Resources for: Parenting and Families and Age 5-11
Information on local supports and services for parents and families to help with mental health and wellbeing.
Awestruck Academy Creative Arts and Media Centre
Awestruck Academy is a vibrant creative centre in Clydebank offering free or low-cost classes in music, art, media, digital tech, gaming, and podcasting to all ages. They host community events, exhibitions, and a dedicated “Gaming Zone” with consoles and VR—alongside a coffee bar, creche, and chess club. Their friendly, inclusive space fosters confidence, creativity, and community connection.
Web: www.awestruck-academy.org.uk/
Bellsmyre Development Trust
Bellsmyre Development Trust runs the Cutty Sark Centre in Dumbarton, a community hub offering free activities and support for all ages. They provide youth clubs, family events, gardening projects, employability drop‑ins, computer access, and counselling. It's a friendly space to get involved, meet others, and build new skills.
Phone: 01389 730111
Web: www.bellsmyretrust.org.uk
Centre 81
Centre 81 is a community hub in Whitecrook, Clydebank. It offers a wide range of activities and services for all ages, including fitness classes, IT and art workshops, a low-cost gym (Gym81), a café (Café81), and rooms for hire. The centre also hosts the ISARO Community Initiative, providing support for ethnic minorities, and Social Security Scotland's Local Delivery Service, assisting with benefit applications.
Phone: 0141 533 7070
Web: www.clydebank-ha.org.uk/community/centre81/
KIDS - Kids Independently Developing Skills
A helpful site with easy-to-understand health advice for kids, parents, and carers. Find tips on keeping your child healthy, spotting common illnesses, and knowing when to get extra help. You can find out about attending hospital and clinic appointments, with examples of children and young people’s experiences with health services. There are also links to supporting websites and other sources of help.
Web: https://www.rhcg.org.uk/kids-for-families/
SafeCall
Safecall can help if you are thinking about running away, if you have already run away, or if you have been away and come back. You can also contact if you are worried that someone else is going to run away or if they are being treated badly or abused.
Helpline number: call or text 116 000
Web: https://safecall.org.uk/
Think You Know
Web: www.thinkuknow.co.uk/
WD Health Visiting and School Nursing Services
Web: http://www.wdhscp.org.uk/children/health-visitors-and-school-nursing-services/
WDC Libraries for Babies and Children
Web: www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/libraries/libraries-for-children-and-babies/
WDC Schools and Learning
Web: www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/
Kinship Care West Dunbartonshire
Provides support for kinship carers in West Dunbartonshire. They offer a network of resources, advice and community connections to help those raising children who cannot live with their parents.
Web: www.facebook.com/kinshipcarewestdunbartonshire
Internet Matters
dedicated to helping children and young people aged 3-18 stay safe online. They provide free, expert-backed resources tailored to different ages, online activities, and specific needs, including support for neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, and care-experienced children. Their tools include age-specific guides, conversation starters, and digital safety checklists, all designed to empower parents, carers, and professionals to navigate the digital world confidently
Web: https://www.internetmatters.org/
Scotland's Children's Reporter Administration
Phone: 0131 244 8540
Web: https://www.scra.gov.uk/
Whizz Kids
Web: https://www.whizz-kidz.org.uk/
Contact
A charity offering information, guidance, and emotional support to families raising disabled children from birth up to age 25, regardless of diagnosis. They provide a national helpline, Listening Ear telephone therapy, expert parent guides, and workshops on topics like benefits, education, sleep, and wellbeing . Regional offices run family events such as accessible outings and coffee mornings.
Helpline number: 0808 808 3555
Web: https://contact.org.uk/
The Speech Language Communication Company
Helpline number: 01382 250060
Phone: 01382 202644
Web: https://www.speech-language-communication-company.uk/
Childnet
Childnet helps kids and teens stay safe and have fun online. They’ve got cool games and videos that teach you how to spot tricky situations like fake news or bullying, and how to be kind online. You can also find tips for parents and teachers, plus ways to help your friends be safe too. It’s all about making the internet a better place for everyone!
Web: https://www.childnet.com/
Connecting Scotland - Digital Skills
Digital skills resources for families, children and young people, bringing together tools and guidance to support safe, confident use of the internet. Topics include online safety, fake news, managing screen time, privacy and digital wellbeing. It is ideal for parents, carers, youth workers and young people looking to build digital confidence.
Web: https://connecting.scot/digital-champions/digital-skills/families-children-and-young-people
Clydebank Can
Clydebank Can is a community-based project that aims to bring to life the canal and bandstand area of Three Queen’s Square in Clydebank. It will bring more arts and leisure activities into the area for local people to enjoy, giving everyone in the community more opportunity to take part in events and activities which improve health and wellbeing, and increase social and economic activity in the area.
The website also contains a 'What's On' section with a wealth of information on local events, clubs, activities and more.
Web: https://www.clydebankcan.com/
Play Scotland
Web: https://www.playscotland.org/
HENRY Healthy Start, Brighter Future
HENRY provides a wide range of support for families from pregnancy to age 12 including workshops, programmes, resources and online help.
Early Years Scotland is delivering the Healthy Families Right from the Start 0-5 and Healthy Families Growing Up 5-12 programmes, along with a range of Stay Play & Learn workshops, in West Dunbartonshire.
Phone: 07387 414 287
Web: https://earlyyearsscotland.org/henry/
Hollie Guard app
A free personal safety app from the Hollie Gazzard Trust. It lets you discreetly send an alert by shaking your phone or tapping a button that shares your location and live audio/video with your emergency contacts. Features include journey tracking, meeting timers, fall detection, and “stealth” or “deterrent” modes to help you stay safe in risky situations.
Web: https://hollieguard.com/
WDC Education - Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC)
Web: https://www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/schools/additional-support-for-pupils/getting-it-right-for-every-child-girfec/
Child Bereavement UK
Helpline number: 08000 288 840
Web: https://www.childbereavementuk.org/
Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Speech and Language Therapy
Weekly Therapy Advice Lines in West Dunbartonshire
Speech & Language Therapy
For advice about your child’s speech, language or communication:
- Tuesday, 11am–1pm: 01389 828265
- Thursday, 11am–1pm: 0141 562 8862
Occupational Therapy
For questions or worries about a child’s self‑care, play or school skills:
- Tuesday, 1:30pm–4pm: 0141 531 6536
- Friday, 9:30am–12 noon: 0141 531 6536
Physiotherapy
For concerns about movement development or recovery from joint pain/injury:
- Thursday, 2pm–4pm: 01389 817246
If the line is unavailable, please try again the following week.
Web: https://www.nhsggc.scot/hospitals-services/services-a-to-z/specialist-childrens-services/contact-us/