Help with employment, training and childcare
One Parent Families Scotland
One Parent Families Scotland is the leading charity working with single-parent families in Scotland. They provide expert advice, and practical support and campaign with parents to make their voices heard to change the systems, policies and attitudes that disadvantage single-parent families. They work with and for single-parent families, providing support services that enable them to achieve their potential and help create lasting solutions to the poverty and barriers facing many single parents and their children. For support please visit the or contact the Lone Parent helpline on
08088 010 323
Childcare Connector service
This service provided by One Parent Family Scotland can help parents to identify childcare such as a nursery, childminder, and school clubs as well as offer help with how to pay for it. It can be challenging to combine work or education with parenting responsibilities. This service aims to overcome childcare barriers by supporting parents to find funding, understand how benefits might be affected and get through the first month of a new job when money is tight. By having the right childcare, parents can reach their goals, achieve financial independence and take an equal part in the community. All parents in Edinburgh can access the service, priority will be given to single parents and parents with disabilities, long-term health conditions and mental ill health. For more information contact
07810 850 830
Parental Employability Support
The Parental Employability Support (PES) team assists parents in accessing the support needed to have stability to focus on individual employment goals. The PES team offer one-to-one support with a range of challenges such as money and benefits advice, housing, parenting and family support, health and well-being, education, training and employability.
To be eligible for support you need to be a parent and fit into one of the following groups:
- Lone Parent
- Parent or child with a disability
- Parent of three or more children
- Parent from a minority ethnic background
- Parent of a child under one year of age
- Parents under 25 years of age
For more information visit the or contact
ParentalEmployability@edinburgh.gov.uk
0131 529 2482
Visit for other employability services.
Volunteering in sports and activities
Active schools help children access active opportunities that support them to have fun, get active and spend time with other children and young people. Their mission is to get children and secondary pupils more active. Being active improves the Health and well-being of people of all ages. There are lots of opportunities to volunteer with active schools which is a great opportunity to build skills and gain experience working with children and in sports activities.
to find out more about active schools and the benefits of volunteering with them. For more information contact
Making Work Work - for women returners
Making Work Work is a free five-week online programme, funded by the Scottish Government. The programme supports women over 25 years of age who have had a career break of six months or more to get back into ‘work that works’ around all the commitments and fun of life. The programme is aimed at women with management or leadership experience or aspirations, it offers a refresher on management content as well as practical matters such as preparing a CV. Participants are matched with a mentor, are invited to masterclasses and have access to an ever-growing network of women across Scotland.
For more information visit the or email
womenreturners@thechallengesgroup.com
Job Start payment
This is a one-off payment of £252.50 available to young people in Scotland who are on certain benefits and need help with the costs of starting a new job. If the person has a child, they could get £404. A person must meet all of the criteria below to be eligible:
- are 16 to 24 years old; or are a care leaver aged 16 to 25 years
- live in Scotland on the day of the job offer
- have a job offer for paid employment
- the job must average 12 hours or more per week, over a four-week period.
- It doesn’t need to be a permanent job
- Be out of paid work and in receipt of a qualifying benefit for six months or more, or if a care leaver is out of paid work and in receipt of a qualifying benefit at the time of the job offer (care leavers do not need to receive a qualifying benefit for six months).
To apply online visit the or to complete the application over the phone or request a paper application form call freephone
08001 822 222