Who we are

Learn about our services and what we do.

We are a voluntary sector organisation that provides advice and support to lone parents and families in need all over Fife.

 

Our aim is simple: to provide accessible, approachable and non-judgemental support, advice and information to lone parents. We are the only voluntary sector organisation in Fife with charitable status that has lone parent families as the primary focus. Based in Glenrothes, we cover the whole of Fife, providing a variety of services to lone parent families, in their local communities.

We seek to empower lone parents and families in need to promote their wellbeing and opportunities. We offer holistic support through our various projects, working at the pace and timescale that is right for the parent to overcome barriers such as poverty, isolation, trauma and poor mental health.

Our values ensure that we protect all family members to the rights of privacy, safety and information.  We respect the right to family life and by clicking this link you can access our privacy and safeguarding policies.

Through the projects we deliver it is a privilege to get to know lone parents and families in need throughout Fife. With this privilege comes responsibility. A responsibility to not only deliver excellent family support services, but also to champion change.

Systems change is embedded in our approach. Fife Gingerbread listen and understand the complexity of the issues affecting families. With this knowledge we aspire to amplify the voice of families through our networks, partners and external communications. Campaigning for change in partnership with the families we support.

/ OUR APPROACH

Throughout all our work and projects our ethos to family support is:

Engage – connecting with families con be the most difficult but important part of our work.  Support Workers spend time to get parents to engage so that they can build a relationship with them that is healthy professional respectful and built on trust. This is key to the success of the support.

Support – is collaborative, an agreed action plan with the family, using Outcome Star to meet the needs of each member of the family.  This support is built on trust and designed to be empowering to the parent to develop confidence and self-belief so that they can manage their own families. This whole family support allows the family to progress.

Progress – this happens when families feel valued empowered and connected to their communities. Parents explore various avenues to support their own families as they have developed the skills required to manage barriers to full participation in their communities.  This can be no/less reliance upon targeted services, managing households, understanding their child’s needs, parents and children participating in learning, training and employment.

 

/ OUR VISION

“Better todays and brighter tomorrows
for Fife's lone parents and families in need”

We are fully committed to helping those in need to fulfil this vision. We provide holistic support tailored to suit each family. We do whatever we can to make sure families in Fife are given not only the help they need, but also a voice. They shape the support we deliver, and we help shape their future.

 

/ OUR HISTORY

‘Gingerbread’ was formed in London in 1970 by a mother looking for a specific support group for lone parents.
This start-up soon gained national interest, leading to Gingerbread were being formed throughout the UK, including Gingerbread Scotland in 1985.

Two years later (1987) ‘Fife Federation of Gingerbread’ was established, changing to Fife Gingerbread in 2002- an autonomous organisation

Over the past two decades, changes to financial support
and the needs of families in Fife have meant we have adapted
our approach, and in 2014 we widened our constitution to include vulnerable and disadvantaged families, whilst maintaining its
specialist support for lone parents.

Now, employing over twenty members of staff, Fife Gingerbread’s approach of Engage-Support-Progress is applied to all partnership projects and our volunteering work.

We have supported parents for 30 years and are a valued part of the third sector in Fife. Our staff and volunteers, past and present, have made a positive impact on the lives of many families in Fife. We hope to continue our vital work for many years to come.