Free Advice for Families

Help is now at hand for families in need of financial advice, due to a new service from Dumfries and Galloway Citizens Advice Service (D&G CAS), working in partnership with organisations across the region.

The Priority Families Project, funded by NHS Dumfries and Galloway, aims to improve the financial wellbeing of the area’s hardest to reach families. Combating child poverty by helping with benefit checks, forms and applications, contacting energy suppliers, offer advice on budgeting and debt solutions and how to access financial support.

D&G CAS Financial Wellbeing Adviser Pauline Kirk encourages people to get in touch, “We are here to provide help and support to families in times of need. Whatever the issue, no matter how large or how small, then we are here for you. I would really like to encourage people to come forward and ask for help. In return, we will do our very best to help in any way we can.”

“We offer a flexible approach to providing advice and information for families, making it easier to access the support they need. This comes in a range of options such as telephone-based appointments or face to face at various community venues or organisations in their local area,” explained D&G CAS Adviser Caroline Cameron.

“Partnership working is essential in achieving this aim, as family support workers and other community-based staff already working with families in need, can more easily identify those who will benefit most from our support.”

Home-Start Wigtownshire is a network of trained volunteers and expert staff, supporting families with young children through challenging times. Senior Coordinator Claire McKie said, “We work with many different organisations across the region, so we are delighted to have founded this new partnership with D&G CAS. We have already referred several families to the new service for one-to-one support and feedback has been very positive.

“At Home-Start, we know the value of offering support to families with young children. The benefits are far reaching, including reducing isolation and loneliness, improving mental health of both adults and children, improving educational attainment, building healthy relationships, supporting more nurturing environments. We look forward to continuing to work alongside D&G CAS and supporting local families during the early years of parenting.”

Chief Executive Officer of D&G CAS Philip Stewart said, “This is another great example of effective partnership working, by taking our service to the places it is needed. We aim to offer our services in the right place, at the right time and in the right way, bringing real, positive change to the lives of the people of Dumfries and Galloway.”

Advice can be accessed either by referral or by contacting Pauline (Nithsdale, Annandale and Eskdale), or Caroline (Stewartry and Wigtownshire) on 0300 303 4321 or visit the D&G CAS website at www.dagcas.org/nhs-families-project.