Befriending Youth Scheme - information for parents

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About befrienders:

• Befriending is a way of giving your child extra support. It gives your child someone to talk to, one-to-one attention and the chance to try out new activities.
• Your child may be matched up with a befriender who would take him or her out every week to do an activity or to go on an outing.
• Your social worker or project worker can refer your child, but they must have you and your child's agreement. Nobody can force your child to have a befriender.
• Befrienders are not allowed to pass information about your family to anyone else unless they believe your child is at risk.
  

About befriending:

• Befrienders are ordinary members of the public who volunteer because they want to help children and young people. They do not get paid but we pay them expenses for outings with your child.
• We carefully select befrienders to make sure they are suitable. We check police and social work records and their references.
• We interview all befrienders and give them training before they are allowed to take a child out. Training helps them to understand and communicate with children and young people.
• Our staff will keep in regular contact with the befriender, you and your child to make sure everyone is happy with the arrangement.

For more information:
email: sw.paisley@renfrewshire.gov.uk
phone: 0141 842 4160

or write to:
Befriending Youth Scheme
Abbey House
8 Seedhill Road
Paisley
PA1 1AJ

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