Questions and Answers

Some Q&As about our closure

We hope the information below will answer some of the questions you may have regarding the closure of Signpost.

Why has Signpost closed?

The 3 years leading up to our closure have been a perfect storm, between Covid and the cost-of-living crisis, and in common with a lot of small charities, we just haven’t been able to create a sustainable future.

The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations produced a report on 19 January 2023 which said they expect 1300 Scottish charities to close in the next year, so we’re not the only one. But we have done our best to make sure our families can still get support after we close.

What will happen to families who use Signpost?

We have worked hard to ensure that families can still find support from partner agencies like Carers of West Lothian, and Council services such as Listen and Link. This website ‘signposts’ to a lot of other agencies who can help you – it was specifically created to do this – and it will still be available after we close.

Carers of West Lothian can provide a ‘listening ear’ to any parent carer in need of support, and West Lothian Council’s ‘Listen and Link’ is there for any parent, carer or young person who wants to discuss any concern about their own or others’ wellbeing (see our links to these organisations on the website’s home page). 

When did you close?

We closed our doors on Friday 31 March 2023, after 23 years of supporting local families. All the staff have moved on to new destinations. In due course, after all legal formalities have been completed, the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) will remove Signpost from its register.

Can Signpost still help us with school meetings?

Sorry, no. You can get advice from Enquire.org.uk, or contact West Lothian Council Education customer complaints by emailing educationcustomerservices@westlothian.gov.uk. We also have a section on ‘Meetings and Handling Meetings’ on our Education page

What happened to the information that Signpost held about my family?

We are taking advice from the Information Commissioner’s office to make sure we comply with GDPR. Your records will be securely destroyed using a specialist service, as soon as Signpost is no longer required to keep them.

If you have any concerns about this, please email our Data Officer, Lesley Mount lesley@signpost-online.co.uk with ‘Data Protection‘ in the subject line, before 5th May 2023, and she will respond as quickly as she can.