The Children First charity’s support line which provides families with practical, emotional, and financial help, will be expanded thanks to increased investment of £2million from The Scottish Government.

Linda Jardine, Director of Children and Family Services, Children First said:

“This funding is fantastic news for Scotland’s children and families, who often tell us that they don’t know where to turn for support.  Parents and carers, who are often stressed and exhausted trying to find the right help when they need it, will welcome this with open arms.

“By connecting families to joined-up practical, emotional and financial help through our support line, we will reduce the impact of poverty, strengthen families and make sure thousands more of Scotland’s children enjoy the safe and secure childhood, which is every child’s right.

“Children First’s support line is open seven days a week, 365 days a year. If your family is in need of help, our friendly and understanding support line team are here to help. Call us on 08000 28 22 33 or start a webchat at childrenfirst.org.uk/supportline.”

Children First support line

There is no need for referrals as families can reach out directly whenever they need support. The service is designed to provide immediate help at the point of contact, with follow-up support offered where necessary to ensure issues are resolved and families feel supported over time.

The funding comes from the Scottish Government’s Tackling Child Poverty Fund and the intention is for funding to continue on an annual basis.

First Minister of Scotland John Swinney said:

“During the cost of living crisis, there are families struggling to make ends meet and accessing help can often be overwhelming.

“We want to provide a better future for every parent and every child, and to do that we need to make support as simple, accessible and effective as possible.  

“That’s why we are pleased to be supporting Children First to develop a national front door for support, so that help is in the right place, at the right time.  Organisations like Children First play such an important role and I am pleased that we are supporting them to double the support they provide to families across Scotland.”

The Scottish Government investment will allow the charity to more than double the support it provides, including:

• immediate cash grants and practical tips on budgeting and debt management
• emotional support to help families manage stress and anxiety
• practical advice to navigate public services, helping to access things like childcare and housing
• connections for families to specialised support to help people get into and stay in work.

In 2025-26, the Children First support line has supported over 5,000 families nationally. This investment will enable the charity to expand staffing, enhance specialist expertise and increase Money Advice capacity, including helping people with their energy bills, ensuring more families can easily access support which is sustained for as long as they need it.

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