Family Support
Free School Meals
Information about Free School Meals, and how to apply, is available from the City of Edinburgh Council, here: https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/schoolgrants
Mindroom Parent and Carer Peer Support
Mindroom will be restarting the monthly online Parent and Carer Support Group for Edinburgh parents and carers of neurodivergent children.
Our sessions are to help parents and carers share their knowledge and lived experience of supporting neurodivergent children. Each session will have a theme where parents and carers will have the opportunity to chat, to share strategies, anecdotes and what they have found useful.
The group will be facilitated by Ellen Cowan (Parent and Carer Support Specialist) and Pauline Hamilton (Parent and Carer Support Specialist).
The first group is on Thursday 10 September from 10.30-11.30am.
Centre of Psychological Therapies at the University of Edinburgh
The Centre of Psychological Therapies at the University of Edinburgh offers support for children, young people and their families by delivering evidence-based interventions for mental health and wellbeing. Access to the service is via a self-referral process.
This CEC website contains a range of supports available to families: https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/supportforfamilies
Edinburgh Family Support Partnership – Umbrella Hubs
We are excited to share with you information on the Edinburgh Family Support Partnership (EFSP) – EFSP – Umbrella Hubs. This new service provides early help within local communities where families can access a range of services to support their family’s needs. All families also have free access to wrap around support from the Children First support line, where they can also receive financial wellbeing support and guidance.
To access the EFSP-Umbrella Hubs families can simply pop along to one of our hubs (please see QR code) or they can give the Children first Support line a call or use the web chat function where support can be provided, if further assistance is needed families will be connected into the EFSP – Umbrella Hubs.
If you are a professional requesting support on behalf of a family, please can you fill out the attached request for support form and send this to efsp@edinburgh.gov.uk
Families Together Group
✨ Support for Families ✨
Neurodivergent Group opportunities:
. Teens group – YP aged 12 to 14 (in-person)
. Connect group – YP aged 13 to 16 (online)
. Young group – YP aged 14 to 18 (in-person)
. Neuropoint group – YP aged 16 to 25 (online)
Further information about Young Start and Neuropoint.
Are you the parent or carer of a neurodivergent child getting ready for the new school term and looking for a little extra support?
Check out supports available by visiting the Neurodiversity pages on the City of Edinburgh Support for Families webpages.
https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/additional-support-needs/neurodiversity
Find a range of other supports at on the other Support for Families webpages.
https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/supportforfamilies
or email supportingparentsancdcarers@edinburgh.gov.uk
#SupportForFamiliesNeurodiversity2025
Wellbeing Support for Families
The following links have great resources for families, carers and young people – including lots of recommended apps and counselling/support charities:
https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/supportforfamilies
https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/i-parent-carer-1/videos-support-wellbeing-parents-carers
https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/i-parent-carer-1/apps-support-wellbeing-parents-carers
https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/homepage/10540/mental-health-and-wellbeing-for-children-and-families
NHS – CAMHS Guides
We have information on NHS resources, as well as a Parent/Carer Anxiety workbook.
The link to a CAMHS resource page is in the NHS link below:
https://children.nhslothian.scot/parents-and-carers/support-and-further-information/
For further information on parenting and/or positive mental health please contact:
- Mental Health Foundation: www.mentalhealth.org
- Parenting Across Scotland: www.parentingacrossscotland.org
- ParentLine Scotland on 0808 800 2222
- YoungMinds Parents’ Helpline on 0808 802 5544
Family Wellbeing Service
This service aims to support both child/young person and their family depending on the individual family’s needs. The is accessible for all families where there is a child or young person aged between 5 and 25 residing in the North West locality.
FME/CE
Dear Parents/Carers
Your child/young person may be entitled to free school meals. To get more information about eligibility and to find out how to apply please click on the link below.
https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/schoolgrants
If you require any further help, please contact the school admin@broughton.edin.sch.uk
ND:Well Drop-In
ND: Well service is for Parents/Carers who have a neurodivergent child 5-24 years old who live in the City of Edinburgh. This includes children and young people with a diagnosis of autism, ADHD, and intellectual disability. Further information on the Drop-In session is here.
Edinburgh School Uniform Bank
Edinburgh School Uniform Bank (ESUB) is a local charity that supports pupils’ attendance inclusion, wellbeing and education by providing school uniform and other essentials for families who are facing hardship. In most instances, the best way to meet the needs of children and young people is to maximise the income of their household, but ESUB can help when families are in crisis and have no other way of accessing essentials or money to buy them. Further information is here
Financial Support for Families
Information on available support for those experiencing financial difficulties can be found here
Homelessness Prevention Support Guide
This guide gives information about advice and support services for Edinburgh residents regarding homelessness.
CHAI Advice
If you are worried about money, have problems with housing or struggling to pay some of your bills, the CHAI Advice Workers (Community Help & Advice Initiative) offer free and confidential appointments to help. Find out more here: CHAI Advice in Schools Leaflet
Help With Conflict
If you’re a parent or carer experiencing conflict at home, click here for information to help.
Autism Parent Information Sessions
Parent Information Sessions 2024-25
Exploring Autism & Social Communication Differences in the High School Years
(with updated recordings from OT and Speech Therapy)
Links to local and national supports: Autism Parent Information Sessions- Older Children and
Video Links Autism Parent Information Sessions -High School Years 2024-25
NHS Advice Line
Children and Young People’s Occupational Therapy service are pleased to inform you that they now have a telephone advice line for parents and professionals.
Support for Families
City of Edinburgh Council’s Support for Families information pages can be found on the council website at https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/supportforfamilies
They have transferred the valuable information on free or low-cost programmes, activities and groups available for families which was previously listed in their booklets and leaflets to this online version. It is hoped this will make it much easier for parents and professionals to find support when it is needed.
If you need help finding support for you or your child, email supportingparentsandcarers@edinburgh.gov.uk
Family Wellbeing Service
This service aims to support both child/young person and their family depending on the individual family’s needs.
The service is accessible for all families where there is a child or young person aged between 5 and 25 residing in the North West locality. This is NW locality wide service and open to all families, there are no age restrictions.
Lothian Sexual Health
If you live in West Lothian you can book an appointment at Chalmers, or phone 0131 536 1070 to speak to staff about your local support options. There is also a new ‘Hatch’ service for young people based at Crofthead Community Centre, Livingston.
Free School Meals
The Scottish Government has given financial backing for eligible families to receive Free School Meals in the holidays. Families on Free Schools Meals are also to receive a winter payment of £100 before Christmas to help with the costs of winter heating bills etc (more information to follow at https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot).
Families entitled to FSM and have children in P1 to P3 still need to apply for FSM to receive these additional payments (as well as a clothing grant). Families with Income-based eligibility should apply for FSM holiday payments at https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/xfp/form/221
Applications are now also being taken for the Scottish Child Payment- a payment of £10 a week for each child under the age of 6yrs in a household. Also The Child Winter Heating Assistance is a new £200 payment to help families of a child on the highest rate care component of Disability Living Allowance for Children to heat their homes. For further information and to apply families should go to mygov.scot/scottish-child-payment or call Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222.
For questions or information on any of the above please email childpoverty@edinburgh.gov.uk
Useful Resources
Please note that the following all link to external sites.