Recipient organisationNIHR Applied Research Collaboration South West Peninsula
NIHR supportRecorded as supported by this research centre
PeriodMar 2025 — Jun 2026
In plain English
AI plain-English summary
Nearly a quarter of working-age adults with children and a third of children in the UK live in poverty, increasing their risk of poor health, worse educational outcomes, and lower earnings. This project tackles a specific gap: frontline family support workers lack the confidence and training to help families navigate the complex welfare and financial support system. Families report confusion about what they are entitled to, poor communication between services, and stigma when seeking help. The researchers previously identified that integrated financial wellbeing support needs to be embedded in frontline services, especially for families with children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Working with services in Torbay, the team will co-create shame-competent training for practitioners and place-based guidance for families. The resources will be designed for scaling beyond Torbay. If successful, this could change how family support services routinely address poverty—shifting from a fragmented, stigmatising system to one where financial advice is a standard, sensitive part of the support families already receive. The project does not test a new policy or benefit; it improves the delivery of existing support by equipping the people families already trust.
View original technical description
Nearly a quarter of working age adults with children and around a third of children are living in poverty in the UK. Children exposed to poverty have an increased risk of poor physical and mental health outcomes as well as poorer educational outcomes and lower earnings. Whilst national policies focused on employment, benefits and taxation are traditionally seen as the avenue for alleviating poverty, there is increased recognition of the important role front line practitioners could play in alleviating poverty. Our research indicated the need for integrated financial wellbeing support within front-line family support services that can respond to universal needs and those of specific groups, such as families with children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). It also indicated a need to improve the confidence and capabilities of front-line practitioners, to reduce the fear of stigma and shame, and improve access to local, tailored financial wellbeing support. Navigating the welfare and financial support landscape is complex, and families report being unsure about what they are entitled to claim. Parents/carers also report poor communication and connectivity of services and experiencing stigma and shame in accessing support. A more holistic and sensitive approach to support is needed. This project aims to improve the confidence and capabilities of front-line practitioners to support families with financial wellbeing support, and to alleviate the challenges faced by families in navigating the financial wellbeing support landscape. We will work in partnership with services in Torbay to develop resources that will be appropriate for sharing and scaling beyond Torbay. We will co-create shame-competent family and practitioner-informed training and placed-based guidance to better support the navigation of financial wellbeing support in Torbay. The training and guidance will be informed by families with children with SEND, to ensure the training and guidance caters for this population.
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