Item 12 - Summer Holiday 2026 Programme Evaluation and Functional Family Therapy Update
West Dunbartonshire Council · 16 September 2026
Back to Educational Services Committee — 16 September 2026 and its agenda
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Official WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by Chief Education Officer Educational Services Committee: 16 September 2026 Subject: Summer Holiday 2026 Programme Evaluation and Functional Family Therapy Update 1. Purpose 1.1 The purpose of this report is to: a) Update members on the impact of plans to reduce holiday hunger and provide summer support to families across West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC) during Summer 2026 and b) Update members on the impact of Functional Family Therapy, seeking approval to re-tender for services. 2. Recommendations 2.1 The Educational Services Committee is recommended to note: (a) Progress and impact of authority-wide plans by partners to provide summer activities and reduce holiday hunger; (b) ways in which funding has been administered and governed and (c) approve commencement of procurement processes to continue Functional Family Therapy services. 3. Background 3.1 In 2023 Council agreed to extend the Holiday Hunger Fund to ensure the provision of meals and social activities for school children over holiday periods, throughout West Dunbartonshire. £100,000 per annum was committed to enable community partners to work together to address the challenges of holiday hunger and associated with increased costs for families. This has proved successful, and uptake and partnership working has been effective in meeting the needs of our children and families over holidays. The funds were enhanced by an additional £20,290 from Summer of Sport Funding which was provided by Government. ITEM 12
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Official 4. Main Issues 4.1 One in four (240 000) of Scotland’s children are officially recognised as living in poverty. Sixty-eight percent of these children live in working households. The End Child Poverty Coalition's local authority estimates for 2023/24 indicate that around one in four children in West Dunbartonshire are living in poverty (approximately 24% to 25%), which equates to roughly 4,500 to 5,000 children and young people across the council area. Experiencing child poverty can undermine the health, wellbeing and educational attainment of children. 4.3 It is recognised that holiday periods add to the stress of poverty for families and result in less access to food and social activity for them than their peers. Foodbanks report increased demand during holiday periods. Resultantly, every WDC summer session planned offered free access to activities and lunch or snacks as an integral feature. 4.4 WDC implemented a two-pronged approach to planning the Summer Programme supported by additional funding. One strand being a community- based model which was open to all children and young people for five weeks of the summer holidays. 6262 participants engaged in activities which took place. The other strand was a targeted support programme with a range of partners to meet the needs of particular cohorts of children and young people with severe and complex needs, supported by familiar trained staff. 4.5 The SHINE 2026 Summer programme provided free breakfasts, packed lunches, brunch bags and family BBQs. A key feature of the programme is its commitment to inclusion, with several projects providing sensory-friendly opportunities for children and young people with Additional Support Needs (ASN). It offered opportunities for young people to take part in sports, creative activities, outdoor learning, digital experiences and family trips, gaming, technology/STEM; sports, outdoor adventure and fitness; nature, gardening, creative Arts, music and cultural activities; day trips and excursions; ASN and sensory supports; and food provision and family support. App.1 - Funding Allocations Overview 4.5.1 Evaluations during visits and in dialogue with partners, tell us the programme uptake has been very good and that the range of free activities including a food provision has been valued by families. Dialogue with participants and parents indicates the activities are appropriate and what our communities are looking for. Two partner evaluation returns at time of writing from Centre81 Family Trips, and the Vale of Leven FC Summer Camp are very positive and demonstrate the difference SHINE funding is making to children, young people and families. Full evaluations are due by 31st August and will inform our approach to funding for summer ’27-’28.
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Official Across these two projects: • 118 children and young people participated. • 27 adults took part in family activities. • 460 free meals were provided. • All activities were fully funded and free to attend. 4.5.2 Feedback from children and young people demonstrates high levels of enjoyment and engagement. Children attending the Centre81 trip particularly enjoyed feeding and petting animals, exploring the outdoor adventure areas and taking part in outdoor activities. Young people attending the Vale of Leven FC Summer Camp highlighted opportunities to improve their football skills, play matches, meet new friends and spend time with coaches and peers. Participants also spoke positively about the food provided, with many highlighting lunch and social mealtimes as an important part of the experience. “My son loves the food afterwards. Like seeing his friends. Enjoys practicing his football (and the coaches). Can we do this again next year?” Feedback from parents and carers highlights both the social and financial value of the programme. Many parents explained that some trips and activities would not have been possible without SHINE funding due to admission costs, transport expenses and wider cost-of-living pressures. Families also valued the opportunity to spend quality time together and enjoy experiences that might otherwise have been out of reach. Parents praised the organisation of activities and the care shown by staff and volunteers throughout the programmes. Several families expressed a wish to see more opportunities of this type in future years and noted that demand for places remains high. “My son has really enjoyed the camp and would love to do it again. He's enjoyed mixing it up with the older boys.” (Parent) “Everyone was extremely grateful that we can enable them to create fun memories together as families that they most likely wouldn't have had the option to do otherwise.” (Centre81 Evaluation Feedback) 4.5.3 Vale of Leven Football Academy 52 young people attended the Vale of Leven FC football camp. 260 meals were served. Twelve places were filled with referred young people who were identified as benefitting from this support over summer. Children engaged in football drills and games that promoted confidence, skill-building and inclusion. Parents praised the friendly coaches, free meals, and safe environment: "This is the third time my 7-year-old has attended. He loved it every day. The coaches go out of their way to make all the children feel safe and welcome." "Free lunch with pizza and Tunnock's snowballs was a hit!"
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Official Children formed new friendships, even among those who were unfamiliar with each other at the start of the week. Coaches reflected on a smooth, positive experience, thanks to their increasing experience in running the programme. 4.6 ASN Overview The Specialist Setting Summer Programme held at Kilpatrick School Campus ran over a four-week period, operating three days per week for a total of 12 days, and provided valuable holiday support. It offered 354-day placements which were accessed by 118 children and young people with severe and complex needs. Pupils benefitted from support provided by familiar staff who know them well and understand their individual personal, social and emotional needs. 4.6.1 249 lunches and transport were provided for pupils and families where travel to and from the programme would otherwise have been a barrier to participation. 4.6.2 A varied and engaging programme of activities was delivered through partnership working with West Dunbartonshire Libraries (Bookbug activities), Clifftop Arts, Independance and Active Schools, alongside a range of teacher- led sensory experiences. Pupils also made full use of the school's facilities, including the sensory garden, soft play area, adventure playground and dedicated sensory spaces, providing opportunities for play, learning, social interaction and wellbeing. 4.6.3 The programme continues to provide an important opportunity for learners to maintain routines, develop social connections, access enriching experiences and receive appropriate support during the school holiday period. Informal feedback from families at pick-up times continues to highlight the value of the programme in providing respite, maintaining routines during holiday periods and supporting positive wellbeing outcomes for both children and their families. 4.6.4 Based on previous years' expenditure, it is anticipated that approximately £35k will be invested in the Specialist Setting Summer Programme, with most costs relating to staffing to ensure safe and effective delivery of high-quality support for children. Feedback from Stakeholders: "I liked the ball pit and on the carousel at the play park." "I liked going to P.E and jumping in the ball pit." "I liked the dancing with the ladies and the merry-go-round in the park." "It has been fun. I laughed." (pupils)
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Official "The summer programme has been amazing support for my grandson; he has absolutely love it. It was also great to get a bit of respite for my family. Thank you very much to all the staff who do an amazing job with all of the kids." (Grandparent) "My child attending the summer programme has definitely given me the respite I need, a chance to go shopping in etc. It's a service that is well needed to support my child as well as mental health for parent mental health." (parent) “The staff were all so welcoming and were a great support during classes. Each group brought their own individuality to each session, and it was lovely to watch them all flourish. Every group responded so well to the sensory aspect of the props, supporting and encouraging movement in their own unique way. It was great to have such high levels of engagement. Thank you for having indepen-dance back this year – it was a please to lead these sessions.” Moira Indepen-dance "Summer Programme for Specialist Settings has been an amazing place to work over this summer as well as the last few years. It is clear how much of a positive impact the camp has on the children as they come with a smile on their face and engage fully. All of the children engaged in the Active School activities, which were all adapted to suit the unique needs; some activities were sensory based, while others were more sports specific. The staff were all very attentive to supporting the needs of the children and friendly, which helps ensure a smooth running of the programme for all." (partners) "The children have all enjoyed the variety of fun activities that have been arranged by various outside agencies. Our partners were keen to find out about the children's interest and adapting activities to suit their interest and need. This led to lots of engagement and motivation from the children to engage. Partners and familiar staff quickly built relationships with the children to ensure their time at the summer programme was nurturing, friendly and fun." "Our children have had fun attending the programme this year and have had opportunities to join experiences with familiar staff who know them well as well as partner agencies. This not only supports our children but supports families during the long summer months." (staff) 4.7 To ensure appropriateness of spending and scrutiny of projects, Officers visited a range of projects over the holiday period. They monitored the value of spend, procedures in place, numbers attending and spoke with staff, children, young people and families when they could. Information gleaned will inform change and improvement as necessary in line with the funding available.
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Official 5 Functional Family Therapy (FFT) 5.1 FFT is an evidence-based programme aimed at improving the outcomes for young people aged 8 - 18. It is a family based intensive intervention programme that builds on the existing strengths within family relationships. The programme works with some of the most vulnerable young people including those who are demonstrating significant behavioural difficulties, involvement in community risk behaviours, violent behaviour, substance misuse and young people who are at risk of becoming accommodated. FFT interventions range from 12 to 30 sessions over a three-to-five-month period. The intensity and duration are dependent on the levels of risk that the young person is deemed to be exposed to. Working with the whole family, FFT supports young people and their relatives to learn new skills to help address the challenges they face within the context of their relationships with each family member. By taking a whole-family approach, FFT works to ensure that changes are maintained and that the young people we help make real progress. 5.2 With over 9 years’ experience of supporting young people and families across West Dunbartonshire, Functional Family Therapy (FFT) continues to work in partnership with West Dunbartonshire Council to achieve their shared aims of enabling young people to remain at home safely with their families. The contract is now due for renewal and will be supported through funding from Whole Family Wellbeing. 5.3 The service is funded from Whole Family Wellbeing funding and currently costs £136, 000 per year. In order to continue the service, we need to commence a procurement exercise and seek approval to do so. App.2 - FFT Report 6. People’s Implications 6.1 There are no implications for people as a result of this report, however, these outcome focused plans aim to improve the life chances of children and young people 7. Financial and Procurement Implications 7.1 All activities related to the implementation of this policy are contained within the WDC Holiday Hunger Fund. 7.2 For session 2026-2027, approximately £93,000 has been spent on projects across the authority. The remaining budget will enable partners to plan for projects in additional holiday periods over the session. 7.3 The Functional Family Therapy service is funded from Whole Family Wellbeing funding and currently costs £136, 000 per year.
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Official 8. Risk Analysis 8. If the Council is unable to ensure positive outcomes for children, we will not be meeting their needs (Children and Young People Act 2014) (Equalities Act 2010) 8.2 If the Council is unable to ensure positive outcomes for all children and young people, it could result in reputational damage. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 9. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 9.1 This fund and governance enhance the quality of the service provided by all children and young people and therefore can be seen to have a positive impact in terms of the equalities. 10. Environmental Sustainability 10.1 There are no environmental implications as a result of this report. 11. Consultation 11.1 Legal Services and the Section 95 Officer have been consulted in relation to the content of this report. 12. Strategic Assessment 12.1 This report reflects the Council’s aspiration to reduce inequalities for the people of West Dunbartonshire. Gillian Hamilton Chief Education Officer 26 August 2026 Person to Contact: Claire Cusick – Senior Education Officer 16 Church Street, Dumbarton, G82 claire.cusick@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: Appendix 1 – App.1 Funding Allocations Appendix 2 - App.2 FFT Report Background papers: None Wards Affected: All wards
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