Get help or support
Here you can find a list of organisations that can help with different problems. We have organised them by topic.
Immediate Help / Crisis Support
Commonly used
- Childline — 24/7 support for young people.
- SHOUT — crisis text support.
- Breathing Space (16+) — mental health support.
- NSPCC Helpline — concerns about a child’s safety.
- Rape Crisis Scotland — support for survivors of sexual violence.
More organisations who can help
- Fearless — anonymous safety reporting (Crimestoppers youth service).
- No Knives Better Lives — violence prevention resources.
Legal Rights & Advocacy
Commonly used
- Clan Childlaw — free legal advice for children & young people.
- Scottish Child Law Centre — legal helpline for under‑18s.
- JustRight Scotland — legal support for human rights, asylum, trafficking.
- Guardianship Scotland — specialist support for unaccompanied asylum‑seeking children (UASC) and trafficked children.
More organisations who can help
- Scottish Refugee Council — refugee family support.
- Citizens Advice Scotland — money, housing, benefits, rights.
- Action for Children – Parent Talk / Sidekick — practical rights‑based advice.
- Community Justice Scotland — information and directory of supports.
Youth Voice, Participation & Care Experience
Commonly used
- Who Cares? Scotland — advocacy and rights for care‑experienced young people.
- Our Hearings, Our Voice — participation for children in the CHS.
- CYCJ — information and support for youth justice.
More organisations who can help
- Children’s Parliament — children’s rights participation.
- National Leadership Network — youth leadership and advocacy.
- Kinetic — supports young people in or at risk of justice involvement.
Family Support & Relationships
Commonly used
- Children 1st — trauma, money issues, family support line.
- One Parent Families Scotland — practical and emotional support for single parents.
- Families Outside — support for families impacted by imprisonment.
- Scottish Centre for Conflict Resolution — help with family conflict.
More organisations who can help
- Barnardo’s Scotland — services for families, trauma, exploitation.
- Aberlour — urgent assistance fund, family support.
- Includem — intensive support for families and young people in crisis.
- Interventions for Vulnerable Youth (IVY) — support for young people involved in serious harmful behaviour.
Health, Mental Health, Wellbeing & Identity
Commonly used
- Kooth — free online counselling for young people.
- LGBT Youth Scotland — LGBTQ+ support.
- See Me Scotland — mental health stigma support.
- Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol & Drugs (SFAD) — support for families.
More organisations who can help
- Youth Community Support Agency — support for BME children, young people and families.
- Cruse Scotland — grief and bereavement support.
- Enable Scotland — learning disability support.
- Crew 2000 — harm reduction.
- Talk to Frank — drug information.
- The Yard — support for disabled children and young people.
Practical Support (Money, Housing, Youth Work, Education)
Commonly used
- Shelter Scotland — housing and homelessness.
- Centrepoint — homelessness support for young people.
- Scottish Welfare Fund — crisis grants and community care grants.
More organisations who can help
- Turn2Us — hardship grants and financial advice.
- YMCA Scotland — youth clubs and activities.
- Youth Scotland — local youth groups network.
- Robertson Trust — education and scholarship support.
Justice-Specific Support (custody, victims, reintegration)
Commonly used
- Victim Support Scotland — support after crime.
- Families Outside — families affected by imprisonment.
- Sacro — mediation, mentoring, and restorative justice.
More organisations who can help
- Fearless (Crimestoppers Youth) — anonymous crime reporting.
- SPS Family Contact — information for families of people in custody.
- Community Justice Scotland — support directory for people involved in justice.