Parent Carers

It might seem strange to think of yourself as being a carer for your child, young person or adult child as we often see ourselves as being a parent first and foremost.

If you provide care, assistance or support to your child due to any additional support needs or illness then you are a parent carer.  

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Who is a Parent Carer?

If you provide care, assistance or support to your child due to any additional support needs or illness then you are a parent carer.

This includes grandparents, separated parents, kinship care and blended families.

These additional caring responsibilities are often more than parents would usually expect to do for a similar aged child without additional needs. This care could include things like personal care, administering medication, emotional support, accessing the community, attending appointments, or supporting with behaviours that challenge.

We know that providing this care can be very rewarding but managing all these things can be overwhelming at times and can create additional practical, emotional and financial worries. These pressures might impact on your own well-being including your physical health, social connections, and relationships.

A few ways we support Parent Carers

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    Helpline

    Our phone line is available Monday - Friday 9am-5pm to provide advice and information to support you in your caring role.

    You can also contact via WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger or email.

    Get in touch
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    Emotional support

    This includes our counselling and wellbeing service, peer support groups and 1-1 bespoke support with our expert team.

    We’ll help you to access tools to achieve positive outcomes.

    Find out more
  • Yellow and blue abstract design with the word 'Practical' in bold on a yellow background.

    Legal & financial support

    Practical support including clinics such as our Power of Attorney clinic (with Solicitors for Older People Scotland (SOPS)), and our Financial Wellbeing clinic run with West Lothian Advice Shop

    More info on clinics
  • Breaks from caring

    Breaks from caring

    Whether it’s access to local attractions, vouchers for holistic therapies or a short break grant, we support unpaid carers to take a break from their caring role.

    Find out more
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What support is available for Parent Carers?

If your young person has additional support needs, an illness or disability then we encourage you to register with us to access support for you and your family.

The support we offer at CoWL for you as a parent carer includes:

  • 1:1 support

  • Listening ear

  • Counselling & wellbeing sessions

  • Practical support, information and advice

  • Peer support

People with additional support needs can be eligible to access a variety of supports to enable them to reach their potential during various stages of their lives.

Here at CoWL, we can help to ensure you are aware of the various supports available to you and your family and help you to navigate processes whilst signposting or referring you to appropriate agencies such as Education, Social Policy, and Health.

New for 2025 Family Fun For All

Creating Space for Fun, Connection and Rest.

We know that caring for a disabled child can be a full-time job—one that comes with love, pride, and joy, but also with exhaustion, isolation, and a lack of time to just be. That’s why we’re so excited to launch our brand-new project, Better Breaks, funded by Shared Care Scotland.

This project is all about giving families what they’ve told us they need: more opportunities to have fun together, more inclusive activities for their children, and—crucially—more chances for carers to take a breather.

Why Better Breaks?

We’ve been listening closely to parent carers, and the message is clear: there just aren’t enough inclusive, accessible activities for families to enjoy together. Many parents told us they struggle to find physical activity opportunities that suit their child’s needs, and that social isolation is a real challenge.

Better Breaks is our response. It’s a programme designed to bring families together, offer new experiences, and give carers a bit of time back for themselves. Whether it’s bouncing at Innoflate, building with LEGO, or enjoying a coach trip to the seaside, we’re creating moments that matter—for the whole family.

  • Activity Sessions with Xcite: These weekly sessions are just for disabled children, giving parent carers a two-hour break. We’re piloting this with Xcite and co-producing the sessions with families to include everything from team games and swimming to creative thinking and life skills. Four blocks will run, including one specifically for African families.

  • Innoflate Sessions: Imagine two hours of exclusive access to a giant inflatable playground! These monthly sessions are for disabled children, their siblings, and parent carers. Parents can join in or relax with a coffee while the kids play. We’re also running extra sessions for Chinese and African families.

  • LEGO and Sensory Sessions: These monthly sessions (with extras during school holidays) are open to the whole family. They’re a chance to play, explore, and connect in a relaxed, inclusive environment.

  • Coach Trips: We’re planning three summer day trips—to North Berwick, Blair Drummond Safari Park, and the Kelpies & Helix Park. Travel is by coach, and the whole family is welcome.

  • Family Passes: We’re offering free access to local attractions like Five Sisters Zoo and Almond Valley Heritage Centre—perfect for spontaneous family days out.

More Than Just Activities

Better Breaks isn’t just about fun (though there’ll be plenty of that!). It’s also about support. We’ll be on hand at sessions to offer 1:1 advice, signposting, and peer support. New carers will be offered income maximisation checks and help accessing Adult Carer Support Plans.

We know many parent carers don’t see themselves as carers—they see themselves as parents doing what needs to be done. But we believe that by supporting their children, we can help parents start to think about their own wellbeing too.

Better Breaks is about creating space—for joy, for rest, and for connection. We can’t wait to get started.

See events calendar below for Family Fun For All activity dates

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Denise, parent carer in West Lothian

“The Parent Space group is an absolute lifeline! Other local parents share their experiences & we offer each other support.”

Upcoming events.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Case study

Carol is a parent carer for three children in West Lothian.

Working closely with Carers of West Lothian, Carol has been able to complete her own assessment, and assessments for her children, to ensure they can access the support they need.

Where can I get support?

Education

Individual Education Plan (IEP)

What is an IEP?

An IEP is used to plan specific aspects of education for learners who need some modifications or changes to the curriculum so they can access appropriate learning activities. Some areas that the school will look at within the plan are literacy, numeracy, behaviour or developing independence. You should be involved in creating the plan will always involve you and include you and your child’s views. The plan should be regularly reviewed and updated. You will be part of this review.

Have you had a meeting with the school?

  • What kind of meeting was it?

    For example: was it a Child’s Planning Meeting or an IEP?

    A few things to consider:

    • Do you have the minutes?

    • What do they say?

    • Is there another meeting planned? If no, ask for one.

    • You can request a review.

  • Ask school for a meeting and check if an IEP is in place. You can request that other agencies involved are invited to the meeting.

    Prepare well for school meeting. List any concerns or questions and consider taking someone with you for emotional support and to take notes.

    Information for the carer:

    At meeting, do your best to discuss all the issues. You can request an IEP if this is not discussed during meeting.

    Set a review date or date for initial IEP meeting. Schools are responsible for arranging these meetings, but you can request one if they don’t.

    Should your child be at the meeting? This is an individual choice depending on the child and their age. It’s important that the child’s views are represented. If complex, would suggest they don’t attend.

    Ways to include child:

    • Invite them into the end of the meeting.

    • Complete the My Thoughts template with child prior to meeting.

    • Discuss with school.

    Please get in touch if you’d like to check in with CoWL after meeting for update.

    If you still feel like things haven’t been resolved, you can contact Enquire for support: Helpline: 0345 1232303 www.enquire.org.uk/contact/

Coordinated Support Plan (CSP)

What is an CSP?

You might have heard this term being used. It is essentially an action plan prepared for a child/young person who requires additional support within their education setting. The plan outlines the child’s additional support needs, their educational objectives and the support they need from the school as well as other agencies to meet these objectives. A CSP will be completed alongside any other agencies who are supporting your young person and will always involve you and include you and your child’s views. The plan should be regularly reviewed and updated. You will be part of this review.

Does your child have a CSP?

Have you had a meeting with the school?

  • Request a review to discuss:

    • Is CSP still meeting needs?

    • Have needs changed?

    School is responsible for organising review but parent can request if they don’t.

    Information we send to you:

    • Preparing for a meeting

    • Preparing for a meeting – parent carer.

    • ·My thoughts template – getting your child’s views.

    • Enquire. Additional Support for Learning: A Guide for Parents and Carers

    • Govan Law – Let’s Talk ASN leaflet.

  • Speak to the head teacher to see if the child is eligible for one.

    If eligible, prepare for the school meeting. List any questions or points to raise. Take someone with you for emotional support and to take notes.

    Information to send carer (in Working folder):

    If headteacher refuses and you still feel your child is eligible, contact ASN Team.

    If this still doesn’t resolve things, carer should contact Enquire for support. Enquire Helpline: 0345 1232303 www.enquire.org.uk/contact/

    Set a review date for CSP-usually annually. School are responsible for arranging these meetings but you can request one if they don’t.

    Should your child be at the meeting?

    This is very individual depending on child and their age. It’s important that child’s views are represented. If child has complex needs or issues, would suggest not.

    Ways to include child

    • Invite them to the end of the meeting.

    • Complete the My Thoughts template with child prior to meeting.

    • Discuss with school.

    Check in with parents after meeting for update.

    Meeting went well – reinforce what parent has done well and remind them we are here if needed.

    Meeting did not go well – Contact Enquire for support. Enquire Helpline: 0345 1232303 www.enquire.org.uk/contact/

Placing requests

Seek advice from Enquire and contact West Lothian Council.

Useful information to access:

  • Move to another school - West Lothian Council

  • Admission to specialist provision - West Lothian Council

  • Placing request information - Enquire

  • Choosing a School: a guide for parents - Scottish Government

  • Govan Law – Let’s Talk ASN Leaflet

If a placement request is rejected, can appeal. See advice and support from Enquire and/or Govan Law

www.enquire.org.uk/enquire-resources/

www.govanlawcentre.org/education-law-unit/

Supporting
our Parent Carers

“Jenny is a single parent who has three children with additional needs. Jenny had a period of depression due to her overwhelming caring role and CoWL supported her though that period with regular 1:1 emotional support by phone. We worked with Jenny to meet with a social worker to explain how complex her children’s needs are and to ensure she was going to be assessed for a break from caring. We encouraged Jenny to take time for herself, where possible, which was difficult due to one of the children’s school placements breaking down, meaning she often had her children at home. Jenny has been struggling financially so we were able to offer a West Lothian Advice Shop appointment to carry out a benefit check. The family were all experiencing high levels of stress, so I offered community passes to enable them to spend quality time together and make some good memories. Referrals were made for school uniform for the new term so the children could feel proud and included when they started school after the holidays. Throughout this process, we’ve offered Jenny a listening ear and practical support to enable her to move forward.”
— Support Worker, Carers of West Lothian

Supporting the whole family

Fiona works on our ROOTS project here at CoWL, with a focus on support for the whole family.

Working in partnership with Listening Link, Action for Children, Safe Families, Playworks, Firefly Arts and Children First, we meet with parent carers and young carers in a family to work out ways to achieve the outcomes you need as a family.

Your most asked questions

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About our support and services

  • Depending on your income and situation, you may be entitled to extra benefits such as Child Disability Payment and Carer Support Payment.

    We run regular Financial Wellbeing Clinics in partnership with West Lothian Advice Shop where you can take the opportunity to check any benefits you may be entitled to. If you’d like to book a session, or find out more, click here.

  • Our Financial Wellbeing Clinics can assist you to fill out any forms that you may be struggling with. If you’d like to book a session, click here.

    You can also get in touch with a member of our team who would be happy to advise you.

  • Our team cannot directly help with housing issues. However, we are here to help with any enquiries you may have including signposting, referrals and more.

    Please get in touch with us and we will try our best to help you.

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  • You can get in touchwith us Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm. For anything urgent, we recommend you call us for the fastest response.

    If you’re looking for out of hours support, West Lothian Social Work have an out of hours emergency line. Call 01506 281028 or 281029 to get in touch.

More questions?