The Gateway Project, Levenmouth is one of only 4 projects in Scotland which have been funded by the Big Lottery to improve the futures of vulnerable families, where the eldest child is in primary school. The Lottery has invested nearly £900,000 in the project which works with organisations in Levenmouth to provide tailored, linked early intervention and support for local families families before they reach the point of crisis.  

At the launch of the Gateway Project keynote speaker, Aileen Campbell MSP, Minister for children and young people, noted that her job is made easier by projects such as Gateway who are working to make Scotland "The Best Place to Grow Up."  She commented that the project which links with the recently launched National Parenting Strategy, Early Years Colaborative and Getting it Right For Every Child not only offers the necessary early intervention and support but also ensures families received a consistent unified approach to their needs.

The Project Manager, Sue Milne and her team of 5 staff members gave a flavour of the support available to families through family mentoring, volunteering opportunities and family activities however the star of the show has to be the child from Primary 2 of Aberhill Primary School, Emilee Robertson, who described the various event, courses and classes she and her family had attended through the project whilst modelling the beautiful t-shirt she had made.

Partners in the project which is led by Fife Gingerbread include Fife Council - Family & Community Support Team, Adam Smith College, Barnardo's, Fife Voluntary Action and Fife Rights Forum.  Underpinning the success of the project is the effective and efficient sharing of information with partner agencies and key stakeholders through Fife Online Referal Tracking System. 

A holistic approach is being developed to capture and share information about whole families so encouraging complementary staged interventions, ensuring a reduction in work duplication and eliinating repetition for these families.