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Children, young people and families

Private and voluntary nurseries and childminders

Private and voluntary nurseries in Renfrewshire

These nurseries are funded by the council to provide fully funded early learning and childcare. 

Providers are subject to completion of the tender process for the Early learning and Childcare Framework.

You can pay for additional hours or sessions, as well as your free 1140 hours, at these nurseries. Contact the the manager of the nursery for more information.

You can see the inspection reports for these providers at the Care Inspectorate website and Education Scotland website.

3 Bears Nursery - Renfrew

Contact information for 3 Bears Nursery - Renfrew:

Abbey Nursery

Contact information for Abbey Nursery:

Abbey Nursery Houston

Contact information for Abbey Nursery Houston:

Abbeymill Childcare Ltd

Contact information for Abbeymill Childcare Ltd:

Bright Starts Nursery

Contact information for Bright Starts Nursery:

Cairellot Nursery Ltd

Contact information for Cairellot Nursery Ltd:

Carli's Kindergarten Ltd

Contact information for Carli's Kindergarten Ltd:

Carli's Kindergarten Ltd

Contact information for Carli's Kindergarten Ltd:

Carriagehill Nursery

Contact information for Carriagehill Nursery:

Carriagehill Nursery Green Road

Contact information for Carriagehill Nursery Green Road:

Erskine Community Nursery - Bargarran

Contact information for Erskine Community Nursery - Bargarran:

Erskine Community Nursery - St Anne's

Contact information for Erskine Community Nursery - St Anne's:

Glencoats Lodge Nursery

Contact information for Glencoats Lodge Nursery:

Gryffe Manor Nursery

Contact information for Gryffe Manor Nursery:

Happitots Nursery - Glasgow Airport

Contact information for Happitots Nursery - Glasgow Airport:

In Safe Hands

Contact information for In Safe Hands nursery:

Inchinnan Community Nursery

Contact information for Inchinnan Community Nursery:

Jennyswell Nursery

Contact information for Jennyswell Nursery:

Kilbarchan Community Nursery

Contact information for Kilbarchan Community Nursery:

Leaps and Bounds Nursery

Contact information for Leaps and Bounds Nursery:

Linwood Community Childcare

Contact information for Linwood Community Childcare:

Little Flowers Nursery

Contact information for Little Flowers Nursery:

Little Learners

Contact information for Little Learners nursery:

Little Panda's Nursery

Contact information for Little Panda's nursery:

Little Stars Hillington

Contact information for Little Stars Hillington:

Maxwellton Park Day Nursery and OSC

Contact information for Maxwellton Park Day Nursery and OSC:

Mid Gavin Nursery

Contact information for Mid Gavin Nursery:

Nursery Times

Contact information for Nursery Times:

Orchard Grove Nursery

Contact information for Orchard Grove Nursery:

Puddle Lane

Contact information for Puddle Lane nursery:

Rainbow Nursery - Paisley

Contact information for Rainbow Nursery - Paisley:

Rivendale Nursery

Contact information for Rivendale Nursery:

Stepping Stones

Contact information for Stepping Stones:

Thrive Childcare and Education Happitots Erskine

Contact information for Thrive Childcare and Education Happitots Erskine:

Childminders in Renfrewshire

These childminders are funded by the council to provide early learning and childcare.

We do not publish the full addresses of childminders.

You can pay for additional hours or sessions, as well as your free 1140 hours, with these childminders. Contact the childminder for more information.

Carole's Kiddies (Carole McLachlan)

Contact information for Carole's Kiddies (Carole McLachlan) childminder:

Catherine Whyte

Contact information for Catherine Whyte childminder:

Catherine Young

Contact information for Catherine Young childminder:

Cee Cee's Childcare (Claire Crawford)

Contact information for Cee Cee's Childcare (Claire Crawford) childminder:

Elaine Parkhill Childminding

Contact information for Elaine Parkhill Childminding:

Karen Chalmers

Contact information for Karen Chalmers childminder:

Karen Finnie

Contact information for Karen Finnie childminder:

Kelly Rix

Contact information for Kelly Rix childminder:

Kerry Goudie

Contact information for Kerry Goudie childminder:

Little Rabbit (Malgorzata Kowalik)

Contact information for Little Rabbit (Malgorzata Kowalik) childminder:

Sharon's Tiny Tots Childminding (Sharon Wallace)

Contact information for Sharon's Tiny Tots Childminding (Sharon Wallace) childminder:

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Byelaws relating to the employment of children

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What the byelaws are

These byelaws set out what type of employment is permitted for children who are not above school age and what permits are required.

It covers:

  • Interpretation and extent 
  • Prohibited employment
  • Permitted employment of children aged 14 and over 
  • Permitted employment of children aged 13 
  • Employment before school 
  • Additional conditions 
  • Notification of employment and employment permits 
  • Street trading
  • Revocation
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Adopt a child through Renfrewshire Council's adoption service

Renfrewshire Council
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What the service is
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Who can adopt a child

We’re looking for people who can offer stability, care, and lifelong commitment to children living in Renfrewshire.

We welcome enquiries from people from all backgrounds and varieties of childcare experience.

You can find out more about what adoption is.

Basic requirements to adopt a child

You must: 

  • be aged 21 or over
  • have lived in Scotland for more than a year 
  • have a spare bedroom in your home
  • currently be in good health.

 You can:

  • be employed, self-employed, or unemployed
  • be single (any gender)
  • be married or in a civil partnership
  • be living with a partner in an enduring relationship 
  • have your own children or no children
  • own or rent the property you live in
  • be of any religious background or none. 

Important qualities we look for in potential adopters include:

  • being mature, thoughtful, and patient
  • an ability to manage stress, difficult behaviour, and complex needs
  • flexible thinking and problem-solving skills
  • being willing to make a commitment to and provide a home for a child
  • having a good support network of friends and family. 

Who cannot adopt a child

Smokers or vapers

As we look out for the best interests of children, we will not place a child in a household where anyone smokes or vapes.

Criminal convictions

You will not be able to adopt if you have been convicted of certain offences involving children.

If you, or a member of your household, has a criminal conviction for other offences, this will be investigated carefully during our assessment.

What you can use this for
Before you enquire

Find out more about adopting a child and giving children the chance of a positive, brighter future.

You can:

  • read about the stages to adopting a child
  • see what support is available for adoptive parents
  • chat with our adoption team.
How to enquire about adopting a child
Other ways
Apply online
Talk to us on the phone

Talk to us about adoption on the phone on 0300 300 1199.

We’ll talk you through the next steps in taking your interest forward.

Contact us by email

You can contact our adoption team by email childrenandfamilies@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

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Stages to adopting a child

Stages in the adoption process

The adoption process is about assessing individuals and families who are looking to adopt a child to make sure they meet certain legal and care requirements. 

There are 6 stages in the adoption process:

  1. initial enquiry
  2. initial home visit
  3. preparation groups
  4. home study assessment
  5. adoption panel and approval
  6. linking process.

Initial enquiry

At this stage, you’ll be reading up on adoption and assessing if this is something you want to do. 

To express an interest in adoption, you can speak to our adoption team by:

A member of our adoption team will ask you some questions to gather some initial information and answer any questions you may have. 

We’ll then send you an information pack. 

We’ll contact you again to arrange an initial home visit and discuss the adoption process further, if you’d like to progress after reading the information pack.

Initial home visit

A social worker will carry out an initial home visit. During the visit, we’ll look at your decision to adopt and the legal requirements for adoption.

If there are any major health issues or past criminal convictions within your family, you must tell us at this time so that we can assess these concerns early.

If both you and the social worker are happy to continue, you’ll be invited to attend the next available preparation group and continue the process of adoption.

Preparation groups

Preparation groups are designed to give you a comprehensive understanding of the roles and responsibilities of adopting a child. 

Preparation groups run over 3 days.

You’ll hear about experiences of other adoptive parents and staff on areas including: 

  • why children need to be adopted
  • further stages of the adoption process
  • case studies and experiences of matching children to their adoptive parents
  • attachment and child development
  • post adoption support. 

You must attend the preparation groups to move to the next stage in the adoption process.

After you’ve completed the preparation groups, we’ll arrange a home visit with you to:

  • give you feedback on your participation at the preparation groups
  • advise if you’re still suitable to move forward for adoption.

If we're happy for you to continue to the next stage, we’ll give you a formal application form to complete.

Home study assessment

Once your application has been received by the adoption team, they'll allocate you a supervising social worker. 

The supervising social worker will carry out a home study assessment and help you through the rest of the adoption process.

The home study assessment looks at each person applying to adopt and goes into detail about your:

  • background
  • family history
  • relationships
  • home living situation.

This is a very thorough assessment and can take between 6 to 9 months to complete.

Once the home study assessment is completed, we’ll present it to an adoption panel for final review and recommendations.

Adoption panel and approval

Your home study assessment will be reviewed by an adoption panel, which could include:

  • medical advisors
  • legal services
  • experienced foster carers or adoptive parents
  • representatives from education
  • independent panel members who come from a variety of backgrounds and bring different life and professional experiences
  • social work staff
  • elected members.

The panel may ask questions on the information detailed in your home study assessment.

The panel will make recommendations on the age, gender, and number of children you’ll be allowed to adopt. 

The panel will pass its recommendations to an agency decision maker, who make the final decision. If approval is agreed, we'll send you an official letter of confirmation within 14 working days of approval.

Linking process

Linking in adoption is the process of deciding if a particular family can meet the needs of an individual child or group of brothers and sisters. 

Your supervising social worker will help you make the right choice by looking at the children’s profiles and discussing whether you have the specific skills and circumstances to meet their needs.

Timescales

We aim to complete the adoption process within 6 to 9 months, but timescales can vary from case to case to make sure that adoption is right for you and your family.

Each case is dependent on the individual and issues may arise which need to be assessed and discussed between you and your assessing social worker.

More information

You can contact our adoption service by:

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What adoption is

Stages to adopting a child

Through the adoption process, we’ll assess if adoption is right for you and your family.

The adoption process with our adoption service is made up of 6 stages:

  1. initial enquiry
  2. initial home visit
  3. preparation groups
  4. home study assessment
  5. adoption panel and approval
  6. linking process.

These stages may be different if you plan to adopt a child through a private adoption agency.

Find out more about the stages to adopting a child through our adoption service.

Adopt a child through our adoption service

Find out who can adopt and how to enquire about adopting a child through our adoption service.

More information

You can contact our adoption service by:

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What it is

Adoption provides a permanent family for children who are unable to safely live with their birth parents.

It’s a legal process where a court transfers all the rights and responsibilities from a child’s birth parents to their adoptive parents.

Adoption is a life-long commitment and provides the opportunity for children to grow up in a loving family environment with the security, stability and sense of belonging they need to thrive.

When an adoption order is granted by a court, the adoptive parent or parents become the child's legal parents. This means:

  • the child's birth parents will no longer have any rights or responsibilities for the child
  • the child usually takes the surname of their adoptive family and becomes a permanent member of that family, with the same legal status as a birth child.

Only children under 18 years old who have never been married or in a civil partnership can be adopted.

Adoption is only considered after we have determined that a child cannot safely return to the care of their birth parents and no other suitable permanent family arrangements can meet their needs. 

Adoption is different from fostering. While both involve children living away from their birth parents, adoption provides a lifelong, permanent family relationship. 

Foster care is often temporary, and parental rights usually remain with the birth parents or council. Find out more about fostering in Renfrewshire.

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Family wellbeing service

Renfrewshire Council
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What the service is

Our family wellbeing service can provide support for a wide range of issues which may be affecting you or your family.

Our aim is to listen to you and offer support with the challenges of being a parent, such as: 

  • worries you have about any changes of circumstances for you and your children 
  • bereavement and loss 
  • emotional and mental health difficulties 
  • financial stress 
  • many other aspects of family life.
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What support we provide

We aim to provide the right help at the right time for parents and families to stop issues getting worse.

By talking, listening and engaging with you, we offer free, non-judgemental and responsive support. 

This could mean:

  • providing or arranging practical help or assistance 
  • carrying out an initial assessment to help identify what support would work best for you and your family 
  • putting you in contact with other services or organisations like the NHS, money advice, or counselling.

We work in partnership with:

  • Engage Renfrewshire
  • Youth Inspired
  • Home Start
  • KLAS Care
  • Active Communities
  • Brick Lane Paisley.

See how our family wellbeing service helps Renfrewshire parents with the video below.

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Before you apply
How to request support
Online
Apply online

There are 2 ways to contact our family wellbeing service to request support. Please make sure you choose the correct online form.

Ask for support for yourself

To ask for support for yourself, use this form:

Request for assistance to family wellbeing service (for the public)

Professionals and agencies

If you're a professional or agency looking for support for a family you are working with, use this form:

Request for assistance to family wellbeing service (for professionals and agencies)

Other ways to apply
If you need help to apply
What happens next

We aim to contact you within 3 working days to advise which support is most appropriate.

This may be from our team directly or one of our partner services.

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Paisley Grammar School Community Campus

School information

The headteacher at Paisley Grammar School Community Campus is Janice Levens.

The primary schools associated with Paisley Grammar School Community Campus are:

  • Gallowhill Primary School
  • Mossvale Primary School
  • Ralston Primary School
  • Todholm Primary School
  • Williamsburgh Primary School.

New Paisley Grammar School Community Campus

Paisley Grammar School Community Campus is due to open for pupils and staff on 20 August 2026.

The catchment area remains the same, including the 5 associated primary schools listed above.

Facilities at the new school

Paisley Grammar School Community Campus is a modern, energy-efficient learning environment with:

  • outdoor facilities, including 2 full-size sports pitches, one 3G and one grass, plus outdoor learning and social spaces
  • modern facilities for practical subjects including a 300-seat theatre, fitness suite, dance studio, makers space, teaching kitchens, drama studio, and music suites
  • a range of ways to learn and teach, with open spaces for group work as well as traditional classrooms
  • facilities for use by the wider community out with the school day, such as meeting rooms and flexible learning space.

The school is fully accessible to pupils with mobility issues or additional support needs. The location allows a closer partnership between the school and the nearby West College Scotland.

Location, road safety and school transport

The campus will be served by the new east-west road being constructed, which provides direct access from Renfrew Road.

The road forms part of the wider AMIDS South project, which is improving transport connections across north Paisley and creating safer routes for people walking, wheeling, cycling and driving.

Work on the wider AMIDS South project, including the new bridge across the White Cart, will continue after the school has opened.

Safe walking, wheeling and cycling routes now provide access to the campus, including the completed Gallowhill Link beneath Renfrew Road.

Pupils living more than 2 miles away from the school can get school transport under our home-to-school transport arrangements.

Updates on the progress of the new school

Paisley Grammar School Community Campus has now been completed and will welcome pupils and staff in August 2026.

Previous updates issued during the construction of the new campus are available below for reference.

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Accessibility
Volunteering
Contact

Paisley Grammar School Community Campus Paisley PA3 4DT
Related information
Location

To contact the link education manager, email education@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

Financial support for kinship carers

Who can get a Kinship Care Allowance

The financial support that we can provide depends on how you become a kinship carer and the child’s legal or care status.

Kinship carers eligible for an allowance are:

  • all formal kinship carers – where the child has a legal status as “looked after” by the council
  • some informal kinship carers – where the child does not have a legal status as “looked after” but is subject to a Section 11 Order (previously known as a residence order, now a kinship care order) and is or was:
    • previously “looked after” by the council
    • at risk of becoming “looked after” by the council.

A social worker will complete an assessment of the kinship carer to confirm if we’ll provide any financial support.

If you’re an eligible and approved carer, the social worker will arrange a kinship allowance to be paid.

Who cannot get financial support

We cannot provide financial support to carers who entered a private care arrangement with a close family member or friend without the council being involved.

Weekly Kinship Care Allowance

If you're eligible, the amount of money you get each week as Kinship Care Allowance depends on the age of the child that you're caring for:

Age Weekly allowance
0 to 4 years olds £161.31 per week
5 to 15 years olds £190.48 per week
16 to 17 year olds  £267.50 per week

This is the Scottish Recommended Allowance per child per week, minus £17.25 child benefit. Kinship carers can claim this child benefit as well as the weekly allowance. 

If you do not receive child benefit for a child you’re caring for, speak to your allocated social worker who will help you in making a claim.

From 18 to 21 years old

If you care for a young person who continues to live with you from the age of 18 up to their 21st birthday, you’ll be entitled to a continuing care allowance. 

We’ll pay you an allowance of £206 per week.

Contact us

You can contact our social work services by: 

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What it is

Eligible kinship carers may be able to get money to help with the costs of looking after a child. This is called a Kinship Care Allowance. 

A Kinship Care Allowance is paid by the council where the child originally lived, which may be different from your own local council.

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What kinship care is

Who a kinship carer is

A person is a kinship carer if:

  • they’re a close family member, a close family friend, or someone who already has a relationship with the child
  • the child is living with them because the child’s parents are unable to care for the child
  • the child’s parents do not live in the same household as the carer and child
  • they’re not looking after the child as part of a private care arrangement.

Types of kinship care

Informal kinship care 

Informal kinship care is where families make their own, independent arrangements for a child to live with close family members or friends. This is also known as a private care arrangement.

In these circumstances the child is not legally “looked after” by the council.

This arrangement would not be considered formal kinship care as our social work service was not involved in the arrangement and did not plan to remove the child from the care of their parents.

Formal kinship care 

Formal kinship care is where a child has a legal status as “looked after” and is placed with close family members or close family friends with the council involved.

A children's hearing or court may place children in formal kinship care.

We have duties and responsibilities for children in formal kinship care which are set out in law and government guidance (Scottish Government website). This includes assessing and reviewing potential kinship carers and their homes.

Family support

In circumstances where a birth parent lives with their child in a close family member or close friend’s household, or enters a shared care arrangement with that person, it is not considered a kinship placement. 

The parent will still have legal responsibility for the child.

Assessment of kinship carers

When a concern is raised about the care or protection of a child, this is investigated by our social work service.

Before we can arrange for a child to be cared for by a close family member or close family friend, we must assess if this placement meets the child’s needs.

This assessment will usually be completed by a social worker, who’ll:

  • carry out police checks on every adult in the household
  • check social work database systems and the health records of all potential carers
  • visit the home to interview the proposed carer and make sure their home is suitable for the child's needs.

If all checks are satisfactory and we decide that it is not safe for a child to return to the care of their parents, we’ll complete a full kinship assessment within a 12-week period. This assessment will focus on strengths, vulnerabilities, and support needs.

Responsibilities of kinship carers

When a child is placed with a kinship carer, that carer has a responsibility to provide a safe and stable home environment which meets the child's needs.

Responsibilities include making sure the child attends school or nursery and receives medical and dental treatment.

We’ll assign the child a social worker who’ll see them regularly to get their views about their care and their future. The social worker may visit children at their home and in private.

The social worker will develop a care plan for the child and is responsible for making sure that the care plan progresses.

The social worker will make sure the carer has a copy of the care plan and that they understand the plan for the child. 

If a carer has any questions about this or their role in the child's care plan, the social worker should be able to answer them.

Kinship carers are expected to work with the council. This is usually through the child’s social worker, but sometimes by attending meetings with other professionals, such as health and education, to discuss the child.

These meetings are to share information and let everyone work together on the child's care plan.

As a kinship carer for the council, you’ll be allocated your own social worker to offer you support and any training that may be required. This will be a different social worker from the child.

Financial support for kinship carers

Financial support that we can provide depends on how you become a kinship carer and the child’s legal or care status.

Find out more about financial support for kinship carers.

Contact us

You can contact our social work services by:

More information

Get non-council advice and support for kinship carers from:

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What it is

Kinship care is when a child is placed under the care of a close family member or a close family friend by the council, the children's hearing system, or the courts because their parents are unable to care for them.

In these circumstances, the child is defined as “looked after” by a council under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995.

Our policy is to always arrange for a child to be cared for by their close family members, if possible.

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