Support for parents and carers
Everything you need to know about your child's Girlguiding experience
Looking to understand the world of Girlguiding a bit better? Need to contact someone?
Jump to our support directory.
Girlguiding girls are up to 23% more confident than the UK average. We’re here to make a difference in their lives and help them to know they can do anything. Our volunteers make that happen.
Whether you’re new to us or have been here for a while, here’s everything you need to support your child’s Girlguiding journey as parent or carer.
We’ve kept it short and simple – so that you can scan the important information easily and come back to find support when you need it.
What we can help you with
Girlguiding is the largest youth organisation dedicated to girls in the UK. To make a nationwide impact, we gradually break down into smaller groups that deliver guiding for the local area.
At a UK level, we can help you with things like:
- Registering your child.
- Becoming a volunteer.
- UK-wide information about Girlguiding and our programme.
You can find us via our website, contact us form or social media channels.
Your local Girlguiding unit is run by volunteers. They’ll be able to help with things like:
- Unit meeting times.
- Information about local adventures or residential trips.
- What badges your child is completing.
Learn more about how Girlguiding is structured.
What we need from you
It’s important we have the correct information for you and your child so we can keep them safe.
You’ll need to:
- Fill in your child’s new starter form if they’re joining a unit for the first time.
- Make sure your address and emergency contact details are correct in GO. Check out our parent and carers' guide to GO.
- Complete and return any forms leaders give you about events and activities.
- Remind your child to add their own contact details in GO when they turn 14.
For other things you might need to do, read our new guiding term checklist for parents and carers.
About our uniform
Our uniform gives everyone in guiding a sense of belonging and pride in being part of guiding. We don't have one set uniform – we take a flexible approach so that girls can choose what they want to wear from a range of options.
Go to online shop and browse our range of uniform.
Lots of girls choose to display badges on their uniform too! If you need inspiration, check out these creative ways to display your child’s badges.
What does my child do in unit meetings?
Around 60% of what girls do in regular unit meetings is related to our programme. Our programme is made up of 3 core things:
- Unit meeting activities (UMAs). These are about taking part, trying new things and having fun as a group.
- Skills builders. These are designed to help girls build core skills in areas like first aid, leadership and camping.
- Interest badges. These give girls opportunities to explore their own interests.
They cover lots of topics and they’re designed to give girls fun experiences and develop new skills. Your child will complete UMAs and skills builders in their unit meetings, so you won’t need to help with those at home.
Find out more about our programme.
Every unit is different
The volunteer who runs your local unit will plan what activities they do with girls each term. The same goes for local adventures or residential trips.
We’ll share national events and opportunities that are happening with leaders, but it’s up to local leaders to decide what’s best for their unit.
For more information about what your child is doing, contact your local unit leader.
Your child can complete badges at home!
Interest badges are a type of Girlguiding badge girls can earn by exploring new interests or diving deeper into their passions. Girls choose what badge they want to do, when they want to do it and who with.
From blogging to dancing, girls can pick something that interests them using our badge finder, complete activities and earn a badge for it.
See how other parents and carers are supporting their child to complete interest badges at home.
Do I need to volunteer with my local unit?
We don’t ask for a formal volunteering commitment from parents or carers, but we’d love you to help out when you can. We know you’re busy – but you can give your time flexibly and it still makes a big difference to girls’ lives.
You can help twice per term before you need to register as an official volunteer. So why not offer up 1 evening this term to support the volunteers who run your local guiding unit? You could rotate between other parents and carers in your area to keep it flexible.
Or you could offer to do a shop for a unit meeting, help tidy up or attend an event.
Register your interest to join as a regular volunteer. Or check out some of the other opportunities for parents and carers.
Find support
Need to contact someone but not sure where to go? Check out this support directory.
The volunteer who runs your local unit will usually contact you when it’s time for your child to move up a section.
If your child needs to change units, here’s what to do:
- Log into GO and select your name.
- Click on ‘My daughters’.
- Go to the actions arrow and click ‘Enquire to join a new unit.’
- Use the postcode search to find the unit your child wants to transfer to.
- You’ll be able to contact the new unit directly who will process your request.
Be sure to let your child’s current leader know you’d like to change units.
Please contact [email protected] with your name, your child’s name and their membership number.
Contact the volunteer who runs your local guiding unit directly. To make a nationwide impact, we gradually break down into smaller groups that deliver guiding for the local area. In this instance, your message will best reach your local unit.
The cost of living is rising. It’s having an impact on all of us and there’s support available if you need it.
One of our volunteers will aim to be in touch within 3-4 weeks. They can explain meetings times, costs, what's planned for the term and if there's a waiting list. Sometimes our volunteers are very busy so it can take a little longer. Thank you for your patience.
Did you find what you were looking for?
If you have a question that’s not been answered, email [email protected].
