§ Dr. Jack CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money his Department has allocated to awards for family support grant; under what headings applications are being considered; how much funding is allocated under each heading; and if he will make a statement. [87143]
§ Beverley HughesThe Family Support Grant is currently worth a total of £5.8 million a year. The Home Office has allocated up to £1.265 million to make new awards under the Family Support Grant starting in 2003–04. As in previous years there are three strands.
The first strand is for national, regional or local voluntary organisations seeking to deliver innovative projects for parenting support—£440,000 has been allocated.
The second strand is for national, regional or local voluntary organisations wishing to further develop and replicate previously successfully completed Family Support Grant funded work. It must focus on either fathering and/or parenting teenagers as funded in the first or second Family Support Grant rounds (1999–2000 and 2000–2001). £440,000 has been allocated.
The third strand is for voluntary organisations for work with black and minority ethnic parents specifically to help them with their parenting skills. To be eligible the work must focus either on supporting refugee parents with their parenting and/or supporting parents who are struggling with parenting their teenagers. £385,000 has been allocated. In addition, up to £55,000 will be available to provide extra support to the newly funded organisations given that they are likely to be less experienced than those applying for the other two strands, and to enable shared learning.
Each grant is worth up to £55,000 per annum for up to three years. This is a rise from the previous annual maximum of £50,000.
The closing date for applications was 10 December. These are still being processed but there are approximately 300 applications, with the majority applying under the first and third strands. Decisions will be announced no later than mid March 2003 and if it is possible to notify applicants any earlier this will be done.
The Family Support Grant also give score funding to Parentline Plus for its helpline; to the National Family Parenting Institute and to Home Start.
The balance is for continuation funding for those organisations funded from the previous two rounds.