If for any reason your child is involved in The Children’s Hearings System there’s lot of information and advice to support you on the Scottish Children Reporter Administration's website.

All children and young people who need to go to a children’s hearing can get free, confidential support and representation from a children’s advocacy worker. Advocacy workers can help children and young people understand their rights and make their views known at the hearing. You can find out more, including details for contacting your local service, on the Hearings Advocacy website.

Children First's support line is there for families – offering free emotional and practical help with anything that affects families on the phone, or by webchat. Parents or carers can talk things through with Children First on the phone: 0800 028 2233 or online using the webchat.

Children First is Scotland’s national children’s charity, working alongside families to build relationships and provide emotional, practical and financial help and support. They support survivors of abuse, neglect and other traumatic experiences to recover and help Scotland’s communities to protect children. Visit the Children First website to find out more or call the Children First support line on 0800 028 2233. The support line also has trained money advisers who can help with advice about debt, benefits and managing a budget. 

Child contact centres can play an essential role in helping children affected by family breakdown to maintain relationships with the parent they no longer live with, or with other family members.

Relationships Scotland provide child contact centres where parents who don't live with their children can see them. You can call their infoline on 0345 119 2020 or you can find the service nearest to you on Relationships Scotland's website.

More information on child contact centres can be found at Family Contact Centre.

Child Bereavement UK help children and young people deal with bereavement, and support parents and families when a child dies.

Cruse Bereavement Care is Scotland's bereavement charity. They help people cope with bereavement and support them with how to deal with loss.

Sands is the stillbirth and neonatal death charity. Founded in 1978, Sands exists to reduce the number of babies dying and to ensure that anyone affected by the death of a baby receives the best possible care and support for as long as they need it wherever they are in the UK.

Held In Our Hearts provide compassionate support to families following the death of a baby through their specialised bereavement services including befriending and counselling. 

SiMBA provide Memory Boxes to bereaved parents to help gather timeless and precious memories of their child.

SUDC UK supports any family whose child, aged between 1 and 18 years, has died suddenly and with no immediately apparent cause. They offer expertise in Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood, bereavement support, the child death process, genetic investigation, SUDC research and medical screening. SUDC UK nurses are registered children’s nurses who can proactively help bereaved children.

6,000 people start looking after someone each day. Carers Scotland offer advice and information to people providing care to family members or friends who need help because of disability, physical or mental ill-health, frailty or substance misuse. Call them on 0808 808 7777 or visit the Carers Scotland website.

Age Scotland is the national charity for older people. They work to improve the lives of everyone over the age of 50 so that they can love later life. Visit Age Scotland online or call their helpline on 0800 12 44 222.

Adoption UK Scotland is a national helpline for adoptive families or those planning to adopt in Scotland. You can call them on 08080 10 10 11 from 10am – 2.30pm, Monday to Friday or visit the Adoption UK Scotland website.