Strengthening Children and Families Services in Glasgow

11th September 2026

From Family Voice to Strategic Action

In just a few months, our Children and Families Network has created opportunities for third sector organisations, statutory partners, and families to come together, share their experiences, and shape how services for children and families develop across Glasgow. A key part of our work is ensuring that the knowledge and experience of families and third sector organisations informs broader planning and decision-making, helping strengthen services and support across the city.

Learning from Families and Neurodivergent Communities

One of the most impactful sessions we have hosted this year brought together members of our Third Sector Children’s Services Network, Specialist Children’s Services and Glasgow City HSCP to explore how we can build a more connected community of support for neurodivergent children, young people and their families.

A highlight was hearing directly from Geeza Break and members of their Brighter Beginnings peer support group for mothers of neurodivergent children. Parents spoke about the importance of having a trusted space where they could connect with others with similar experiences, access support and feel understood.

Strong Messages to Take Forward

“We were delighted to be given the opportunity to present on our newly developed ASN peer support group for our Northeast parents and carers. It was an encouraging platform to share about our work with multi-agency colleagues and the holistic whole family outcomes and positive impacts for those attending. The session was positively received, and opportunities have arisen out with to be able to continue to amplify lived experience voices and share the impact of our work with multi-agency partners.”

Samantha, Geeza Break

Their experiences reinforced something that came through strongly throughout the session: families need support that is accessible, consistent and available when they need it — not only at the point of diagnosis.

“Having a voice as a parent and finding a supportive community can truly change everything, especially when navigating additional support needs for children. Being part of the presentation was a real eye opener, and I was able to see first-hand that many organisations and professionals do care in our children’s futures.” 

A parent from the Brighter Beginnings peer support group

Positive examples of this were already happening. Attendees heard about the development of an advice line in North West Glasgow for families awaiting diagnosis, connecting NHS services with third sector support. Discussions also highlighted the importance of early intervention, stronger connections with schools, consistent support from referral through diagnosis and beyond, and meaningful co-production with parents and carers.

The session did more than identify challenges. It helped strengthen relationships between organisations and highlighted practical opportunities to develop a more joined-up approach to support.

Turning Third Sector Insight into Glasgow’s Children’s Services Plan

These messages also connect closely with our work to support the development of Glasgow’s Children’s Services Plan 2026–2029.

Earlier this year, GCVS brought together organisations from across our Children and Families Network for a session focused on the development of the new Children’s Services Plan. Colleagues from Glasgow City HSCP joined to hear directly from the third sector about what is working well for children and families, where challenges remain and what should be prioritised over the coming years.

The insights gathered directly informed the development of the new Plan and closely reflected its six priorities:

• Child Poverty and Inequality
• Safety and Protection
• Health, Wellbeing and Development
• Voice, Influence and Participation
• Family, Friendship and Belonging
• Inclusive Learning and Positive Futures

Organisations emphasised the need for earlier intervention, stronger partnership working, improved support for neurodivergent children and their families, better communication between services and culturally responsive approaches.

Above all, there was a clear call for support that is joined-up, community-based and centred around the needs of children and their whole family.

That same principle has shaped our contribution to wider child protection and service improvement activity. Earlier this year, GCVS gathered and coordinated third sector evidence for Glasgow’s review of child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE). This meant we helped ensure the experiences and perspectives of organisations working directly with children and families could contribute to the review and wider discussions about how children and young people are kept safe.

Strengthening the Third Sector Voice in Glasgow

Effective collaboration also means ensuring that third sector organisations have meaningful opportunities to influence decisions.

In June, it was fantastic to welcome colleagues from across Glasgow’s third sector to our ‘All Networks Morning’. From Health and Social Care to Criminal Justice, organisations working across a wide range of communities and services came together to consider how we can strengthen the sector’s collective voice.

The session explored the development of the Glasgow Third Sector Forum and a new representation framework designed to make connections between city-wide, thematic and locality networks.

Read more here about Representation in Glasgow.

While the third sector has an important presence within strategic partnerships across Glasgow, representation is about more than having a seat at the table. It depends on strong connections between representatives and the wider sector, clear communication and effective feedback loops so that organisations’ experiences can genuinely influence decision-making.

From Family Voice to Strategic Action

The next stage of this work is about turning what we have heard into practical action.

Building on the learning from our network sessions, the Children’s Services Executive Group is exploring multi-agency strategic planning focused on ASN and neurodivergence.

Alongside this, Geeza Break and Indigo Group are working with us on family engagement activity that will create opportunities for parents and families to share how they want their experiences and insights to inform the development of future services.

Together, these pieces of work have a common thread: creating stronger connections between lived experience, third sector expertise and strategic decision-making.

Looking Ahead: Working Together to Improve Services for Children and Families

Are you interested in joining the Children and Families Network? Sign up on our website today to receive future updates, opportunities, and invitations.

We will continue creating opportunities for the third sector and the communities it supports to contribute to the conversations and decisions shaping services for children, young people and families across Glasgow.