Families, lone parents and childcare

Information for families, including support for separated families, single parents and children.

England: national support

30 hours free childcare offer on GOV.UK – information on how to use the scheme

Child arrangements if you divorce or separate guide on GOV.UK – information on making child arrangements if you divorce or separate

Child maintenance arrangements on GOV.UK – information to help parents make an informed choice about child maintenance

Childcare – online social network and search for parents and childcare providers

Childcare Choices – information on government help with childcare costs for parents

Children Heard and Seen – supporting children and young people impacted by parental imprisonment

Dads Unlimited – advice, support and peer support for men who have experienced relationship breakdowns and are single parents

Family and Childcare Trust – provides information and signposting services for parenting and childcare issues

Foster care information on GOV.UK – information on how to become a foster carer

Free school meals – check to see if your child is eligible for free school meals

Gingerbread – online advice and helpline for single parents

Healthy Start – NHS Healthy Start scheme gives you free weekly vouchers to buy milk, fruit, vegetables and infant formula milk

Home Start – support for families and how to gain confidence as a parent

Internet Access Needs – a scheme to temporarily increase data allowances for mobile phone users on certain networks to help children and young people access remote education if their usual classroom based education is disrupted

Kids Eat Free – Money Saving Central – directory of places where children can eat for free during half term

Kinship – advice and support for grandparents, siblings and family members who step in to raise children when a parent can’t

Mosac – confidential support for parents and carers of children who have been abused

Netmums – an online parenting news and support community

OFSTED – check if a childcare provider is registered with Ofsted

PACEY – support to help parents choose the right childcare for them

Relate – relationship counselling, children and young people counselling and mental and emotional education

Separated parents: children and the family courts on GOV.UK – a guide on what to expect at family court

See Hear Respond – Barnardo’s led partnership to help children, young people and families cope with the effects of the pandemic with a focus on early intervention

Separating or divorcing – a GOV.UK guide – information on what you need to do when separating or divorcing

Single Parents Support and Advice Services (SPSAS) - provides help and access to support services for single parents

Sorting out Separation – information and support for separated or separating families

Steps Ahead Mentoring programme – employability mentoring programme for parents and carers returning to work

Sure Start on GOV.UK – find a Sure Start Children’s Centre for advice and support on child and family health, money, training and employment

Variety – support for sick, disabled or disadvantaged children and young people including specialist or sensory equipment

Working Families – online and advice and helpline for working parents and carers including benefits, tax credits, employment rights and maternity discrimination

Young Minds – practical advice to support your child’s mental health

Avon, Somerset and Gloucestershire

Bath and North East Somerset Council-0 to 5 years - information about childcare options available in Bath and North East Somerset

Bath and North East Somerset Council -Find a Children’s Centre - locations of Children’s Centres in Bath and North East Somerset

Bath and North East Somerset Council -Children’s Centre services - services provided at Children’s Centres in Bath and North East Somerset

Bath and North East Somerset Council-help for children or young people with additional needs (SEND) - available to families with a child or young person up to the age of 25 with additional needs, a special educational need or disability

Bristol Law Centre- Free legal advice in Bristol and beyond - Provides legal advice and representation to social welfare law for people living in Bristol who could not otherwise afford access to justice

Bristol – Community Learning - Various family orientated courses

Bristol - Pause – Creating Space for Change - Works with women who have experienced the removal of two or more of their children

Bristol Children’s Centres - locations and services provided at Children’s Centres in Bristol

Bristol Early years and childcare - information about childcare options available in Bristol

Bristol- Family Information Service - search for childcare providers near to you

Bristol- Free early education for two year olds - information about childcare options available in Bristol

Bristol Fostering - information about fostering in Bristol

Bristol Help for parents starting or returning to work - services available to Bristol parents returning to work, for childcare and other activities

South Gloucestershire Council-Childcare and early years - provides a wealth of information in relation to childcare

South Gloucestershire Childcare and early years education choices – registered childcare provision which includes childminders and day nurseries

South Gloucestershire- Fostering - information about fostering in South Gloucestershire

South Gloucestershire Children’s centres - Details of the locations and services provided at Children’s Centres

South Gloucestershire- Find information for adults, children and families - A directory of local services relating to Children, Adults and health

South Gloucestershire- School meals - Check if your child can get free school meals in South Gloucestershire

North Somerset Online Directory-About early years and families - information on local childcare provision and rates

Mendip - Health Connections - support and links for children and family related support

North Somerset Online Directory-About children’s centres - locations and services provided at Children’s Centres in South Gloucestershire

North Somerset Council -Children’s centres and childcare - information about childcare options available in North Somerset

North Somerset Fostering -information about fostering in North Somerset

Somerset - Finding childcare - Details and locations of childcare provision, including Children’s Centres, in Somerset

Somerset-Early Years and childcare - information about childcare options available in Somerset

Somerset - Finding childcare - If you are struggling to find appropriate childcare

Somerset Fostering - includes a step-by-step guide to becoming a foster carer and provides further information about the fostering process

Somerset Children’s Social Care - Giving parents, carers and young people advice and support to prevent a crisis

Somerset Young Parents - Helpful Advice on Pregnancy & Raising Kids -Support for Young Parents

Wellbeing South Somerset - Support to Improve Your Health and Wellbeing- several links to support for families and children

Gloucestershire County Council Family Information Service - information on local childcare provision and rates

Family Lives Gloucestershire - Aspects of family life that include all stages of a child’s development, issues with schools and parenting/relationship support

Gloucestershire Childcare Directory - information about childcare options available in Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire Children and Family Centres - locations and services provided at Children’s Centres in Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire Fostering - information about fostering in Gloucestershire

Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire

Home Start Hertfordshire - help families with young children deal with the challenges they face

Central Bedfordshire Family information directory - Children’s Centres in Bedfordshire

Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire

Buckinghamshire Family Information Service - Information, support, childcare and things to do for families, children and young people

Buckinghamshire Council - provide free, confidential, impartial information, advice and support on all matters relating to special educational needs and disability for children and young people aged 0 to 25 and their parents/carers

Oxfordshire Family Information Service - Information and support for children, young people and families in Oxfordshire

Devon and Cornwall

Care and Support in Cornwall - Children’s Centres 

Family Information Service - Devon County Council - A list of useful information for parents and carers of 0-19 year olds

Pinpoint Devon - Children’s centres

Plymouth Online Directory - Children’s centres

Essex

Essex Family Information Services – a resource of local support and schemes available to families in Essex

Morgan Sindall – contact your Work Coach about this lone parent mentoring opportunity across Essex

Kent

Community Coaching and Training – runs a Lone Parent Support Resource Project in Chatham to support lone parents into sustainable work

Kent County Council – runs a Childcare Advice Line and provides a directory of children centres

Kent Family Mediation Service - runs a Separated Parents Information Programme to help parents manage conflict and gain practical parenting knowledge

Medway Council – a directory of Children and Family Hubs in Medway

NHS – access to the Kent Children and Young People’s Mental Health Service

SNAAP – provides support for parents and carers of children with special needs in Canterbury

Surrey and Sussex

Amaze - For families with disabled children and young people in Sussex

Brighton Unemployed Centre Families Project (BUCFP) - provide practical support, education, and advice

Open for parents - support for parents

Cheshire

Cheshire East Council) - Care and support for children

Durham and Tees Valley

Hartlepool Borough Council - The Children’s Hub - provides information, advice and guidance on services and support for children, young people and families

Kilmarnock Road Centre - Provides services for children, young people and adults

Thirteen - Support for families

Merseyside

Halton Borough Council - Family Information Service

Halton Borough Council - Find your nearest children centre in Runcorn and Widnes

Liverpool City Council - Find a nursery or childcare provider

Liverpool City Council - Children’s centres

St Helens Council - Family Information Service

Sefton Council - Childcare

Wirral Council Early years and childcare

South Yorkshire

Baby Basics - Supporting new mothers and families who are struggling to meet the financial and practical burden of looking after a new baby

Sheffield City Council - Positive parenting - support with parenting.

West Yorkshire

Bradford Council - Family Hubs

Bradford Council - Free early education and childcare for two year olds

Uniform Exchange - Uniform exchange for Kirklees

WomenCentre Calderdale and Kirklees - support for women

Yorkshire Children’s Trust - support for families with sick or disabled children

Black Country

Dudley Family Information Service - provides free, up to date information, advice and contacts for families

Sandwell Family Information Service - offers free, impartial information to families with children

Sandwell Parents for Disabled Children – provides provision for play and leisure activities for disabled children

Wolverhampton Information Network Childcare - provides information on childcare

Wolverhampton Fostering and adoption – provides information on how you can foster or adopt a child in Wolverhampton

East Anglia

ADHD Norfolk – provides family support for families struggling with ADHD, requires a Work Coach referral

ASD Helping Hands – provides support for families in Norfolk where an adult or child has autism

Crystal Pathways – contact your Work Coach about this employability and skills programme for lone parents in Norwich

Ormiston – provides mental health support for children, families and new mums when a loved one is in prison across East Anglia

Peterborough Children and Family Centre – a directory of local organisations in Peterborough that supports families

Realise Futures – contact your Work Coach about this families and early years courses for parents and carers in Suffolk

TCHC – provides an Into Work programme for disadvantaged families, including lone parents across East Anglia

Leicestershire and Northamptonshire

Early years and childcare - provides support to families and children 0-5 years old on how to access high quality childcare and free entitlements

Nurseries and childcare - search for nurseries and child carers or find out about children’s centres

Home-Start Northampton - offer regular support, friendship, and practical help to families

Starting Well Leicester – provides emergency baby supplies and support with baby feeding

Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland

Childcare and family support – Lincolnshire County Council - provides information on childcare

Childcare Nottingham City Directory - provides information on childcare

HomeStart Newark – offers support to parents as they learn to cope, improve their confidence and build better lives for their children

Mercia

Coventry City Council family hubs - offers support to children, young people and their families to find and get help from different services in the area

Shropshire Council parents and carers - offers advice for parents and carers

Strickland Mums - offers mums mental health and addiction support postnatally as well as during their pregnancy - contact your Work Coach about this support

Warwickshire County Council children and family centres - offers flexible support for families with young people aged 0-19 (25 with additional needs)

Worcestershire County Council children’s centres - provides a range of information, parenting groups and courses based around the specific needs of the communities

Staffordshire and Derbyshire

Ability Care Chesterfield - promotes the interests and rights of people with a disability, their families and carers, in Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire

Caudwell Children - provides support to families when raising a child with a disability

Childcare and early years education - Derby City Council - information and signposting service for families with children and young people

Diamond Families - offers a range of services, evidence-based programmes and guidance to children, families and professionals

Frantic Families Support Group - offers support to families with children who suffer from ADHD, Autism and other associated conditions

Home-Start Tamworth - supports parents in and around Tamworth, who are going through challenging times

Sporting Communities Tamworth - provides support to families who are experiencing long or short term difficulties

Scotland: national support

30 hours free childcare offer on GOV.UK – information on how to use the scheme

Al Anon – family support groups for families affected by alcohol issues

ALISS – a local information service for Scotland which includes help for families and lone parents

Caudwell Children – support for disabled children and their families

Child maintenance arrangements on GOV.UK – information to help parents make an informed choice about child maintenance

Childcare – online social network and search for parents and childcare providers

Childcare Choices – information on government help with childcare costs for parents

Children 1st – Scottish children’s charity offering support to prevent abuse and neglet

Children Heard and Seen – supporting children and young people impacted by parental imprisonment

Circle – support for families across Scotland

Dads Unlimited – advice, support and peer support for men who have experienced relationship breakdowns and are single parents

Family and Childcare Trust – provides information and signposting services for parenting and childcare issues

Foster care information on GOV.UK – information on how to become a foster carer

Free school meals – check to see if your child is eligible for free school meals

Gingerbread – online advice and helpline for single parents

Healthy Start – NHS Healthy Start scheme gives you free weekly vouchers to buy milk, fruit, vegetables and infant formula milk

Help after a break up – information and support for people divorcing or separating in Scotland

Home Start – support for families and how to gain confidence as a parent

Internet Access Needs – a scheme to temporarily increase data allowances for mobile phone users on certain networks to help children and young people access remote education if their usual classroom based education is disrupted

Kids Eat Free – Money Saving Central – directory of places where children can eat for free during half term

Kinship – advice and support for grandparents, siblings and family members who step in to raise children when a parent can’t

Kinship Care Scotland – advice for kinship carers in Scotland

Mosac – confidential support for parents and carers of children who have been abused

Netmums – an online parenting news and support community

OFSTED – check if a childcare provider is registered with Ofsted

One Parent Families Scotland – runs online support services and a lone parent helpline

PACEY – support to help parents choose the right childcare for them

Relate – relationship counselling, children and young people counselling and mental and emotional education

Parent Club: Online Safety – information for parents about child online safety

Scottish Childminding Association – support for childminders across Scotland and advice for anyone who’d like to become a childminder

Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs – offers online support, local services and a helpline

Separated parents: children and the family courts on GOV.UK – a guide on what to expect at family court

See Hear Respond – Barnardo’s led partnership to help children, young people and families cope with the effects of the pandemic with a focus on early intervention

Separating or divorcing – a GOV.UK guide – information on what you need to do when separating or divorcing

Single Parents Support and Advice Services (SPSAS) - provides help and access to support services for single parents

Sorting out Separation – information and support for separated or separating families

Steps Ahead Mentoring programme – employability mentoring programme for parents and carers returning to work

Sure Start on GOV.UK – find a Sure Start Children’s Centre for advice and support on child and family health, money, training and employment

The Spark – offers relationship and individual counselling sessions remotely across Scotland

Variety – support for sick, disabled or disadvantaged children and young people including specialist or sensory equipment

Working Families – online and advice and helpline for working parents and carers including benefits, tax credits, employment rights and maternity discrimination

Young Minds – practical advice to support your child’s mental health

Central Scotland

Geeza Break – offers parenting, budgeting, welfare ad housing support to parents living within the north east and east end of Glasgow

Horizons – contact your Work Coach about this lone parent training programme in Govan, Maryhill and Parkhead

REACT – contact your Work Coach about this young parents workshop and group activities service for east end of Glasgow

School Gates Initiative – contact your Work Coach about this parental employment opportunity in Glasgow

East Scotland

Clackmannanshire Council Young Parents Project – information and support for young parents aged 16-24 in Forth Valley and Clackmannanshire

North East Scotland

Avenue – offers meditation and counselling services for families that are separating in Aberdeenshire

NHS Tayside Family Nurse Partnership – access to a voluntary home visiting programme for first time mums aged 19 and under at the start of pregnancy in Tayside

Parent to Parent – support and advocacy for parents of children with additional support needs or a terminal illness in Angus, Dundee or Perth and Kinross

Whole Family Wellbeing Fund – contact your Work Coach for information about this initiative to prevent families reaching a crisis point in Aberdeenshire

Northern Scotland

Care and Learning Alliance – provides childcare practice and learning support services for children up to the age of 16 and their families in Inverness

Highland Council – local information and access to the Children and Family Services for Inverness, Nairn and Inverness-shire

Thriving Families – support and information for families of children with additional special needs in the Highlands

South West Scotland

Parental Employment Support – contact your Work Coach about this job search and confidence building service for parents in South Lanarkshire

Stepping Stones for Families – offers money advice for families in North and South Carrick

The Lennox Partnership – contact your Work Coach about this tailored support service for families with children under 5 in North Ayrshire

Wales: national support

30 hours free childcare offer on GOV.UK – information on how to use the scheme

Childcare – online social network and search for parents and childcare providers

Childcare Choices – information on government help with childcare costs for parents

Child arrangements if you divorce or separate guide on GOV.UK – information on making child arrangements if you divorce or separate

Child maintenance arrangements on GOV.UK – information to help parents make an informed choice about child maintenance

Children Heard and Seen – supporting children and young people impacted by parental imprisonment

Dads Unlimited – advice, support and peer support for men who have experienced relationship breakdowns and are single parents

Family and Childcare Trust – provides information and signposting services for parenting and childcare issues

Family Information Service – each local authority has its own Family Information Service

Foster care information on GOV.UK – information on how to become a foster carer

Free School Meals – check if your child can get free school meals in Wales

Gingerbread – online advice and helpline for single parents

Healthy Start – NHS Healthy Start scheme gives you free weekly vouchers to buy milk, fruit, vegetables and infant formula milk

Home Start – support for families and how to gain confidence as a parent

Internet Access Needs – a scheme to temporarily increase data allowances for mobile phone users on certain networks to help children and young people access remote education if their usual classroom based education is disrupted

Kids Eat Free – Money Saving Central – directory of places where children can eat for free during half term

Kinship – advice and support for grandparents, siblings and family members who step in to raise children when a parent can’t

Mosac – confidential support for parents and carers of children who have been abused

Netmums – an online parenting news and support community

OFSTED – check if a childcare provider is registered with Ofsted

PaCE – contact your Work Coach about this Parent, Childcare and Employment support service

PACEY – support to help parents choose the right childcare for them

Relate – relationship counselling, children and young people counselling and mental and emotional education

Separated parents: children and the family courts on GOV.UK – a guide on what to expect at family court

See Hear Respond – Barnardo’s led partnership to help children, young people and families cope with the effects of the pandemic with a focus on early intervention

Separating or divorcing – a GOV.UK guide – information on what you need to do when separating or divorcing

Single Parents Support and Advice Services (SPSAS) - provides help and access to support services for single parents

Sorting out Separation – information and support for separated or separating families

Steps Ahead Mentoring programme – employability mentoring programme for parents and carers returning to work

Sure Start on GOV.UK – find a Sure Start Children’s Centre for advice and support on child and family health, money, training and employment

Variety – support for sick, disabled or disadvantaged children and young people including specialist or sensory equipment

Working Families – online and advice and helpline for working parents and carers including benefits, tax credits, employment rights and maternity discrimination

Young Minds – practical advice to support your child’s mental health

North and Mid Wales

Advance Brighter Futures – helps people in Wrexham overcome challenges such as postnatal depression, lack of confidence and low self-esteem

Family Friends – support Wrexham families who are under stress and have at least one child aged 5-11

Hafal – help people with severe mental health issues and their families towards recovery

Home Start – call 0800 068 6368 to access support and advice for parents when their children are young

JIGSAW Autism Project – contact info@jigsawsupport.org for access to this project in Denbighshire

JIGSAW Prison Bus Service – provides a prison bus service to the family and friends of offenders serving custodial sentences

Open Door Family Centre – support for parents who are unemployed or on a low income in Powys with education, training or help with equipment to start a job

Rural Health and Care Wales – targets training and recruitment of professional workers in rural communities

SNAP Cymru – supports families with special educational needs (SEN)

South East Wales

Single Parents Wellbeing – wellbeing workshops across South East Wales both remotely and in person

South West Wales

Clybiau Plant Cymru – runs Kids Clubs across South West Wales

Family Holiday Charity – provides support to disadvantaged families to have a holiday

Family Point Cymru – provides family support signposting for families in South West Wales

Flying Start (Integrated Children’s Centre) – an early years initiative for children under 4 in Ceredigion

Splice Child and Family Project – a family community centre based for Pyle

Y Bont – parent and child centre in Bridgend focussed on supporting parents with disabled children