Your Resources Results

Aberlour supports children, young people, and families across Scotland with practical and emotional help. Services include:

• Support for families affected by addiction

• Residential care and fostering

• Early years and disability support

• Early intervention

• Urgent Assistance Fund – providing emergency cash grants for families struggling with food, heating, clothing, and other essentials. Families must have a child under 21 and be facing extreme hardship. Applications are made by a professional (e.g. social worker or health visitor) through the Aberlour website.

Breathing Space is a free, confidential phoneline for anyone in Scotland over the age of 16 who is feeling low, anxious or depressed.

Amina MWRC offers a range of programmes to support, empower and improve the lives of Muslim and BME women living in Scotland. It provides a helpline and webchat for confidential support and advice, telephone befriending, employability support, financial advice and advocacy, and a preventative programme to challenge misogyny and violence against women in the Muslim and BME communities.

Scotland’s Baby Box (Parent Club) is a free, expertly curated box of essential clothing, bedding, and baby care items packed to give every newborn a great start and serve as a safe sleep space for the first few months . Registered by your midwife around 20–24 weeks, it’s delivered before your due date and includes everything from vests and a mattress to practical items like blankets, thermometer, and baby-care tools—designed to support parenting and early bonding. 

mygov.scot – Benefits in Scotland is the Scottish Government’s official site for information on social security and benefits. It covers disability, carers, family support, heating help, crisis funds, and more, with guidance on eligibility, claims, and appeals. The site also links to support services like financial advice and independent advocacy.

Blue Triangle Housing Association offers safe, trauma-informed housing and support services for people experiencing homelessness in West Dunbartonshire. They provide supported accommodation, outreach, and family services to help individuals move towards independent living.

Buttle pay for things for children and young people whose parent or carers cannot otherwise afford. Applications are strictly for children who have experienced a recent crisis that had a significant and lasting impact on their social wellbeing, emotional wellbeing and educational engagement. All three areas of the child’s life must have been impacted. The family must also be engaging with supports as applications must be submitted by professionals such as social workers or charity staff who are working directly with the child or young person.

CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) is a UK charity supporting anyone feeling down or struggling with life. Aimed mainly at young people and men, the site offers free advice, real stories, and help with issues like mental health, loneliness, and suicidal thoughts. It’s all about taking a stand against feeling rubbish, because you’re not alone. Helpline 5pm -midnight and webchat open 365 days a year

BBC Children in Need Emergency Essentials Programme supports children and young people who are facing exceptionally difficult circumstances. The programme provides items that meet a child’s most basic needs such as a bed to sleep in, a cooker to provide a hot meal and other items or services critical to a child’s wellbeing. All applications must be made by a registered referrer.

free, confidential, impartial advice for local residents on a wide range of issues including benefits, debt, housing, employment, consumer rights, and relationships. Their skilled advisers offer tailored support, helping people understand their rights, explore options, and resolve problems, often working with partner agencies when needed. The service operates across West Dunbartonshire, including outreach visits and a telephone advice line, ensuring accessible support to all in the community

The Family Holiday Charity helps families get time away together, often for the first time ever.

Glasspool provides timely, small, one-off grants to individuals, couples and families for everyday items to help them cope when things get tough, equip them to manage better day-to-day and enable them to build a stronger future. Applications are invited via the website from support agencies on behalf of the people they support.

Home from Home can help with furniture, white goods, electrical items, crockery, cutlery, bedding, towels etc if you are on: Income support, Jobseeker’s allowance, Pension credits, or Disability Living allowance

Shout is the UK's first and only free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope.

The Mix is a UK based charity that provides free, confidential support for young people under 25 via online, social and mobile.

Turn2Us helps people in financial need gain access to welfare benefits, charitable grants and other financial help - online, by phone, or face to face through our partner organisations.

Empowering people affected by crime. Includes information on Emergency Assistance Fund, available to any victim of crime who is in urgent need of financial help as a direct result of a specific crime and has no means of accessing funding from any other source.

The Strategic Skills Pipeline is a key element in West Dunbartonshire's employability and employment strategy. The Pipeline provides a route map identifying national and local service provision that is available to support residents into employment through a staged process, at the core of which, is the identification of individual need.

Free period products are available to anyone that needs them across West Dunbartonshire in community venues including health centres, libraries, community centres and leisure centres. Simply drop in and pick up what you need. Don’t worry, we won’t ask any awkward questions.

A local charity providing essential support to families and individuals across West Dunbartonshire. They deliver emergency food parcels as well as toiletries and household essentials, with next working day home delivery available throughout the week. Additional services include a School Uniform Bank, Babybank, School Holiday Brunch Bags, Fuel Bank vouchers, and a Christmas Toybank. The organisation operates on a no‑referral or self‑referral basis and plays a vital role in reducing food insecurity and building community resilience.

Advice and information on benefits and grants managed by the council and central government including: Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction Benefits, Home repair assistance grant, Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods, Scottish Child Payment and cost of living advice

West Dunbartonshire Council Working4U service was established to improve the quality of lives of West Dunbartonshire residents by assisting them to overcome barriers to social and economic inclusion. Working 4U help people to access a wide range of employment, training and learning opportunities designed to help them overcome barriers, develop their skills and assist them in their journey towards work

Information on school and educational grants available within West Dunbartonshire.

Local schools' contact details, information on term dates, extra-curricular activities, how to apply for childcare and more.

Information on how to apply for the Young Carers Package, Carer’s Allowance and the Young Carer Grant.

Free travel on any bus in any part of Scotland on registered bus services. You can travel on buses outside the area you live in using your card. How you apply depends on where you live and the age of the young person.

Child Poverty Action Group works on behalf of the more than one in four children in the UK growing up in poverty. They work to understand what causes poverty, the impact it has on children's lives, and how it can be prevented and solved for good. They also offer training and resources to help individuals access their entitlement to benefits.

A government-run website offering a comprehensive guide to financial and practical assistance available across Scotland during the cost of living crisis. It provides information on areas such as energy and household bills, benefits and income, debt and money management, support for children and families, health and wellbeing, and help for older or disabled individuals. The site also includes details on discounts and offers from businesses to help people make savings across groceries, retail, utilities, entertainment, travel, and more. Additionally, it directs users to local council support for urgent needs like food or fuel.

A not-for-profit financial co-operative serving residents and workers in the ‘G’ postcode area, including Dumbarton and Helensburgh. Members can access low-cost loans, savings accounts (including junior accounts for children), and online or mobile banking. With over 3,300 adult members and more than 1,300 junior savers, the Credit Union encourages financial wellbeing and safer borrowing in the community

Provides funding and support to help people in Scotland with a disability live independently.

Providing practical help for people in need, defending those who are vulnerable and abused, and fighting against injustice, the services provide are diverse, reflecting the needs of the communities served.

A charity dedicated to supporting people in need of refugee protection.

Food for Thought provide emergency food aid parcels to anyone who requires it via drop in sessions with no referral needed.

Old Kilpatrick Food Parcels (OKFP) help any resident of Old Kilpatrick, Bowling & Dalmuir, without the need for a referral. 

Faifley Food Share provide emergency food parcels on Tuesday and Friday’s in Faifley Parish Church Hall between 10am and 11am for Faifley residents and between 11am  and 12pm for those from other areas.  No referral is needed.

The WD for Families Hubs have 6 skilled outreach workers who can help you access appropriate support at the right time for families in their local communities with;

• Support from Outreach
• Signposting to a more appropriate support & service
• Support in referring to another service

The hubs have new activities for 2025!  For dates, times, locations, and more information please scan the QR code to visit the website or click here.

Social Security Scotland is responsible for managing the benefits that are devolved to Scotland, to make sure the people who need them get them correctly and fairly.

 You will find information on the benefits they are delivering and how to find out more about eligibility.

Working Families is the UK’s national charity for working parents and carers. Their mission is to remove the barriers that people with caring responsibilities face in the workplace.

They provide information and free legal advice to parents and carers on their rights at work. 

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.

A website with courses you can do to improve your mental wellbeing. You can learn new ways to deal with the challenges you’re facing. Courses are available for students (16yrs+), adults, and parents/carers.

It is free, use the code Scotland2020 and an email address to sign up. 

Are you a parent living in West Dunbartonshire who has been long-term unemployed, or on a low income and claiming benefits? 

If so, you can attend a free employability course held at your child's school. Free childcare will be available during the course. For full details, please see the flyer.

Register by clicking on the flyer or call the number for more information.