Scottish Parent Teacher Council

Stay or go?

This is a brilliant guide for parents of young people who are either living at home or thinking of leaving home.

The guide (produced by the Scottish Council for Single Homeless), is aimed at helping you and your child to prepare for the time when they leave home. It is full of information and contact details for organisations to support you and your family at different stages in the process.

Each section of the guide is brought to life by quotes from both parents and young people. For example:
For getting along better if your youngster decides to stay at home
"Me and my mum go for a coffee once a week after school. It's nice, we just talk about shopping, what we're doing and stuff. She still drives me mental, but we get along better than we used to."

Every Family is Different
"I didn't want Philip to move out as soon as I moved in so I looked it up on the Internet to see how other stepdads do it. Actually one of the best things was just reading other parent's comments and recognising "aye that's me!""

Difficult Situations
"I didn't knkow where my head was so I just didn't tell my mum and dad anything. If I'd have just spoken to them then maybe it would have been different ... but then I'd still have done my own thing so maybe not!"

Other useful bits include:
the "leaving home tick list";
information on benefits and support;
how to cope with an empty nest;
the youngster's rights and responsibilities when they move into their first place and;
supporting independence and keeping up good relationships

At the back of the guide you will find a huge list of useful contacts.

The booklet costs Ł2.00 and if you would like more information, here are the contact details:

Scottish Council for Single Homeless
Wellgate House
200 Cowgate
Edinburgh
EH1 1NQ

Tel: 0131 226 4382

Website: www.scsh.org.uk

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