A new project aimed at identifying families at risk of poverty before they reach crisis point is set to launch in Renfrewshire.
The “Family Poverty Insight Partnership” will use data from across council services and partner organisations to flag early signs that households may be struggling.
The initiative is being funded through the Scottish Government’s Child Poverty Accelerator Fund, with Renfrewshire Council leading the project alongside NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and the local health and social care partnership.
Councillors heard the project will focus on building a system that brings together data from different sources to create a more complete picture of household circumstances.
This could include information from areas such as housing, education, employability, health and advice services.
Once identified, families will be proactively offered support, rather than waiting until they reach crisis point.
Officials said support would likely be delivered through trusted professionals who already have a relationship with the household.
The project will initially run on a small scale and is described as an “innovation” programme rather than a direct service.
Funding of around £115,000 will support staffing and data analysis over the next two years.
However, councillors were warned the work is complex, particularly around data sharing and governance, and will take time to develop.
Officials said the system will be designed using existing data rather than collecting new information, with strict safeguards around privacy.
There are also plans to involve people with lived experience of poverty in shaping how the project operates.
Despite the challenges, the council said the project has “huge potential” to transform how support is delivered.
If successful, the approach could be expanded to other areas and help the council better understand which residents are accessing services and who may be missing out.