On Monday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon officially opened Harper House in Saltcoats, Ayrshire, a facility designed to allow parents with problematic drug or alcohol use to enter residential rehabilitation without the fear of being separated from their children.
Run by Phoenix Futures, who have operated a similar facility in Sheffield for the last 25 years, Harper House was awarded funding of almost £9 million over five years by the SNP Government to establish a family rehabilitation service, accepting referrals from across Scotland.
The facility can now support up to 20 families at any one time for placements of between three and six months long, meaning up to 80 families will be supported annually. Dedicated staff will support child development, parenting skills and the overall health and wellbeing of all family members.
The First Minister said:
“We are determined to make it easier for people with problem drug or alcohol use to access treatment, so I am pleased to open this facility and offer families the chance to stay together while parents receive specialist support in a safe, structured environment.”
Local MSP Kenneth Gibson added:
“I am delighted to have a facility like Harper House in my constituency contributing towards the SNP Government’s aim to treble the number of publicly funded residential rehabilitation placements to 1,000 by 2026.”
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