A GLASGOW group which provides emotional support to children who have a parent in jail haa been given almost £300,000 to launch a new service.

Families Outside has been given £299,667 to expand its Regional Family Support Service and provide peer-led support sessions for families.

The group was among 20 across Scotland to benefit from the latest round of Big Lottery funding.

Nancy Loucks, Families Outside chief executive, said: “Families Outside is absolutely delighted to receive this National Lottery award.

“The grant not only sustains the essential support we can provide to the most vulnerable families in Glasgow and North Strathclyde but also supports the development of new work promoting peer support for children and young people with a family member in prison.

“Such work creates an essential ‘safe space’ for families to talk about their experiences, helping them to process and address traumas they feel they cannot speak about with anyone else.”

Shakti Women’s Aid, which provides specialist support to BME women, their children and young people experiencing or fleeing domestic abuse, forced marriage or honour based violence, received £386,132.

The group will use the funding to expand their outreach service in Tayside, Perthshire, Forth Valley and the Lothians.

Maureen McGinn, Big Lottery Fund Scotland chairwoman, added: “Many of today’s funded projects will strengthen families’ ability to cope with a wide range of challenges.

“Whether dealing with the aftermath of someone going to prison, living with the emotional and psychological effects of domestic abuse or coming to terms with a child’s life limiting illness, these projects will make a real difference to hundreds of families, children and young people across Scotland.”