South West Bridging Service
Introduction
The development of a South West CHCP Universal Bridging Service will provide an opportunity to connect the wide range of CHCP services with local employability services, developing cohesion both within and between services and building on the success of previous projects.
South West Glasgow currently has the most comprehensive referral service for primary care staff to employment support in Glasgow.
The issue of employability is substantial for the South West with high numbers of adults on incapacity benefit and nearly 40% of all children in the area living in households where no one is in employment.
Available statistics around the issue of worklessness for the South West indicate that:
- Income support claimants are 109% above the Scottish average
- Adults unable to work due to illness are 93% above the Scottish average
- Unemployment claimants are 52% above the Scottish average
(SW Health Improvement Plan 2006)
The social-economic and health data available from the 2001 Census indicates that the South West has:
- 10,595 dependent children in lone parent families (second to East with 12,307)
- 8,997 dependent children in households where no adult is employed (second to East with 10,675)
- 10,461 people who are permanently sick/disabled (second to West 14,371)
- 59.9% of children in the Ibrox area live in workless households compared with only 4.4% of children in Newlands
(CHCP: Social Work Clients and the Local Context April 2006)
Glasgow is awaiting confirmation of its successful Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) bid to become one of 12 pathfinder areas in Britain. The City Pilot will look to improve employability, with a target of 16,000 more clients into work by 2010. A key approach will look to join up health, social care and employability services.
The service offered by our staff will aim to offer an holistic approach to introducing, assisting and supporting employability.
