SLCVO Blog 10 April
- joford4
- 5 days ago
- 9 min read
This week’s blog explores online hubs where people can access support and information. With the launch of the Skye and Lochalsh Community Hubs just two weeks away, and the development of SLCVO’s own online information hub underway, we thought it would be a good time to highlight some of the useful online hubs we’ve come across. Particularly the new Highland Neurodivergent Hub hosted by Thriving Families.
Team Update
This week was a shorter working week due to the long bank holiday weekend and school holidays. The team met at our Portree Office on Wednesday afternoon to catch up on plans for the Community Hubs and explore ways we can use the building more effectively.
Michelle met with Skye Autism Support to assist them with their policies, and Jo met with the Programme Manager for the Highland Council’s Future Operating Model Programme to discuss the outreach hubs in Skye and Lochalsh and identify opportunities for collaboration.
Matt and Jo also held interviews for our new Community Hub and Service Coordinator post, and we’re delighted to share that we have successfully appointed someone to the role.
Introducing the New Highland Neurodivergent Hub
A brand‑new online support space has launched for neurodivergent people and their families in the Highlands — the Highland Neurodivergent Hub, available at neurodivergent.scot. This hub has been created to offer an easy way for people to find support, make contact, and access guidance relevant to their needs.
Whether you’re neurodivergent yourself, caring for a neurodivergent child or adult, or seeking information to better understand neurodivergence, this new online space is designed to make support more accessible across our region.
Who is the Highland Neurodivergent Hub for?
The hub is for anyone in the Highlands who identifies as neurodivergent or supports someone who is. This includes:
Autistic and ADHD individuals
People with neurodevelopmental conditions or traits
Parents and carers seeking support
Professionals looking for reliable ways to signpost individuals to help
Anyone needing information or a way to reach out for guidance
The hub’s purpose is to provide a simple, central point of contact where people can ask questions, seek support, and connect with the right services.
The site contains a clear enquiry form where individuals can get in touch directly with the team.
What services and support does it offer?
The website currently acts as a gateway to support, offering:
Direct Contact and Enquiries - A straightforward enquiry form lets you submit questions or request support. You can share your details and outline what type of help you need, and the team will follow up directly.
Responsive Communication -The hub provides direct contact details, including phone and email, making it easy for individuals or families to seek personalised guidance.
While the current site is primarily a contact point, it is clearly part of a wider and expanding support network for neurodivergent people in the Highlands. As the hub develops, it is expected to grow into a richer resource, offering information, links to services, and signposting to community‑based opportunities.
The hub is hosted by Thriving Families, a Highland charity dedicated to supporting families of children and young people with additional support needs. They are a partner organisation of the Skey and Lochalsh Community Hubs and have dedicated local workers in our area you can here Contact - Thriving Families
Accessing the Highland Neurodivergent Hub is simple:
From there, you can complete the enquiry form, access contact details, and reach the team directly for help or guidance.
The WithYou Anywhere Highland Online Hub
The WithYou Anywhere Highland Hub is a digital platform that provides easy, judgement‑free access to specialist support for anyone facing challenges with alcohol or drug use, as well as for families and loved ones who may be worried or unsure where to turn.
The service is part of the wider WithYou organisation, which supports people across the UK, and is tailored specifically to the needs of Highland communities.
Who is the WithYou Anywhere Highland Hub for?
The hub is open to anyone living in the Highlands, including:
Individuals experiencing challenges with drugs or alcohol
People seeking mental health support linked to substance use
Family members worried about someone’s alcohol or drug use
Professionals looking to refer someone for help
The service covers Caithness, Sutherland, Ross and Cromarty, Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, and Skye and Lochalsh, making it accessible to people in both rural and urban parts of the region.
The Highland Hub provides a wide range of free and confidential services:
One‑to‑one support - Specialist recovery workers are available through phone, video call, or webchat, offering personalised advice and ongoing support.
Virtual support groups - Online group sessions offer a chance to connect with others, share experiences, and build confidence in a safe and supportive environment. [wearewithyou.org.uk]
Support for worried family members - Loved ones aged 16+ can access emotional support, guidance on how to talk about substance use, and structured approaches like CRAFT to help maintain wellbeing while supporting someone else.
Flexible appointments - The team is available online Monday to Friday (9am–5pm), with options for evening and weekend appointments to suit different schedules. They aim to respond to all enquiries within 24 hours.
The hub also provides tailored advice for those trying to support a loved one who may be struggling with alcohol or drugs — helping you understand what’s happening and how to cope.
Why this hub matters
Access to substance use support can be particularly challenging across the Highlands due to distance, transport, and rural isolation. The WithYou Anywhere Highland Hub was designed to remove these barriers by offering easy, remote access to compassionate, specialist support — wherever you live.
Whether you’re seeking help for yourself or someone you care about, the Highland Hub ensures that you don’t have to face these challenges alone.
How do you access the Highland Hub?
Accessing support is simple and flexible:
Visit the online hub: https://www.wearewithyou.org.uk/local-hubs/highland
Book your first appointment via the online calendar - This allows you to quickly arrange a digital appointment with the team.
Contact the team directly:
Phone: 0808 168 0860
Responses are usually within 24 hours.
Planet Youth Highland Parent Hub
the Planet Youth Highland Parent Hub has been designed to strengthen communication between NHS Highland, Planet Youth, and the parents and carers who play such a critical role in the wellbeing of children and young people.
Hosted on the NHS Highland Engagement Hub, the Parent Hub is much more than a website — it is an interactive space where families can learn, connect, contribute ideas, and directly influence how services evolve.
What is Planet Youth Highland?
Planet Youth Highland is part of an innovative, evidence‑based prevention model based on the successful Icelandic model, which dramatically improved youth wellbeing by focusing on protective factors such as family connection, safe environments, and positive community involvement. The approach uses local anonymous surveys to understand young people’s lives and then works with families, schools, councils, and communities to take action.
What is the Parent Hub for?
The Parent Hub has been created to strengthen communication, share reliable health information, and give parents and carers a meaningful voice. Its aims include:
Providing an easy‑to‑use space where parents and carers can tell NHS Highland what support they need.
Offering reliable information on child and adolescent health and wellbeing, including resources and learning opportunities.
Encouraging two‑way communication, ensuring families are heard and involved in shaping improvements.
Working together with families to improve the health and life outcomes of children across the Highlands.
The site features multiple interactive tools, making it a truly collaborative digital space:
The Forum - A place where parents and carers can chat, share experiences, and support one another.
Ideas Board - A space to submit suggestions, highlight challenges, and share what you think would make a difference for local children and young people.
Interactive Community Map - Parents and local groups can add community services and supports to help build a shared resource of what’s available in each area — something families have repeatedly asked for.
Subscription Option - You can subscribe to receive updates when new information, tools, or opportunities are added to the hub.
The Parent Hub is part of a wider effort to reduce risk‑taking behaviours, improve mental health, and strengthen protective environments for young people before problems arise. By listening directly to parents and carers, Planet Youth Highland ensures that actions reflect what families truly need.
Planet Youth Highland is delivered by the NHS Highland Health Improvement Team in partnership with local schools, community organisations, and the wider Planet Youth Scotland programme. Key staff members include: Vicki Clark, Health Improvement Specialist and Highland Regional Coordinator for Planet Youth Lindsay Broomfield, Health Improvement Advisor for Caithness
How to access the Parent Hub
You can visit the Parent Hub here:
The hub is open to all parents, carers, and agencies across the Highlands who want to share ideas, access reliable information, and help shape a healthier future for young people.
Introducing the Just Ask Enquiry Line
Families often say they’re unsure where to start when they have concerns about their child’s development. The Just Ask enquiry line removes that uncertainty by offering a single, friendly point of contact — one that gives immediate advice, reassurance, and direction. It’s a small but vital tool in making Highland’s services more accessible, supportive, and connected for everyone.
If you’re a parent, carer, or professional looking for quick, reliable advice about a child or young person’s development, needs, or wellbeing, the Highland Council’s Just Ask Enquiry Line is there to help. This free service connects you directly with skilled health and education professionals who can offer guidance, answer questions, and help you navigate next steps.
What is the Just Ask Enquiry Line?
The Just Ask service is a telephone advice line where you can speak directly with qualified professionals about any concerns, questions, or uncertainties related to a child or young person in Highland. Whether you're unsure about development, worried about behaviour, or simply need some clear guidance, the line provides trusted, confidential support. It’s designed to make help easier to access — especially for families who may not know where to turn or what service they need.
When you phone the Just Ask line, your call may be handled by an expert from one of several professional teams, including:
Educational Psychologists
Occupational Therapists
Paediatric Community Physiotherapists
Primary Mental Health Workers
Psychological Service staff
Home Visiting Teachers
Speech and Language Therapists
This broad professional mix ensures that whatever your concern may be physical, developmental, communication‑related, psychological, or educational, someone with the right expertise is available.
The Just Ask team is there for general questions, early worries, and guidance, but it is not the right route if:
the child is already on a waiting list
the child is already receiving support
you need a referral or formal Request for Assistance
In those cases, families and professionals are advised to contact the specific service directly.
Opening Hours
The enquiry line is open on:
Tuesdays and Thursdays
1:00pm – 4:00pm
This routine schedule allows families to plan calls and ensures professionals are available to offer quality support during those dedicated slots.
To speak with a member of the Just Ask team, call:
03003 031365
If the line is busy, you’re encouraged to keep trying. A health or education professional will return your call within a few days if they can’t answer straight away.
Spotlight on Support: Single Point of Access (SPOA) for Skye, Lochalsh & Wester Ross
The Single Point of Access (SPOA) for Skye, Lochalsh and Wester Ross provides a single, direct route into integrated community health and social care services, ensuring people are connected quickly to the right kind of support close to home.
SPOA is designed for people who don’t need hospital care but do require other types of help, whether after an emergency department visit or due to emerging care needs at home.
The service helps identify what support is available and connects individuals with the correct team, reducing delays and removing the need to navigate multiple services alone.
Why SPOA matters for our communities
Living in rural and island areas often means service access can feel complex or geographically challenging. SPOA helps remove those barriers by offering:
One phone number
One email
One team
One clear route to the support you need
This streamlined approach ensures individuals and families don’t have to navigate multiple departments, and that care is joined‑up and community‑based, exactly where most people want it to be.
The SPOA team can help link people with a wide range of community services, including:
Care at home
Care homes
Day care
Social work
Adult support and protection
Community occupational therapy
Home adaptation services
Community physiotherapy
Mental health services
District nursing
Drug and alcohol support
This integrated, whole‑community approach ensures people get the right help, from the right team, at the right time.
When is SPOA available?
SPOA teams across Highland districts – including Skye, Lochalsh & Wester Ross – are available:
Monday to Friday
9:00am – 5:00pm
For residents of Skye, Lochalsh & Wester Ross, you can contact your SPOA team directly at:
01471 820 174
This dedicated team knows the area, understands the local context, and can help ensure support is coordinated close to home.
For urgent social work issues outside office hours (5pm–9am), support is available via:
Emergency Social Work Service: 0808 175 3646
These out‑of‑hours services are for urgent matters only, not routine enquiries.
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