Shared Parenting Scotland reaches major milestone in volunteer family court support

Shared Parenting Scotland reaches major milestone in volunteer family court support

Shared Parenting Scotland has reached an important milestone. Following our most recent training in Edinburgh, we have now trained more than 50 Lay Supporters across Scotland.

Our third Lay Supporter training session of the year took place over two evenings recently in Edinburgh, with 14 new participants. This follows earlier sessions held in Glasgow and in Aberdeen, the latter delivered in partnership with Aberdeen University Law School. Together, these sessions build on two years development of our volunteer lay supporter network.

The demand for lay supporters is driven by the dramatic increase in the number of parents representing themselves as ‘party litigants’ in contact and residence cases where they have asked courts to make decisions about sharing time with their children after divorce or separation.  A minority of parents have always opted to represent themselves arguing they know the detail of their case better than any lawyer can. A larger number say they simply cannot afford a solicitor. Their income may be only a few pounds above Legal Aid eligibility and nowhere near enough to cover the potential costs of their case.

The third and dramatically growing driver of self-representation is among parents who are eligible for Legal Aid but who simply cannot find a solicitor to take them on. Our helpline receives calls weekly from mothers and fathers who say they have contacted 40 or 50 or 60 solicitors but cannot find one to take on their case. They do not want to represent themselves in the stressful and intimidating environment of a court room but have no choice. 

This access to justice crisis has been widely reported throughout 2025. As a consequence we are seeing an increase in requests for volunteers to act as lay supporter across Scotland

A lay supporter can provide some reassurance, clarity and emotional steadiness for parents navigating complex and often intimidating hearings. They help individuals understand procedures, prepare for their court appearances and help them feel accompanied rather than isolated at what is often one of the most stressful periods in their lives.

One mother who has been supported by Shared Parenting Scotland in recent years told us,

“Thank you for delivering the lay supporter training sessions – it was both educational and relevant. I particularly enjoyed the role play at the end”.

Feedback from parents who have been helped records how much difference it makes to have a calm presence supporting a parent in the days leading up to a hearing, on court day, and afterwards, when many feel the weight of proceedings most acutely.  

One party litigant said:

“The benefit of lay supporters is the calming reassurance before during and after the hearing. Being accompanied on the day helped me stay positive and keep the focus on what matters. My child. Thank you”.

Shared Parenting Scotland Chief Executive Kevin Kane said:

“This milestone matters because every lay supporter represents a mother or father who feels less isolated in a system that can feel overwhelming. Although Shared Parenting Scotland receives no dedicated funding for this training programme, we are continuing to expand it within the limits of our resources for as long as Scotland’s family justice system is failing to meet the reasonable expectations that those with a case to argue should be able to find a professional to help them make it.

At the same time, we continue to argue that many cases should not be in court at all if parents were supported through effective mediation or alternative dispute resolution to find their way to solutions that genuinely put their children first. Until that shift takes hold, the presence of trained lay supporters remains a vital bridge for families trying to do the right thing for their children. Our lay supporters are volunteers. We cannot meet every request for help, but we are extremely grateful for the commitment of those who have given up their time to offer invaluable help.“

If you are interested in becoming a Lay Supporter or want to learn more, please contact Alastair Williamson on aw@sharedparenting.scot.