Info

Aug 25

Alumina is a free, online 7 week course for young people struggling with self-harm aimed at 10-17 yr old.

https://www.selfharm.co.uk

Each course has up to 14 young people, all accessing the sessions from their own phones, tablets or laptops across the UK. The courses take place on different evenings of the week and are run by friendly, trained counsellors and volunteer youth workers. You don’t need an adult to refer you or sign you up, and no-one will see or hear you during the sessions – you’ll just join in via the chatbox. We want to help you to find your next steps towards recovery, wherever you are on your journey.

New

Childcare Connectors – a new service from OPFS which aims to help lone parents overcome barriers and access suitable child care. See more details here

Whole Family Wellbeing Fund – click here to read about the new projects offering support to children and families  that are starting up in Edinburgh from August 2024 

(June 2024)

Get Set 4 Autism provides support to parents and carers of autistic children and young people across Scotland up to the age of 18 years old.

This programme of support is available at any point in a family’s journey. Therefore offering pre assessment support to those whose children are on a waiting list for an autism assessment, but also post assessment support following an autism diagnosis.

The overarching aims of Get Set 4 Autism is to promote a greater understanding of autism, improve communication between parents and professionals, and ultimately equip parents and carers with the information and practical skills they need to enable them to better support their child moving forwards.

What can parents/carers expect? The support offered through Get Set 4 Autism is personalised to each family circumstances. The programme is therefore based on how parent and carers feel they would benefit from the support the most.

Find out more at Get Set 4 Autism | Scottish Autism

The Carers Act came into force in April 24 – Carers often report feeling tired, stressed and struggling to cope with managing their own physical and mental health, caring responsibilities and the demands of employment.This change means that employees are entitled to carer’s leave from their first day of work for their employer. Their employment rights (like holidays and returning to their job) are protected during carer’s leave. Employees can take up to one week of unpaid leave per 12 months, which can be used as a whole week or as individual days or half days. Further details can be found on the Government webpage on Carer’s Leave

Click Children in Scotland   to see links to agencies that can provide information and advice to families, children and young people.

Counselling Services – Pay what you can afford at PF Counselling Services

Enquire – Scottish Advice Service for Additional Support for Learning

Enquire offer independent and impartial advice and information to parents, carers, practitioners, children and young people about how pupils should be helped to get the right support to be successful learners.

They also provide a range of clear and easy to read guides and factsheets explaining everything from how to find out if your child needs extra help at school to what should happen when they leave school. See their Publications pages for more information.

Telephone Helpline: 0345 123 2303
Email: info@enquire.org.uk
Online Enquiry Service
Website

March 24 Click here to see a range of video links about supporting pre school aged children with autism

January 2023 – Resources for parents who have a child with an Intellectual Disablity can be found  here 

New – see the new Crisis  Guide – 18 pages of agencies and places to approach for a broad range of information and support  for people and families living in Edinburgh.

Please see here for resources and information for parents with a child with additional support needs – July 22

For information and advice if you have a child with additional support see what Salveson Mindroom can offer you here

The Early Intervention team at CAMHs have added two new Anxiety Resources to help parents support their child or teenager. You can  find all the resources on the CAMHS NHS Lothian website – Online Resources (nhslothian.scot)

New Resources include: A relaxation booklet for children

And a Self Help Guide for parents on supporting their child with anxiety 

Part 1 : Understanding and Talking about worries

Part 2 : Anxiety Traps

Part 3 : Overcoming Anxiety

Part 4 : Looking After Yourself and Further information

These new resources were developed by CAMHS and Psychological Services:

Parent’s Anxiety Workshops Recorded information sessions. These are also available in BSL.

Part 1: Understanding Anxiety https://vimeo.com/637899585/a4a632bd0c

Part 2: Supporting your child with anxiety https://vimeo.com/637889751/e2d94cf5d5

Computerised CBT for parents on Supporting their Child/Teen with Anxiety a module course you can work through at your own pace via the platform Silvercloud at  https://cyplothian.silvercloudhealth.com/signup/  this is free to sign up using the Access code: Lothian

This flyer also highlights some useful websites and resources and links to the adult mental health website Home – Wellbeing Lothian

On line workshops for Parents and Carers of children and young people who are experiencing anxiety developed by CAMHS Early Intervention Team

The supports available include:

• Access to recorded two part information session webinars- Understanding Anxiety and Supporting your child with anxiety. These are also available in BSL.
• Access to two online module courses for parents based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)- Supporting your Child with Anxiety and Supporting your Teenager with Anxiety.

Both courses allow parents to work through the course at their own pace, and suitable for parents looking to support their young person with worry and anxiety, while learning helpful strategies to manage their own anxieties. These modules are available via the platform Silvercloud. Sign up is free using the access code Lothian.

The workshops were oversubscribed and they have now released the recordings and resources. These can be found here

There is also information on some apps available for free across NHS Scotland for people 16+ on Sleep and Anxiety, and other useful websites and books.

Plus a link to the adult mental health website – Home – Wellbeing Lothian

Resources, developed by CAHMS for parents to help their children with anxiety and worry can be found here 

Resources for Young People, Parents, & Workers – October 2022   If you are looking for advice and information on how to talk to children and young people about self-harm and suicide, then use the links below to access 3 different resources:

• Communicating with Young People – Hopeline UK
• My SAFETY Plan – NHS Lothian
• Supporting Your Child – Papyrus

Support for Families  Information is listed by theme and can be found at :-www.edinburgh.gov.uk/supportforfamilies 

Click the text to find out more about Knowing your rights about Additional Support for Learning for children & YP – Sept 21

Shine Books is a series of inclusive children’s books, which help to raise awareness, remove stigma and normalise a range of conditions such as dyspraxia, autism and Tourette’s. You can find out more about them at www.shine-books.com.  See the range available here

Bright Deals – see a range of information about managing energy costs here

Speech, Language and Communication

Information, advice and support for families can be found at Let’s Talk.

Video clips and tips to help you and your child can be found here

 

Edinburgh Leisure  Carer Access Guide

Transitioning to Adult Services

For information about planning for your child’s transition to adult services please visit Talking About Tomorrow.

 

Contact – Understanding Your Child With Disability

Contact provide a range of useful information for parents. For more details, see their website and guide for parents.

The household benefit cap is being lowered to £385. All families with a dependent child on DLA or PIP, at any rate, are exempt from the cap. There are also now exemptions if you are entitled to Carer’s Allowance or get a carer element in your Universal Credit.

 

Family Advice and Information Resource

FAIR is an information and advice service for people with learning disabilities and carers in Edinburgh. They are an independent charity, set up in 1991 by parents and carers. The advice they give is free and confidential.

Tel: 0131 662 1962
Email: fair@fairadvice.org.uk

 

Child Poverty Action Group

Provides information and factsheets about benefits for disabled children and thier families.  Visit their website for further details.

 

Clothing

For information about how to apply for clothing in Edinburgh, please see our leaflet.

 

Euan’s Guide

The disabled access review website and app where disabled people, their friends and families can review, share and discover accessible places online.

The charity was created in 2013 by Euan MacDonald, who is a powerchair user, and his sister Kiki. They were looking to hear from other disabled people about new places to go, and Euan’s Guide aims to be a friendly, honest and empowering alternative to hours of web searching and phone calls before visiting somewhere new for the first time. The site now has thousands of disabled access reviews and listings for places all over the UK and beyond. To learn more about Euan’s Guide and disabled access reviews, visit their website.

Euan’s Guide would also be happy to speak directly to any organisation that wants to know more about how they can set up branded reviews or maybe help train potential reviewers.

Family Fund

The UK’s largest charity providing grants for families raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people. Last year, they provided 89,423 grants or services worth over £36 million to families across the UK.

They believe that all families raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people should have the same opportunities as others. Beginning with the most vulnerable, those on low incomes, and considering all conditions against their disability criteria, their aim to make a difference to outcomes for disabled or seriously ill children and young people and the lives of the families raising them across the UK.

They provide grants for a wide range of items, such as washing machines, sensory toys, family breaks, bedding, tablets, furniture, outdoor play equipment, clothing and computers. It can be a struggle financially, emotionally and physically for families raising a disabled or seriously ill child, and these grants help break down many of the barriers families face, improving their quality of life and easing the additional daily pressures.

For more information on Family Fund and what they can offer or support families with, please visit their website.

 

National Autistic Society

The Parent to Parent helpline provides emotional support for parents with a child on the autistic spectrum, delivered by parents.

 

Fabb (Facilitating Access Breaking Barriers)

Gives disabled children and young people access to sport, leisure and outdoor adventure.

Tel: 0131 475 2313
Email: info@fab.org.uk
Website

TalkTime Edinburgh

Specialist counselling service for young physically disabled people aged 12-25. Clients can either attend one-to-one sessions at our base at Norton Park in the Leith area of the city or they can access the same high quality counselling by Skype on their computer or mobile phone.

See our leaflet for further details.

Own It

A BBC website designed to help children build the digital skills they need to navigate an online world. Own It will continue to develop but already includes discussions with children about cyber-bullying, online privacy, how to avoid malware and more general advice on how to deal with the everyday dilemmas children face online. Own It focuses on equipping children with the appropriate skills they need to make the most of the Internet and support children to express themselves online both freely and safely.

Website

Other Services

Download our document on other services available to children with disabilities.