Aberlour Child Trust and Children 1st have been awarded grants to improve their digital services.

Two leading children’s charities will share in a £860,000 lottery funding boost.

Aberlour Child Trust and Children 1st are among the first eight organisations in the UK to be awarded grants as part of the National Lottery Community Fund’s new Digital Fund.

The fund has been set up to help charities grow their digital capabilities, particularly around their operations and service delivery.

In addition to the grants, successful projects will also have access to a network of coaches and mentors who can support them on their digital journeys.

Maureen McGinn, National Lottery Community Fund Scotland chair, said: “It’s great to see two major children’s charities in Scotland sharing in the first awards from our Digital Fund.

“Both organisations will put the families they support at the heart of their digital services to transform them for the benefit of Scotland’s children and young people.”

Children 1st said it will use its £371,896 grant to enhance its Parentline service, giving every child and family in Scotland access to round the clock support online.

Linda Jardine, the charity’s director of children and families services, said: “Families say that Parentline is a lifeline. Thanks to the National Lottery, Parentline will be transformed so every family can access that lifeline in the way that works best for them.

“When family life is tough getting early help and support can make all the difference to a child’s future.”

Aberlour Child Trust will use its grant of £491,610 to help redesign its services to ensure young people and families can quickly access digitally-enabled support during times of crisis.

SallyAnn Kelly, Aberlour’s chief executive officer, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be awarded this significant fund from The National Lottery Community Fund.

“This will enable us to progress with our ambitious plans to modernise our organisation and approaches in order that we reach more children and their families faster before they reach crisis point.”