Support for parents helping children and young people

North East 

Leith Wellbeing Services (Leith, Drummond and Trinity) 

Leith Wellbeing Services is a partnership between The Junction, Citadel Youth Centre, Multicultural Family Base, Pilmeny Development Project, YMCA and the Ripple Project. They work together to support better access to mental health support in Leith and the surrounding area for young people and their families.  Most children and young people will attend schools in the Leith, Drummond and Trinity clusters.  The partnership offers the following for parents and carers- 

Group support 

  • Pilmeny Development Project and YMCA Edinburgh deliver two Emotional Health and Wellbeing Groups for girls. One for girls aged nine to 11 years and one for Girls 12+ years. Flexible support and signposting are also available to parents/carers of young people attending the groups. 

  • The Ripple offers a Wellbeing group work programme for young people aged 10 to 15 years. Parents/carers will be offered a place on an adult course at the same time as their children attend.  

Parent and carer support 

  • Citadel Youth Centre offer support to parents/carers of children aged 12 to 16 years. This can include one-to-one family work (parenting advice and emotional support); family mediation and peer support. 

For more information or to make a referral contact 

  • YMCA0131 553 7877 

Community Counsellor (Portobello and Niddrie areas) 

The community mental health counsellor works with primary-aged pupils and offers wellbeing support to families with primary schools in the Portobello and Castlebrae catchment area. Counselling offers a safe place for children and families to feel supported and listened to. The community counsellor can offer support to parents and carers with things like; 

  • improving parent-child communication and understanding the developmental changes of childhood 

  • Parent or child group work 

For more information contact your child’s primary school. 

Supporting parents and carers

We hope you can find the information you need, if you require help finding supports email us at

Thrive drop-ins

Thrive Welcome Team drop-ins are available to anyone from 16 years of age. Mental health practitioners can support with anxiety, depression, emotions, low confidence, carer’s mental health and wellbeing and more. For more information, visit

iThrive welcome team website

Support for mental health

The iThrive Edinburgh support directory can help you find support available for adults living and/or working in Edinburgh.

iThrive Edinburgh support directory webpage