Adoption UK
The only national self-help group run by and for parents of adopted children and foster carers. Offers support before, during and after adoption. Has a helpline.
Deaf Parenting UK
Run by deaf parents for deaf parents, Deaf Parenting UK offers parenting skills courses. Their website is a good online source of information for deaf parents.
Families Outside
Support and help with the emotional and practical difficulties imprisonment brings to a family. Has a telephone helpline.
Fostering Network Scotland
Provides learning and development opportunities for foster carers and fostering services, as well as information and advice.
Grandparents Apart
Provides counselling and support for grandparents who have been separated from their grandchildren because of family break-up.
Grandparents Association
Offers a range of support, including a helpline, welfare benefits advice, local support groups and information for grandparents.
MATCH (Mothers Apart From Their Children)
Aims to protect the good mental health of mothers living apart from their children for whatever reason. Offers non-judgemental emotional support, information and advice.
Mumsnet: by parents for parents
Offers advice and information for parents and families - anything from pregnancy to starting school to troubled teens. The website has parents' chatrooms.
Netmums
A family of local websites covering the UK. Each site offers information on everything from where to find playgroups and how to eat healthily to where to meet other mothers, and has a range of parenting advice from pregnancy to teens.
One Parent Families Scotland
Provides information to lone parents and others working with them, develops parents' confidence and employability, and provides flexible childcare. A telephone helpline service is provided.
One Space
Parenting website for single parents. It provides information for lone parents on issues including, bullying, parenting teenagers, life after separation.
Parentline Scotland
Free, confidential, parent support helpline for anyone caring for a child in Scotland. You can call about any problem, however big or small.
Scottish Adoption
Recruits adoptive families, and provides information, counselling and support to adoptive parents, birth parents and relatives, adopted children and adults.
Two becomes three
When you go from being a couple to being a family, it's important to look after your own relationship as well as looking after your new baby.
Young parent survival guide (OPFS)
The guide has key information and advice for young parents including information for dads, coping with doctors, hospitals and clinics, housing issues and continuing your education.
Aberlour Childcare Trust
Supports families affected by disability, drugs and alcohol, behaviour problems and emotional difficulties.
Adfam: families, drugs and alcohol
Real stories by families affected by substance misuse and the opportunity to share your own story. Information about helplines and local support for families of addicts.
Barnardo's Scotland
Barnardo's have over 60 projects and services for children, young people and families in Scotland, including fostering children and family support.
CHILDREN 1st
Offers support for families under stress; protects children from harm and neglect; gives support for children recovering from abuse.
Fife Gingerbread
Supports anyone who is bringing up children on their own in Fife. Services include home visits, single parent support groups, support for students, family activities.
Home Link
Provides support and befriending to families with young children who are under stress and experiencing difficulties in South Edinburgh and Midlothian.
Home-Start
One-to-one support, practical help and friendship to families with young children. Telephone helpline service.
Action on Depression
A range of services to help with depression, including phone and email support, community courses, self-help support groups and online services.
Birth Trauma Association
Supports all women who have had a traumatic birth experience leading to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
British Dental Health Foundation
Have a helpline, and their website includes a lot of useful information including dental care for mother and baby, children's teeth.
Compassionate Friends
Offers a free confidential support and information helpline for those affected by the loss of a child.
Drinkline and Drink Smarter
Helpline for anyone who wants more information about alcohol, local services that can help, or simply to talk about drinking and alcohol issues. There's also a website 'Drink Smarter' about sensible drinking.
Kids and food (Netmums)
Ideas for getting your child into food and cooking, including simple cooking skills breakfasts, snacks, lunchbox ideas, party food and food allergies.
NHS 24
If you or your child is feeling ill call the NHS 24 helpline. Alternatively use the self-help guide on the website.
NHS Inform
NHS Scotland's health information service. Includes a health A-Z, common health questions, local and national support groups directory, and news on health issues.
Samaritans
Provides confidential, non-judgemental emotional support, 24 hours a day by phone or email.
Scottish Domestic Abuse
Domestic abuse helpline and website offering confidential help and advice to people who are affected by abuse and their children.
Two becomes three
When you go from being a couple to being a family, it's important to look after your own relationship as well as looking after your new baby.
Birthlink
Offers a range of services for people separated by adoption, and for adoptive parents. These include tracing people, go-between, information on accessing birth records and an after adoption information line.
Citizens Advice Scotland
Network of centres (CABs) all over the country, giving advice on money and rights, including consumer rights, discrimination and employment rights.
Equality Network
Campaigns for equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Scotland. Website includes a rights section.
Families Need Fathers Scotland
Provides information and support to parents of either sex to maintain a child's relationship with both parents during and after family breakdown. Has a telephone helpline.
Govan Law Centre
A charitable community-managed law centre providing a range of free and low cost legal services throughout Scotland.
Kinship care (Adviceguide)
Rights and financial information for carers of a relative or family friend's child - from Citizens Advice Scotland. A specialist telephone helpline is also available.
Maternity Action
Information about employment rights, welfare benefit rights and health care rights for parents. They have a helpline.
Relationship problems (Adviceguide)
What you need to do if your relationship has broken down and you are splitting up, whether you are living together, married or in a civil partnership.
Scottish Child Law Centre
Legal advice for and about children and young people. Provides a telephone helpline, email and text service for under 18s. Parents and carers can call the general office phone line.
Scottish Children's Reporter Administration
The centre of the child protection and youth justice system for children in Scotland (Children’s Hearings System). Website provides information for parents and carers whose children have been asked to attend a hearing.
Working Families
Information service for working mothers, fathers and carers on employment rights, tax credits and in-work benefits, maternity and paternity rights, and flexible working options.
Young people's rights (Adviceguide)
Information on the rights of children and young people in Scotland. Includes proof of age, discrimination, human rights, nationality and immigration, punishment, religion and voting.
Benefits (gov.uk)
Benefits information from the government, including benefits for families, child benefit and housing benefits.
Child Maintenance Options
Impartial information for both parents about child maintenance after divorce and separation. Telephone helpline service is provided.
Citizens Advice Scotland
Network of centres (CABs) all over the country, giving advice on money and rights, including consumer rights, discrimination and employment rights.
Kinship care (Adviceguide)
Rights and financial information for carers of a relative or family friend's child - from Citizens Advice Scotland. A specialist telephone helpline is also available.
Lone parents rights guide 2013 (OPFS)
The lone parents rights guide contains all the information you need to know about what benefits you are entitled to, maternity rights at work, housing options, arrangements for your children after separation and divorce, and childcare.
Maternity Action
Information about employment rights, welfare benefit rights and health care rights for parents. They have a helpline.
Money Advice Service
Free, impartial financial advice and information available online, over the phone or face to face.
Paying for childcare
Website where you can find out about the financial support you may be able to receive to help with the costs of childcare.
Relationship problems (Adviceguide)
What you need to do if your relationship has broken down and you are splitting up, whether you are living together, married or in a civil partnership.
Working Families
Information service for working mothers, fathers and carers on employment rights, tax credits and in-work benefits, maternity and paternity rights, and flexible working options.
Changing family
If you're thinking of introducing a new partner to your children, we've got some helpful tips on how to handle the change, making the whole process a bit easier for everyone.
Families Need Fathers Scotland
Provides information and support to parents of either sex to maintain a child's relationship with both parents during and after family breakdown. Has a telephone helpline.
Relationship Helpline
A helpline operated by SMC offering relationship, marriage counselling and pre marriage counselling to couples and individuals of all ages and stages in their relationship. Also offers specialist services for young people and young parents.
Relationship problems (Adviceguide)
What you need to do if your relationship has broken down and you are splitting up, whether you are living together, married or in a civil partnership.
Relationships Scotland
National network of local services providing relationship and marriage counselling, family mediation, child contact centres and other family support services. Formed in 2008 through the merger of Relate Scotland and Family Mediation Scotland.
SMC
Offering relationship and marriage counselling to couples and individuals of all ages and stages in their relationship. Our local centres are found across Scotland. Also offers specialist services for young people and young parents. Helpline available.
Two becomes three
When you go from being a couple to being a family, it's important to look after your own relationship as well as looking after your new baby.
50 things to do before you're 11¾
Some ideas from the National Trust to get your kids off the sofa and out into the great outdoors! Has safety tips and advice for parents.
Activity Village
Free craft activities, games and puzzles for kids to do, including colouring, origami and sudoko.
Day out with the kids
Useful listing of places you can go with your children: museums, play areas, country parks, wildlife centres, beaches, swimming pools and play centres.
Free family fun (Netmums)
Ideas for free activities to do with kids: places to go, games to play, arts and crafts, having fun at home and on rainy days.
Kids and food (Netmums)
Ideas for getting your child into food and cooking, including simple cooking skills breakfasts, snacks, lunchbox ideas, party food and food allergies.
Phototrails
Countryside walks and trails that have been rated for their accessibility.
Planet Science
A wide range of scientific experiments and activities that your kids can do with or without you.
Primary Times
What's on magazine and website for parents, pupils and staff of primary schools.
Set4Sport
Set4Sport is all about playing games and having fun with your child.
Young Scot
Information for young people (age 11-26) including things to do such as clubs, sports, and volunteering.