housing application for a larger house to meet the family’s needs;
• support with access to funding for an evening course at college;
• support to apply for school clothing grants for multiple children and access to food and energy vouchers.^[53]

Wellbeing and relationships

One parent who accessed the CWP wrap-around childcare also reported that their relationships with their children had improved, suggesting that by attending childcare, their child was more relaxed which has resulted in spending more ‘meaningful time as a family’.^[54] Additionally, families highlighted that their own wellbeing had improved, with 42% of respondents to a survey reported to the CWP Strategy Group^[55] highlighting reduced stress due to the knowledge that their children were in a safe place.

Finally, in 2022/23, a majority of participants who completed the THRIVE Programme - a locally adapted model of mental health and wellbeing support noted improvements in their mental wellbeing measured pre and post-course, while also reporting sustained activity towards a positive outcome (such as starting a college course, volunteering, or cutting down smoking). In addition, nearly all parent participants reported that their capacity as a parent had improved following the programme, with one staff member saying, “we’ve had people who’ve never left their house now completing THRIVE and moving on to other opportunities. It’s genuinely life-changing.”^[56]

4.3.2 Outcomes achieved through collaboration with other workstreams

The CWP engages in continuous learning by sharing feedback with partner providers, which enables them to adapt services to meet the needs of their communities^[57]. Additionally, working with partners has allowed for both the CWP and wider providers to understand the needs of families with lived experience of complex trauma^[58]. By putting the needs of families as a key priority outcome in developing partnerships, relationships between other partners have been built and strengthened.^[59]

Through a partnership with the Scottish Childminding Association (SCMA), the CWP has been able to explore childminding pathways in Clackmannanshire and in Alloa South and East specifically, which has in turn been supported by the Clackmannanshire Employability team.^[60] Several parents who were interviewed for the evaluation noted that by working closely with the Clackmannanshire Employability team, they have been supported to access childminding opportunities where they would not have been previously.

In addition, the CWP and the Parental Employability team have an established collaboration practice, which includes referring families to each other, reviewing labour market needs and employment needs of parents, and providing targeted support for families. As described later in the Enhancing Employability chapter, case study evidence shows that paid childcare provided by the CWP has played an important role in enabling parents in Clackmannanshire to overcome barriers to employment during key employment transitions, while also easing financial stress for others.

4.4 Summary

Evidence gathered through this evaluation suggests that the CWP has positively impacted the wellbeing of children, young people, and their families who have accessed services. From supporting children and parents to build social relationships to improving access to employment, the data indicates that the CWP’s benefits are wide ranging. Notable strengths include its collaborative ethos, partnership working across agencies and the third sector, and a co-design model with children, parents and partners. These have resulted in more integrated services, stronger community relationships, and person-centred support. Challenges include meeting high service demand and managing limited resources.

Qualitative data collected for this project has helped identify these strengths and challenges - particularly in the short and medium term. However, quantitative data on long-term outcomes remains limited and will require further development. There is a lack of quantitatively measured mental health and wellbeing outcomes, which hinders the ability to show the extent of impact of the CWP on the wellbeing of children and young people and their families.

The CWP has demonstrated its capacity to address a broad range of needs. By integrating childcare, family support, wraparound services, and financial advice, it has tackled urgent issues such as debt relief, food security, and housing. Affordable, reliable childcare has enabled some parents to gain and sustain employment, with some moving from part-time to full-time roles. Collaboration with the Council’s Employability Team and the Scottish Childminding Association has further expanded pathways for families to improve their economic circumstances, aligning with FWP’s long-term goals of resilience and financial stability. Programmes such as THRIVE and the ‘Summer of Wellbeing’ have contributed to increased confidence, stronger social relationships, and improved emotional wellbeing. Young people reported reduced anxiety and new friendships through activities such as crafts, music, and outdoor play.