03/09/2026
Have Your Say: Parents & Carers Focus Group
Supporting young people through tough moments can feel challenging, and many parents tell us they’re not always sure what resources to use or how to start conversations about distress, crisis or suicidal thoughts. To help, we’re developing new support materials for families across Fife — and we’d love your input.
We’re inviting parents and carers to join a relaxed focus group where we’ll chat about:
• What information or resources you already know about or have used
• What has been helpful and what has been unclear
• What you’d find useful when talking to a young person who may be struggling
• Preferred formats for future information (online, printed, video, etc)
This session won’t involve discussing crisis support services or personal crisis experiences.
It's simply a chance to share your views on what would help families feel more prepared supporting young people at an early stage.
The conversation will be supported by staff from Education, Educational
Psychology, CAMHS, Participation and Engagement and the Health Promotion Service to make sure everyone feels safe and comfortable. If you choose to attend, we’ll send a little more information beforehand, so you know exactly what to expect. You can take part as much or as little as you like, and you can opt out at any time.
Parents and carers can take part in different ways:
• School based focus groups hosted in participating high schools
• An online evening session for those who prefer to join remotely
• An online feedback form if you’d rather share your views in writing - Supporting Parents & Carers with Early Conversations About Su***de – Fill in form
If you’re interested in joining the focus group, please sign up here: Parent & Carer Focus Group Sign Up – Fife Su***de Prevention – Fill in form
Your voice will help shape resources that really make a difference for families across our community.
We would really value your contribution and hope you can join us.
Warmly,
The Fife Su***de Prevention Parent and Carers Working Group
Dear Parent / Carer,
We know that supporting young people through tough moments can sometimes feel overwhelming. Many parents and carers tell us they want to help, but aren’t always sure what to say, what resources to trust, or where to turn when a young person seems distressed or struggling.
That’s why we’d love you to join us for a relaxed, friendly focus group where we’ll chat about what information and resources would genuinely help you feel more confident having conversations with young people about distress, crisis, or suicidal thoughts.
This won’t be a session about crisis responses or personal crisis experiences - just an open, supportive space to talk about what would help you.
Why your voice matters
A multi-agency group in Fife is currently reviewing and developing resources to better support parents and carers. Before creating anything new, we want to hear directly from you:
• What information or resources do you already know about or use?
• Are there things you’ve found helpful—or unhelpful?
• What would make it easier to talk to a young person who might be struggling?
• What formats work best for you—digital, printed, videos, something else?
Your thoughts will help shape a resource that’s meaningful, practical, and truly supportive. We’ll come back to you again later in the process to check that what we create feels right.
What to expect
We know these topics can be sensitive. The conversation will be supported by staff from Education, Educational Psychology, CAMHS, Participation and Engagement and the Health Promotion Service to make sure everyone feels safe and supported throughout. You can take part as much or as little as you feel comfortable, and you can opt out at any point. We’ll also ask (only if you’re comfortable to share) about your reasons for attending, just so we can make sure the session is prepared and supported appropriately.
Ways to take part
Parents and carers can join in whichever way suits them best:
• School based focus groups hosted in participating high schools
• An online evening session for those who prefer to join remotely
• An online feedback form for written contributions - Supporting Parents & Carers with Early Conversations About Su***de – Fill in form
Your insight—whether you’ve used resources before or not—will make a difference for families across Fife. Even if you’re not sure what you’d contribute, we promise your perspective is valuable.
Thank you so much for helping us support the wellbeing of young people in our community.
The Fife Su***de Prevention Parent and Carers Working Group
