Learning from Families:Transnational Report

Learning from Families- Policies and Practices to Combat Social Exclusion in Families with Young Children is a project led by Home-Start International and funded by the European Commission Community Action Programme to Combat Social Exclusion 2002 - 2006, Trans-national Exchange Programme. Home-Start International coordinated the work of a partnership between Home-Start UK, Home- Start National Office Ireland, Home-Start Hungary and the Hellenic Council for Social Care in Greece. The overall aim of Learning from Families is to address government policies and programmes from the point of view of families of young children themselves, in order to build social environments that enable low income families out of their situation. This is the combined transnational report. The report falls into three parts. Part I outlines and maps the main policies to promote social inclusion and what is thought to contribute to positive and less positive outcomes for families. Part II focuses on documenting families’ experiences and encounters at the receiving end of policies, to understand the barriers to the use of services and full participation in society. Drawing on the experience of families themselves the project has developed a tool kit for policy makers and service managers outlined in Part III. This should help them to review existing practice as well as to suggest that a much greater willingness to engage with and listen to families can be the key to better outcomes. Other products include a video in which families are shown speaking out and a leaflet for families themselves.