Community members joining health visitors

The groundbreaking work of the Starting Well Health Demonstration Project is currently being discussed at the British Psychological Society's Division of Educational and Child Psychology conference in Paris. The 3m project, which offers intensive support for families in the home and gives them access to facilities in the community, has already helped 1,800 families in two of the Scottish city's poorest areas. It is now entering its second phase after being funded initially for three years when it was established in 2000.

Dr Linda de Caestecker, a consultant in public health medicine, and Dr Michael Ross, a consultant clinical psychologist with Greater Glasgow NHS Board, are presenting evidence to the conference that multidisciplinary team working is having a profound impact on children in the disadvantaged areas of Greater Easterhouse, the Gorbals, Govanhill and North Toryglen. A key element in the project's success has been its ability to blend the skills and expertise of primary care health professionals and the local knowledge of the lay support workers.