Getting Disadvantaged Parents into Employment: The Working for Families Fund in Scotland

Abstract

Between 2004 and 2008, the Scottish Government's Working for Families Fund (WFF) in Scotland offered support to parents seeking to move into, within or towards employment, education or training. Focused on disadvantaged parents, the programme had registered a total of over 25,000 clients by April 2008, with 66 per cent of these having achieved a significant outcome during the life of the programme. In this paper, we examine the policy background from which the WFF programme emerged. The paper outlines key features of the programme that are distinct from other programmes (particularly the New Deal for Lone Parents) as well as setting out the key outcomes of the programme. The paper identifies some lessons concerning how WFF operated, and, finally, it outlines the key conclusions.