The following services are free:
Shetland Befriending Service
The Shetland Befriending Scheme offers a one to one support service to young people and young adults aged between 7 and 25 and to adults over 60 years of age. Our volunteers support individuals who can benefit from some additional input. There are a whole range of reasons why individuals may want to be part of our scheme but all can benefit from taking part in lots of different and exciting activities in their local community.
Contact: 01595 743907
Parent Link Shetland
A partnership between Voluntary Action Shetland and Parent Network Scotland set up to deliver parenting courses to all parents and carers in Shetland. Parent Link Shetland supports parents and carers by delivering voluntary training programmes throughout Shetland with the aim of helping parents develop their own skills to bring up confident, happy and cooperative children. Our courses are run by locally based facilitators with assistance from Parent Link Volunteers at times and locations to fit in with family life. We offer a wide range of courses for parents and carers of babies to teenager and all between. We work in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere not judging parents or telling them what to do.
Contact the Parent Link Coordinator on: 01595 743902
Child Protection
Protecting children and young people is everyone’s responsibility. All children and young people have the right to be protected and safe from harm and we all have a responsibility to help keep children safe. You may see or hear things which make you worry about a child’s care, welfare or safety. Everyone has a responsibility to report any concerns they might have about a child.
Please contact:
Duty Social Worker: 01595 74 4468
Out of Hours Social Work: 01595 695611
Lerwick Police Station: 101 or 999 in an emergency
In an emergency when a child has been seriously hurt or injured contact the emergency services by phoning 999.
The Lead Officer for Adult and Child Protection can give general help and advice and provide copies of the Child Protection Procedure. Child Protection | Shetland Child & Adult Protection Committees (safershetland.com)
Contact: 01595 744435
MS Society, Shetland (Minnie Wilson Branch)
Offers advice and information to people living with MS.Contact: 07748091078
They also have a Hyperbaric Chamber available.Contact: 01595 859376
Shetland Breastfeeding Group
Have you had a baby in the last 12 months? Are you breastfeeding a baby or toddler? If you are then please come along to the Shetland Breastfeeding Group at the Bruce Family Centre, Lerwick Fridays 12:30-2pm We meet in the playroom where there are lots of toys for your children and you can have a cup of tea, chat to other breastfeeding mums and relax.
Contact: 07789829388
National Breastfeeding Supporter Helpline: 0300 100021
Play Therapist
Play therapy allows children to express their difficult feelings in a safe and supported space, using play and creative art techniques. The therapist also offers a service of parent and carer support, when families may need some extra support.
Contact:
07557979579
Adult Learning
Adult Learning support adults and young people who:
- Are returning to learning and preparing for work
- May not normally take part in learning
- May have low initial qualifications
- Speak English as an additional language
- Want to improve their knowledge and skills in communities throughout Shetland
Contact: 01595 743888
Bruce Family Centre, Lovers Loan, Lerwick
The Bruce Family Centre provides a wide range of services, using a multi agency approachWithin the building we have staff from both Children’s Resources and Education and we work together to best meet the needs of individual children.
Our main functions are to:
- Promote early intervention
- Facilitate childcare through the administration of Isles Haven Nursery and Islesburgh Out of School Club
- Promote positive parenting
- Support vulnerable children, young people and their families
- Promote play
- Support childminders
- Support the education and development of children not attending school because of ill health or who are home educated
- Support pre-school children who have barriers to learning, either in a group or one to one setting, dependent on the needs of the child and family
- Support transition to nursery and school and work closely with families to ensure the smoothest possible journey into education.
Some of the services the centre offers are listed below but there is more detailed information on their page.
Incredible Years Parenting Program
The Incredible Years is a 14 week long program for parents and carers. There is more information about this here.
Playvan
Our Playvan visits a wide range of groups, including childcare providers, community groups, school nurseries, lower primaries and mother and toddler groups.
Play Day
Playday is the national day for play, traditionally held on the first Wednesday in August, locally coordinated by Bruce Family Centre staff, run by multi-agency representatives.
For further information about these services and to contact the Bruce Family Centre
Contact: 01595 745400
Email: BruceFamilyCentre@shetland.gov.uk
Shetland Link Up
Provides a free drop-in service for men and women who are recovering from problems with mental health and well-being. Open times are on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 11am - 2pm. Tea and coffee are available and you are welcome to share a snack meal with us. We chat or play games of various types. If you want to speak confidentially to a member of staff, we are happy to arrange it, staff and space permitting.Contact: 01595 693313 (If nobody is there, please leave a message and we will get back to you.)
E-mail coordinator@shetlandlinkup.org
8 Commercial St, Lerwick, Shetland ZE1 0AN
Anti-social Behaviour
Contact for advice and support, or to report any anti-social behaviour.Contact: 01595 744374
National Information
Children’s Health Scotland
Children's Health Scotland (formerly Action for Sick Children Scotland) is the only charity in Scotland dedicated to informing, promoting and campaigning on behalf of the needs of ALL sick children and young people within our healthcare system.
22 Laurie StreetEdinburghEH6 7AB
Tel: 0131 553 6553
Email: enquiries@childrenshealthscotland.org
Website: www.childrenshealthscotland.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChildrensHealthScotland/
Twitter: @ChildHealthScot
Capability (Scotland)
Working across Scotland we provide services, which can meet your need at every stage of your life from birth to older age. To make it easier to find what is relevant to you we have grouped what we do into four main services:
- Residential Care
- Support for Independent Living
- Education, Early Years
- Childcare and Allied Health Services
Contact: 0131 337 9876
Contact a Family Scotland
One in 20 children are born with a disability in the UK. Contact a Family is the only national charity that exists to support the families of disabled children whatever their condition or disability. With over 30 years of experience, our vision is that families with disabled children are empowered to live the lives they want and achieve their full potential, for themselves, for the communities they live in, and for society.Contact: 0131659 2930
ENABLE Scotland
ENABLE Scotland works with families living with learning disabilities throughout Scotland. We support parents with children who have learning disabilities from birth all the way through to adulthood. We also provide parents who have learning disabilities with support.Contact: 0300 0200 101
Enquire Scotland
We are the Scottish advice service for additional support for learning. If you’re worried your child might need extra help in school we can help you. We have lots of practical advice to help you find your way through the education and additional support needs system to make sure your child gets the most from their education. We also offer advice and information to practitioners working with families and to children and young people themselves.
Contact: 0845 1232303
Family Fund
Family Fund is the UK’s largest charity providing grants for families raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people.
Contact: info@familyfund.org.uk 01904 621115
National Parent Forum for Scotland
The role of NPFS is to support the relationship between home and early education / school and promote parental involvement in the broader aspects of a child's learning journey and the quality of childcare and learning provision.The Shetland representative on the National Forum is Fiona Nicholson shetland@npfs.org.ukThey have a regular e-newsletter which anyone can sign up for on the website.They also have support materials for parents related to the national curriculum, these are called Nationals in a Nutshell, written by parents with the support of Education Scotland and the SQA.
Updates and amendments to information should be notified to vas@shetland.org