A NEW family support service at Lochgelly High School has been praised by Lesley Laird MP, for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, following a visit yesterday Tuesday.

The Family Zone – the first of its kind in Fife – is run in partnership by Fife Gingerbread and Lochgelly High School and supports families where a young person is having difficulties accessing education.

Funded by the school through Pupil Equity Funding, the partnership project offers a bespoke service, involving a Support Worker who works with families in their homes to identify barriers and provide support.

A Family Learning Co-ordinator also delivers a range of fun, engaging and interactive family sessions in The Family Zone’s dedicated room at the school.

Lesley, who visited the team at Lochgelly High School on Tuesday, said: “Some say they look back on their school years as the best of their life, but for some, school is not the formative experience that it should be.

“For a variety of reasons, a significant number of young people feel isolated or don’t feel confident enough or able to grasp educational opportunities available to them.

“This new project aims to support families in this situation and this new bright, warm and welcoming room at Lochgelly High is a fantastic safe space in which Gingerbread staff can work through these issues.

“This project is still in its infancy and projects like this need time to bed in and build up the trust and confidence of the families they are working with. I look forward to hearing how their work progresses

“I wish Gingerbread and Lochgelly High School the best of success in proving what can be achieved to empower young people in Fife and help them reach their potential.”

Laura Millar, Employability and Progression Manager at Fife Gingerbread said: “The Family Zone is a great link between the school, pupils and parents.

“Having our own area in the High School gives families a safe space to take part in activities such as fun interactive family learning, but we also have the capacity to visit families in their home which adds a vital extra element.

“This model would be beneficial to any school in Fife”

Lesley Laird is pictured with Karen More, the Family Learning Co-ordinator, Laura Millar, Employability and Progression Manager, and Jennie Scott, Support Worker, in The Family Zone room.