Being There looks at the prevalence of multiple unmet basic needs among people we support. The report also considers the barriers people face when accessing support and how we can help people to navigate these barriers.
Our findings show that many people supported by Future Pathways experience multiple unmet needs. This can include living in areas of high multiple deprivation or facing challenging life experiences such as homelessness. These circumstances can affect engagement with support and the nature of support itself. There are times when support must, by necessity, focus on responding to basic needs rather than working in an outcomes-focused way.
We also see that people with unmet needs face barriers when seeking to access support from other services. People can find it difficult to engage effectively with services that do not flex to individual needs. Experiencing such difficulties with services can result in people being unable to access support or sustain relationships with services. This can compound the very inequalities for which people are seeking support.
Barriers can erode a person’s sense of autonomy, choice and self-efficacy, leading to feelings of powerlessness, insignificance and worthlessness. For many people, such emotions are associated with previous experiences of abuse and neglect. It is crucial, therefore, that services develop an understanding of the signs, symptoms and impacts of trauma.
At Future Pathways, we find that a trauma-informed approach can effectively respond to the needs and outcomes of people with lived experience who are facing multiple unmet needs. Indeed, our approach can also create a bridge, connecting people to services beyond our own. By building trust, we can support people to engage meaningfully with other services, improve their relationships with those services and have their needs met.
The life experiences and personal outcomes of people supported by Future Pathways are significantly affected when people also experience multiple unmet basic needs. We are committed to learning more about this so that we can improve our service and ensure people can access the support that is right for them.
We also hope that by sharing our learning, we can advocate for positive change across other services. An inclusive, flexible, trauma-informed approach to support is essential if we are to help address the many inequalities experienced by people with lived experience.
Have you worked in partnership with Future Pathways? We want to hear from you.
If you work in the third sector or in a statutory service, we’d like to know what you think of Future Pathways.
At Future Pathways we support people who experienced abuse or neglect as children in Scottish care settings. A big part of the support we offer is helping people to connect and work with existing services, including third sector and statutory services. We connect people with services in a range of ways to help them access the support they need. We:
- Signpost people to support
- Refer people to support
- Support people to engage with services
- Help existing services to work effectively with people we support
We know that supporting people to access services is very important for many people accessing Future Pathways. So, we want to learn more about the true scope of this part of our support. We also want to hear what it is like for services to work with Future Pathways. And we want to hear how you think we could improve.
We know that our collective support can make a real difference. We think that working in partnership with existing services can have important ripple effects for people. For example, we think it might help people build trust with other services. We want to hear what you think about the impact of our work together.
If you have experience of working with Future Pathways, share your views with us. Your feedback helps us improve our service.
Survey runs 27 January to 10 March 2025.
All feedback is anonymous, unless you would like us to contact you about your feedback. You can read more about how we store and use information in our privacy policy on our website.
We are looking forward to attending SCVO’s The Gathering 2025. At this year’s event. We will have an exhibitor stand where you can find out more about who we are and what we do, and make connections with staff from across Future Pathways.
Join us at stand 39 on Tuesday 4 February and Wednesday 5 February to discover more.
We are pleased to have the chance to highlight our work and the difference we make. The Gathering is a fantastic opportunity to learn, get inspired and to connect with other services and organisations.
The Gathering is the largest free voluntary sector event in the UK and it is organised by the SCVO (Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations). This is an opportunity for Future Pathways and many other services to talk about the support we offer. The Gathering will take place at the EICC in Edinburgh on Tuesday 4 February and Wednesday 5 February 2025.
Role model
As I grew up and learnt about right and wrong and life in general it was very important to have a role model. One that I could go to and talk about the laughter and squealing in the playground and loud screaming voices in the classroom. Adding to the worry and the fear in my head.
And then I go home. It’s like trying to pull a grape skin over a tomato. Shouting in my face, Shhht, I want to hear this doesn’t help you socialise. TV and music can become your role model. When there is a lot of pain, fear and living inside your head. It’s dangerous struggling to adapt with friends, worried about fitting in, no one to go home to speak to about it. Walking way a lisp and talking way a limp.
Feeling worthless, no confidence, drugs dig you an early grave, drink burns your life away, makes you lonely and keeps you on the edge from dealing with things, worried about actions and consequences on the outside. Very loud on the inside, it’s like the largest freight train in the world with no driver.
As we go on in life, hold them, don’t hold them down.
As my adult life continues everything intensifies and jumping from pillar to post helps in ways but not the ways that matter. A learner driver needs a pilot.
I’m still inside my head, so confused by the past trauma and decisions that affects me still in day-to-day life. Trains needs a captain.
I’m still trying to forgive and forget. The harsh fact is that only I can keep the smile on my face and hope that my soul finds the mate that holds me. Every plane needs a co-pilot.
Because if I get held down, I will surely drown in a love that’s not real, no matter what I feel.
A ship needs a pirate in stormy waters.
A soul with no mate is a lonely race to face.
HOLD ME, DON’T HOLD ME DOWN
This information was updated 24 September 2025
This announcement is on behalf of the Scottish Government.
Future Pathways is funded by the Scottish Government and has been running since 2016.When a service has been running a long time, a review takes place. A review of Future Pathways was carried out earlier this year. This was to check how well the service is working. You can find out more about the review below.
You can read the summary report at the link below.
Who runs Future Pathways?
Future Pathways is delivered by the In Care Survivors Alliance. The Alliance is made up of four organisations. These are:
- Glasgow Psychological Trauma Service (NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde)
- Health in Mind
- Penumbra Mental Health
- Scottish Government
Why was there a review?
Scottish Government Ministers asked for this review to better understand how Future Pathways is working , and to see how the service could improve. This is a normal part of making sure that a service is working properly.
Who carried out the review?
An independent organisation called BDO were asked to do the review. BDO are finance and business experts.
When did the review happen?
The review started in November 2024. BDO’s final report was made available 1 September 2025.
What happened during the review?
BDO were asked to look at two parts of Future Pathways work:
- Part 1: Governance – This means looking at the decisions Future Pathways make. The In Care Survivors Alliance runs Future Pathways. BDO looked at how the Alliance works and the decisions it makes.
- Part 2: How Future Pathways supports people – BDO looked at how Future Pathways supports the people that are registered with the service.
When BDO looked at governance and support, they checked:
- how Future Pathways was working
- if Future Pathways processes and systems were working well enough
- if the Scottish Government ha d been clear with Future Pathways about how the service should work and what the service should do. This included checking how the service runs, and how Future Pathways uses its funding and resources.
What did BDO find out during the review?
BDO found some ways that Future Pathways could improve. These findings were shared with the Scottish Government to help ensure the service continues to meet people’s needs.
You can view a summary report of the findings at the link below.
If you would like a printed copy of the summary report, you can contact Future Pathways. Contact details are at the bottom of the page.
What is Future Pathways doing now?
Future Pathways is now working on improving the service. Future Pathways is:
- Strengthening communications between people registered with the service, Support Coordinators and the Alliance Leadership Team.
- Making sure that there is good communication about the support that is available.
- Helping people understand how Future Pathways makes decisions about the Discretionary Fund.
Future Pathways wants to make sure that people have a positive experience of support.
What will happen next?
The next step is to ask for the views of people registered with Future Pathways. This will help Future Pathways to understand more about how to improve.
Please note: there will not be any changes to Future Pathways until people who are registered with the service have been asked for their views.
Will my support be affected?
No. Your support from Future Pathways will continue as normal.
If you have questions about this review update
If you have any questions about this review update, you can contact Future Pathways:
Email: engagement@future-pathways.co.uk
Phone: 0808 164 2005 (lines open 10am-4pm)
Write to: Future Pathways, 40 Shandwick Place, Edinburgh, EH2 4RT