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 girls' 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 

  • YMCA 0131 553 7877 

Community Counsellor (Portobello and Niddrie areas) 

The community mental health counsellor works with primary-aged pupils and 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. 

North West 

BWell Together  

This North West community mental health partnership between Circle, Stepping Stones, Intercultural Youth Scotland, Granton Youth, Muirhouse Youth Development Group, Wester Hailes Youth Agency, Pilton Youth and Children’s Project offers a range of supports and therapeutic interventions to parents and carers including- 

  • An outreach family support service which aims to provide holistic support to children from age five,  young people and their parents/carers. Building resilience, parenting capacity and positive relationships to aid positive mental and emotional wellbeing. 

Referrals can be made by families, education, health professionals, social workers, other community projects and housing officers. For more information contact 

South East 

Back on Track (Liberton and Gracemount Area) 

This partnership between Home Link Family Support (HLFS), CrossReach and Goodtrees Community Centre offers a range of therapeutic interventions including art therapy, systemic family counselling, adult counselling and young person counselling. Parents and carer supports include: 

  • Adult counselling is offered for ages 19 years and above 

  • Systemic family counselling works across the generations.  

Requests are welcome from individuals, education, the voluntary sector, health, social work and any other organisation supporting the child, young person or family. 

Paula.s@homelinkfamilysupport.org 

South East Wellbeing Service (Boroughmuir, James Gillespie’s areas) 

This partnership between Canongate Youth, UEvolve, Edinburgh Lothians Greenspace Trust and Edinburgh Old Town Development Trust provides services and support to eight to 18 year olds and their parents and carers. It aims to support wellbeing through an early intervention approach. Most children and young people accessing support live in the Boroughmuir and James Gillespie’s catchment areas, including those that attend other schools like St Thomas’s. Support for parents and carers includes- 

  • Parents and carers drop-ins with the Crannie. 

Referrals are welcomed from individuals, education, the voluntary sector, health and social work. 

clare@canongateyouth.org.uk 

South West 

Wellbeing Together  

This South West partnership made up of Space@The Broomhouse Hub, Big Hearts Community Trust, SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health) and With Kids offer a range of supports with the aim of improving the mental health and wellbeing of five to 26 years olds in South West Edinburgh. Parent and carer support includes: 

  • one-to-one Parent consultation 

  • parent/carer workshops 

For more information visit the Wellbeing Together website 

Professionals or families can make referrals by completing the Request for Support form. 

Parent Anxiety Workshops  

These six short recorded information sessions, which have been developed and collated by NHS Lothian CAMHS and The City of Edinburgh Psychological Services, are based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), the recommended treatment for managing anxiety and worries. 
 
The information sessions will help parents and carers learn more about what anxiety is and how they can support their child to overcome it. The webinars can be accessed at any time by following the links below.  

Supporting Your Child with Fears and Worries Guide 

An NHS Lothian CAMHS self-help guide to help parents support their Child with anxiety and worries. The guide covers the following topics: 

  • Part 1: Understanding and Talking About Worries    

  • Part 2: Anxiety Traps    

  • Part 3: Overcoming Anxiety   

  • Part 4: Looking After Yourself 

Relaxation Exercises for Children and Young People 

Helpful Relaxation exercises for children and young people developed by NHS Lothian CAMHS.  

Supporting Children with Anxiety: Computerised CBT Course 

Parents can access these free module courses, one course is for parents of children and one for parents of teenagers. Parents can work through the modules flexibly at their own pace at any time on a computer, tablet or mobile phone. The courses are based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and are most suitable for parents looking to support their young person with worry and anxiety while learning helpful strategies to manage their anxieties.  
  
These modules are available via the platform Silvercloud.  

Access Code: Lothian  

Conflict resolution sessions 

These free online sessions are for parents and carers who may be struggling with conflict at home. Session subjects include:  

  • Understanding anger  

  • Growing up is never easy 

  • Family conflict triggers 

  • Understanding Emotions: Being Anxious and afraid 

  • Conflict response styles 

  • Bouncing Back – Resilience 

  • How to have that difficult conversation 

  • Feeling Connected 

  • Cranial Cocktail: Mind & Body Connection 

For more information and to book online training sessions visit the events page of the Scottish Centre for Conflict Resolution website.   

For useful resources on conflict visit the Scottish Centre for Conflict Resolution website or email  

sccr@cyrenians.scot.  

New Ways for Families Course 

Shared Parenting Scotland is offering this online training course plus coaching for separated parents. The support is intended to reduce the impact of conflict on your children, reduce stress levels and aid communication. Free places are available for parents on benefits or low income.   

For more information visit the New Ways for Families Course website or email David McLean at  

dm@sharedparenting.scot  

VOCAL parent's peer support group 

This service offers a range of support to parents and carers of children with additional support needs. These in-person peer support groups run on the first Friday morning of the month at   

60 Leith Walk  
EH6 5HB  

For more information visit the VOCAL website or email Megan Copley at  

mcopley@vocal.org.uk. 

Sleep Action  

Sleep advisors are available to offer individual one-to-one advice and support for any child in Scotland, aged 18 months to 18 years. Advisors are available Monday to Thursday from 10am to 4pm. Parents, carers and young people can access support and arrange a callback by emailing their contact details to   

Sleep Action  
60 Ravenscroft Street  
EH17 8QW   

For more information visit the Sleep Action website or contact 

enquiries@sleepaction.org  

Supporting children and young people with loss, change and bereavement 

All children and young people process and respond to loss and bereavement in different ways according to their age and stage.   

Find information and recommended resources to support children and young people.  

Transparentsees 

This group was founded and is run by volunteer parents, providing information and support to parents with gender-questioning children. Monthly Zoom meetings are open to parents following a discussion with an admin/group leader. Initially, email  

transparentsees@gmail.com and then a follow-up call can be arranged from a parent volunteer.  

Gambling and young people - Fast forward 

This advice and information booklet is for parents and carers on gambling and young people. 

Building Resilience - back to school tips 

These useful videos and tips are for parents and carers to use to support themselves and their children to become more resilient, develop the skills needed to cope with challenging times and feel safe and happy with attending nursery and school.  
  
For more information visit the City of Edinburgh Council's 'Building Resilience' website.  

Young Minds parent’s helpline, webchat, email and text service 

Young Minds provides information and support for parents and carers worried about a child or young person’s mental health via their helpline, webchat or email service. Support is available Monday to Friday between 9.30 am and 4 pm. 
 
To access the webchat or email service click on the chat icon on the bottom right of the Young Minds webpage. 

Use the Shout Textline for free, 24-hour mental health support.  

For more information visit the Young Minds website.  

To access the helpline, contact   

08088 025 544 

NHS mental health information station              

The information station provides information on a range of adult mental health supports. Drop-in is available on Thursdays from 10.30 am to 3 pm (no appointment required) at  

Walpole Hall   
Palmerston Place  
EH12 5 AW  

or you can speak with an NHS mental health professional by phone on Thursdays between 10.30 am and 3 pm  

For more information visit the NHS Lothian Mental Health Information Station webpage  

You can send enquiries and request a call by emailing  

MentalHealthInformation@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk.  

01315 378 688