News

Team member Stav, a counsellor with our Adults Service, recently had the opportunity to complete Level 1 training in Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT). While the training itself was rich in insight and practical tools, what stood out most was the wider impact of this kind of learning, both for our practitioners AND the people we support every day.

EFT aims to deepen our understanding of how emotions can become overwhelming, stuck or confusing, particularly for people who have experienced trauma due to child abuse. This excellent course explored ways to safely access, process and transform these emotional experiences, with a strong focus on building awareness and developing healthier regulation strategies.

Another key takeaway from the training was the value of strong, empathetic relationships. Emotional work is not done in isolation; it happens when safe and trusting connections are made. Staff who are well-trained in approaches like EFT are better able to create these environments, supporting people to open up about their most vulnerable experiences with confidence and care.

We were very happy to be able to facilitate Stav’s request for training in this field. Staff development strengthens practice, builds confidence and ensures that our clinical practice is grounded in current understanding and techniques. Most importantly it has a direct impact on the people we work with, helping them develop the skills, insights and strength needed to take positive steps forward.

Read Stav’s reflection here

Could you be the next Chair of Wellbeing Scotland? We are looking for a motivated and forward-thinking person to lead our Trustees and support the growth of our charity. 

Our Board is currently in a period of transition, having recently said goodbye to some long-standing
members. We are now looking for new Trustees to bring fresh perspectives and energy, broaden our skillset and ensure the organisation is well supported for its next chapter.

The Chair’s role will be crucial throughout this next phase: providing steady leadership,
supporting the Board through change, and ensuring the ongoing resilience of the organisation. We are looking for a motivated and collaborative individual who will proactively lead and support our
organisation, provide strategic direction and insight and help us to achieve our vision.

Previous experience as a Chair is desirable but not essential.

Download our Chair of Trustees Recruitment Pack for more information and contact info@wellbeingscotland.org to arrange an informal chat

As we enter the next phase of our development, we are looking for new Trustees to help shape our future direction.

This is a rewarding opportunity to bring your expertise, insight or lived experience into a leadership role that will help to drive meaningful, lasting change for people and families across Scotland affected by child abuse.

We are particularly keen to strengthen the skillset of the Board across these key areas:
– finance and accountancy
– clinical practice and safeguarding
– fundraising and income generation
– marketing and communications
– governance
– human resources

We’d love to hear from candidates with previous Board service, but most important of all is your commitment to our work and to using your experience to help us achieve our vision.

Download the Information Pack and get in touch to arrange an informal chat today.

We know that it can take years for someone to feel ready to talk about child abuse. People often carry their trauma in silence because of fear, shame or a the belief that they will not be supported.

Read our blog “It’s time to talk about child abuse” to understand the lasting impact of abuse on survivors, and the steps we can all take to help shift the narrative from stigma to safety.

For Wellbeing Scotland, 2024–2025 was a year of transformation, and the impact speaks for itself. We embedded our new support pathway, helping clients move from safety to reconnection with stronger outcomes and renewed hope. Our evaluation tools showed measurable reductions in psychological distress, with clients reporting greater confidence, coping strategies and feeling empowered.  

Despite going through many organisational changes, we secured vital funding, expanded our services and were shortlisted for an award for our outstanding contribution to survivor wellbeing.

Why does this matter? Because behind every statistic is a person reclaiming their life, their voice and their future. Our team are proud to stand alongside people whose lives have been impacted by child abuse, offering a pathway to healing and reconnection. 

Read the full Annual Report for 2024 – 2025 here. 

Due to an increase in demand, we are currently unable to accept new referrals to our Adult Service other than those which come to us via Future Pathways. This means that all new referrals for child abuse that happened outside of the Scottish care system will be returned with a note confirming this temporary closure, with effect from Monday 8th December.

Referrals from Future Pathways regarding in-care child abuse are not affected by the closure, and our Children & Families waiting list also remains open.

If you are looking for support in the meantime, you can find a list of service providers here: Survivors of Childhood Abuse Support Fund – Inspiring Scotland.

We are committed to providing high-quality, timely and appropriate support to the people who are already on the waiting list, and are very grateful for your understanding while this temporary pause is in place. We will provide an update as soon as the waiting list reopens. 

If you have any questions regarding this update, please get in touch.

In early 2024, we redesigned our service delivery and implemented a new support pathway based on respected psychiatrist Judith Herman’s 3-stage model of trauma and recovery.

As we approach the second anniversary of it’s launch, we take a look at the reasons behind adopting the model and the positive impact it has already made for our clients.

Read this short blog here.

Our recently relaunched Children and Families service aims to improve family life and relationships for children who have experienced different forms of trauma as a result of childhood abuse. Backed by funding from The Robertson Trust, R S Macdonald and The National Lottery Community Fund, the service is available across the Forth Valley and was developed to address an identified gap in the provision of specialist support for families impacted by all forms of childhood abuse.

Read the full article to find out more about the free, age-appropriate support available to young people and the adult family members who support them, with information about how to get referred and our FAQs.

Have you seen our brand new newsletter? We hope it will provide useful information and insights into our support pathway and the work of our dedicated team to improve the wellbeing of survivors of abuse in childhood.

The first edition was published earlier this month, and includes a look at how 2025 has started for the team delivering Adult Services.

Catch up with it and subscribe to future editions here:

Wellbeing Scotland Newsletter: Q1 2025

We can hardly believe that it’s been 3 years since our very first referral for Access to Records was received. This important service supports people who are applying to Scotland’s Redress scheme with help to retrieve records from their time in care.

We celebrate this milestone and the achievements of the team by shining a spotlight on their work in this in-depth interview.

Read the article here.

Taking the first step to ask for help can be daunting. We understand that you may be anxious about getting in touch, so our Admin team have put together some frequently asked questions and answers to put your mind at ease.

Still have questions about our Support Pathway and how we can help? You can call them on 01324 630100 or email admin@wellbeingscotland.org and they will be happy to help.

In this month’s blog, team leader Sergio shares some of the challenges and highlights of his Wellbeing Scotland journey with us. Read on to find out what inspired him to become a counsellor, his experience of the demands and rewards of the job, and his thoughts on how to enhance support for survivors of childhood abuse.

Have you been thinking about using your skills and experience to create positive change? Would you like to make a direct contribution to supporting people who have experienced abuse and adversity in childhood? We are recruiting new Trustees to broaden our skills base and help us achieve our aim and vision.

The Board of Trustees is a group of individuals entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing the management, policies, and strategic direction of Wellbeing Scotland. The Board ensures that the organisation operates in accordance with its charitable purpose, adheres to legal and ethical standards, manages financial resources responsibly, and fulfils its objectives.

In practice, that involves using your skills and experience to help shape our strategic direction, providing guidance and support to the management team, and acting as an ambassador to promote the work of Wellbeing Scotland within your own network and beyond.

We are looking for people with skills that would complement those of our current Board, and would love to hear from you if you have a passion for numbers and could use this to support our financial management.

“As a solicitor I’ve worked with survivors of childhood abuse for many years, and I’ve seen first-hand the wonderful work which Wellbeing Scotland does for their clients. By joining the Board I have been able to support and help shape the organisation to ensure its future. It’s been a really interesting and welcome learning curve. I have a much better insight into how the charity runs and I’ve also thoroughly enjoyed getting to know my fellow Board members.”

Download our Trustee Recruitment pack for more information and how to apply.

In this blog we shine a spotlight on our recently launched Emotional Support service, one of the key services that we offer alongside counselling, group work, access to records and advocacy. As outlined in an earlier blog, at the heart of all our services is one goal: to improve the wellbeing of individuals who have been affected by childhood abuse.  

Emotional support work 

The emotional support service has been introduced as part of our support pathway, which takes clients through a holistic healing journey, and is based on Judith Herman’s three-stage model of trauma and recovery (1992).  

Read on to find out more about the 3-stage model and how to access our emotional support service for yourself or someone you know.

We are delighted to be one of the 69 organisations included in the recent round of Robertson Trust funding to reduce poverty and trauma across Scotland. Their generous award of a Large Grant totalling £40,000 will help to fund our Children’s Counselling Service for Forth Valley, which supports children and young people who have been affected by childhood abuse and trauma in Stirling, Falkirk and Clackmannanshire.

According to the Robertson Trust, “Each of the organisations (below) demonstrated in their application how their work is contributing to the alleviation of poverty and trauma in Scotland” and we are very grateful to have their support for this important service.

Read the full statement from the Robertson Trust and see the list of amazing organisations who received funding – congratulations to everyone!

This year we have been working on developing our organisation aim, vision and mission. We developed these alongside our clients who have lived experience, and they outline our direction and ambition. They point us to where we want to go, and tell us what we need to do to get there.

Read the blog.