“The support has made a real difference to our family. Having the right help at the right time has helped us feel more supported.”
Families across South Lanarkshire are benefiting from earlier social work support that helps them address challenges sooner, strengthen family wellbeing and improve outcomes for children and young people. By working alongside families at the earliest opportunity, South Lanarkshire’s nationally recognised Family Support Hubs are supporting positive change and helping prevent issues from escalating.
This approach was highlighted during a recent visit to the Family Support Hub in East Kilbride, where families shared directly how coordinated, whole‑family support is making a difference in their everyday lives and helping them access the right help, closer to home.
The visit was hosted by Professor Soumen Sengupta, Chief Officer for Health and Social Care in South Lanarkshire, who welcomed Caroline Lamb, Director General for Health and Social Care and Chief Executive of NHS Scotland, alongside Katharina Kasper, Chair of NHS Lanarkshire, Louise Long, Chief Executive of NHS Lanarkshire, and Donald Reid, member of the South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board.
During the visit, the group met Zoe and her children Freya, Lewis and baby Arran, as well as Maddy and her little sister Ruby, and heard first‑hand about the impact that timely, coordinated support can have for families.
Caroline said: “It was a privilege to visit the Family Support Hub and hear directly from families about the value of this support. Innovative services like these show how important it is to work alongside people early and provide joined‑up support that responds to the needs of the whole family.
“The care, commitment and partnership working behind this approach were clear throughout the visit.”
South Lanarkshire’s Family Support Hubs provide early, coordinated, whole‑family support to babies, children, young people and their families through multi‑disciplinary teams working across Cambuslang, East Kilbride, Hamilton and Lanark. By making it easier for families to access help earlier, the Hubs aim to prevent problems from escalating, reduce inequalities and improve longer‑term outcomes.
Soumen added: “What families continue to tell us is how important it is to have the right help at the right time. Our Family Support Hubs are about listening, responding early and working alongside families in a way that feels meaningful in their everyday lives, reflecting our wider commitment to care close to home.
“My thanks go to Zoe, Maddy, the children and all the families who have shared their experiences with us, as well as our staff and partners whose compassion, professionalism and commitment continue to make a real difference for children, young people and families across South Lanarkshire.”
