SCCR, funded by the Scottish Government, works to prevent youth homelessness by addressing its chief cause: relationship breakdown within families. Over the past three years, youth homelessness in Scotland has shown a concerning upward trend, making SCCR’s work more vital than ever.

The reception will feature a Ministerial Address from Maree Todd MSP, Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport, underscoring the Scottish Government’s support for the SCCR’s evidence-led, early intervention approach to tackling family conflict.

Maree Todd said: “Supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children, young people and families is a key priority for me and I am pleased to be attending the Cyrenians Scottish Centre for Conflict Resolution Annual Reception. 

“The Scottish Government is keen to ensure that every child and young person in Scotland has the right support, in the right place, at the right time to look after and improve their mental health and wellbeing.

“I would like to express my thanks to Cyrenians for their work in organising this event and look forward to sharing more on the work that the Scottish Government has done over recent years to improve the mental health support available to young people and their families.”

In the past year alone, SCCR has continued to share best practice in early intervention strategies across all 32 of Scotland’s local authorities. This has been achieved through high-quality digital resources, as well as online and in-person training events — including the sold-out BIG Family Event at Dynamic Earth last November.

SCCR’s commitment to innovation and education has also seen the creation of new educational resources aligned with the National Curriculum. These resources have received recognition from Education Scotland, who not only endorsed their quality but have also featured them on their official website. Further collaboration is on the horizon, with plans to work with Glasgow Science Centre.

Looking ahead, this year’s reception will provide a preview of SCCR’s forthcoming Learning Zone for Parents and Carers — a new section of the website designed to offer tailored support and guidance, set to launch later in March. This resource aims to empower families with the tools they need to navigate conflict and strengthen relationships, ultimately helping to prevent crises that can lead to homelessness.

Cyrenians CEO Ewan Aitken, added: “These are challenging times for our sector – as they are for the country at large. At times like these, it’s important to reflect on what we know works. The Scottish Centre for Conflict Resolution are at the forefront of a public health approach to homelessness prevention, promoting use of mediation and emotional self-knowledge to help keep families together. It is only through continued investment in work like this that we have any hope reducing homelessness for once and for all.”