If you or someone you know is caring for a child who can no longer live with their parents and would like advice, support or information, you can contact the Kinship Care Helpline.
The Kinship Carer Helpline, run by ParentLine Scotland, is a national confidential helpline and web-chat service staffed by trained call-takers for kinship carers who need advice and support for a child or young person, including mental health and wellbeing issues.
Contact details
- Telephone: 08000 28 22 33
- Hours of service: Monday - Friday 9am to 10pm; Weekends 12pm to 8pm
- Website: The Children 1st Helpline
Service hours
Usually someone will be available, however it can vary, dependent on how busy it is. The Kinship Care Helpline will try to answer the call then offer to call back.
Calls from landlines and some mobiles are free.
Helpline services
When a parent or carer calls the Kinship Care Helpline they will be able to access direct help from trained call-takers who can offer advice and emotional support on any issue relating to the mental health and wellbeing of a young person.
The service also provides practical guidance which can be in the form of recommending a more specialist services, advocacy or on-going telephone support with a named call-taker. The Kinship Care Helpline may suggest that a parent or carer contact their GP who can offer help to get other kinds of support on behalf of a young person.
Parents and carers can call repeatedly and there is ongoing support however, this is very much based on an individual's needs. The Kinship Care Helpline offer 'case management' for up to 6 weeks of support from the same counsellor providing emotional support as well as practical guidance.
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