Kidora Parent Hub

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Family Support

Families may need support for many different reasons, including money worries, housing problems, childcare, a child’s development, school concerns, disability, mental health, relationship difficulties, bereavement, domestic abuse or simply feeling overwhelmed.

Asking for help does not mean a parent has failed. Early support can prevent a manageable problem becoming more difficult.

This UK guide explains where families can start, which services may help and when urgent or emergency action is needed.

How to Use This Guide

This page signposts UK services and organisations. It does not diagnose a physical or mental health condition, determine benefits or legal rights, replace a safeguarding referral or guarantee that a service will accept a case.

Services, thresholds and terminology differ across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Check the official service for the nation and local authority where the family lives.

Call 999 for immediate danger or a life-threatening emergency. Use the relevant NHS urgent-care route for urgent but non-life-threatening health concerns.

Trusted UK Support Routes

Services and terminology differ across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Local councils, health boards, health and social care trusts and devolved governments may organise support differently.

Where to Start

A useful first contact may be:

The child’s health visitor
The GP
The child’s nursery or school
The local council
A family hub or children’s centre
A local advice service
A relevant charity

Write Down the Main Problem

Before contacting a service, note:

What is happening
When it began
How often it happens
How it affects the child or family
What help has already been tried
What support is needed now

Keep Important Records

Keep copies of:

Letters
Emails
Assessment reports
Care plans
Benefit decisions
Housing correspondence
School meeting notes
Reference numbers

Local Councils

Local councils may provide or commission support involving:

Children’s services
Family support
Childcare information
Housing
Council Tax support
School admissions
SEND services
Holiday activities
Local welfare assistance

Use the official GOV.UK local council finder.

Family Hubs and Children’s Centres

Depending on the area, family support may be available through:

Family hubs
Sure Start Children’s Centres
Children and family centres
Community hubs
Integrated family services

Possible services include:

Parent and baby groups
Health visiting
Infant feeding support
Parenting programmes
Speech and language support
Benefits and debt advice
Domestic abuse support
Mental health support

In England, use the GOV.UK children’s centre finder. Elsewhere in the UK, search the local authority or health service website.

Health Visitors

Health visitors support families with babies and young children.

They may help with:

Infant feeding
Growth and development
Sleep
Toileting
Parent wellbeing
Safety
Accessing other services

Use the NHS health visiting service finder where available.

GP Support

A GP may help with:

Physical health concerns
Mental health
Referrals
Medication reviews
Developmental concerns
Carer health

For urgent but non-emergency health concerns, use NHS 111 where available in your nation. Call emergency services for an immediate emergency.

School and Nursery Support

Schools and nurseries may help with:

Learning concerns
Attendance
Friendships
Bullying
Behaviour
School meals
Uniform support
Additional needs
Family liaison

Who to Contact at School

Possible contacts include:

Class teacher
Form tutor
Head of year
SENCO or equivalent
Designated safeguarding lead
Family support worker
Headteacher

Ask for a Proper Meeting

For a complex concern:

Request a meeting
Explain the issue in advance
Bring relevant records
Ask for agreed actions
Set a review date

SEND and Additional Learning Needs

Children may need support with:

Communication
Learning
Attention
Sensory processing
Mobility
Social interaction
Emotional regulation

Families in England can use the GOV.UK SEND guidance.

Wales uses additional learning needs terminology, while Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own systems.

Local SEND Information

Ask the local authority or education service about:

The local offer or equivalent
Independent advice services
Assessment routes
Support plans
Transport
Short breaks
Parent-carer forums

Disabled Children and Family Support

Possible support may include:

Disability benefits
Equipment
Home adaptations
Short breaks
Transport
Carer support
Specialist childcare

Use GOV.UK financial help for disabled people and contact the relevant local authority service.

Carers

A parent caring for a disabled or seriously ill child may be entitled to:

A carer’s assessment
Financial support
Respite or short breaks
Practical equipment
Employment advice
Emotional support

Use NHS information about carer’s assessments.

Childcare Support

Families may need help with:

Finding registered childcare
Childcare costs
Free childcare hours
Tax-Free Childcare
Universal Credit childcare support
Childcare for disabled children

Use GOV.UK childcare support information.

Benefits and Financial Support

Families may be eligible for support involving:

Universal Credit
Child Benefit
Disability Living Allowance for children
Carer’s Allowance
Housing costs
Council Tax support
Free school meals
Healthy Start
Childcare costs

Use an official GOV.UK benefits calculator to estimate possible entitlement.

Benefits Decisions

If a decision appears wrong:

Read the decision letter
Check the deadline
Request an explanation
Get independent advice
Keep evidence and copies

Citizens Advice benefits guidance can help families understand options.

Debt and Money Advice

Seek advice early if a family is struggling with:

Rent or mortgage arrears
Energy debt
Council Tax
Credit cards
Loans
Buy-now-pay-later debt
Essential household costs

Use MoneyHelper debt guidance or Citizens Advice debt and money support.

Food Support

Possible support may include:

Free school meals
Healthy Start
Local food banks
Community pantries
Holiday food programmes
Local welfare assistance

For England, check GOV.UK free school meal information.

Healthy Start

Eligible families may be able to receive help towards certain foods and vitamins.

Check current eligibility on the official NHS Healthy Start website.

Housing Support

Seek advice if the family is facing:

Rent arrears
Eviction
Homelessness
Overcrowding
Damp or mould
Unsafe conditions
Domestic abuse

Contact the local council’s housing or homelessness team.

Threatened with Homelessness

Do not wait until the family has nowhere to stay.

Use GOV.UK homelessness help from the council and seek independent housing advice.

Housing Advice

Shelter England provides housing guidance. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have separate housing-advice services.

Energy and Heating Support

Families struggling with energy costs should contact:

The energy supplier
The local council
Citizens Advice
A recognised debt-advice service

Ask about:

Affordable repayment plans
Priority services
Local hardship support
Energy grants

Relationship and Parenting Support

Family relationships may be affected by:

Sleep deprivation
Money worries
Different parenting styles
Work pressure
Illness
Separation
Blended-family difficulties

Ask for Support Before Crisis Point

Support may be available through:

Family hubs
GP services
Counselling
Parenting programmes
Mediation
Relationship charities

Separation and Divorce

Children may need:

Clear explanations
Predictable contact arrangements
Reassurance that the separation is not their fault
Protection from adult conflict
Support from school or nursery

For legal or financial questions, seek advice from a qualified adviser.

Child Maintenance

Parents can use the official Child Maintenance Service information.

Parental Conflict

Repeated, intense or unresolved conflict can affect children.

Parents may benefit from:

Mediation
Relationship support
Separated-parent programmes
Local family services

Domestic Abuse

Domestic abuse may include:

Physical abuse
Sexual abuse
Threats
Coercive control
Economic abuse
Emotional abuse
Technology-facilitated abuse

Use the official GOV.UK domestic abuse support guide, which includes separate helplines for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Immediate Danger

If someone is in immediate danger, call 999.

If calling from a mobile and unable to speak, follow the emergency operator’s instructions. GOV.UK explains the silent-solution process on its domestic abuse support page.

Use Technology Safely

If a phone or device may be monitored:

Use a safe device where possible
Do not download an app if this may increase danger
Consider private browsing carefully
Ask a specialist service about digital safety

Child Safeguarding Concerns

Contact the relevant local authority children’s social care service when a child may be at risk of abuse or neglect. Do not wait for proof or attempt to investigate the concern yourself.

Use the GOV.UK child-abuse reporting route where applicable and the NSPCC reporting guidance.

Call 999 if a child is in immediate danger.

Talking to a Child Who Discloses Harm

Stay calm and:

Listen
Take the child seriously
Do not promise secrecy
Avoid asking leading questions
Record the child’s words accurately
Report the concern promptly

Support for Children and Young People

Children and young people can contact Childline for confidential support.

Parent Mental Health

Parents and carers may seek support for anxiety, low mood, trauma, postnatal mental health difficulties, exhaustion, loneliness or difficulty coping.

This guide cannot diagnose the cause or recommend treatment. Speak to a GP, midwife, health visitor or local mental health service. Use the NHS mental health information and follow any individual care plan.

Urgent Mental Health Help

Use the NHS urgent mental health guidance if someone needs urgent help or cannot stay safe.

Call 999 where there is immediate danger, a serious attempt to harm someone, severe injury, unresponsiveness or another life-threatening emergency.

Samaritans and other helplines can provide emotional support, but they do not replace emergency or clinical services.

Samaritans

Samaritans provides confidential emotional support.

Children’s Mental Health

Changes in mood, sleep, behaviour, eating, friendships, school attendance or self-harm concerns can have many possible causes and require individual assessment.

Speak to the child’s GP, school, school nurse or an appropriate local service. Use the NHS children and young people’s mental health information.

Seek urgent help if a child may harm themselves or someone else. Call 999 for immediate danger.

Where to Ask for Help

Possible starting points include:

GP
School or college
School nurse
Health visitor
Local children’s mental health service
NHS urgent mental health service

Bereavement Support

Children and adults may grieve differently.

Support may be available through:

GP services
School or nursery
Hospice services
Bereavement charities
Counselling

Child Bereavement UK provides information for families and professionals.

Support After Pregnancy or Baby Loss

Families may need medical, emotional and practical support following:

Miscarriage
Ectopic pregnancy
Stillbirth
Neonatal death
Termination for medical reasons

Speak to the maternity team, GP or a specialist bereavement service.

Loneliness and Isolation

Parents may feel isolated because of:

Living far from family
Language barriers
Disability
Single parenting
Working patterns
Postnatal difficulties

Possible local connections include:

Libraries
Family hubs
Parent groups
Faith communities
Volunteering
Community centres

Support for Migrant and Multilingual Families

Families may need help with:

Interpreting
School admissions
Healthcare registration
Immigration advice
Benefits eligibility
Community connections

Use a regulated immigration adviser for immigration matters.

Language Support

Ask services whether they can provide:

An interpreter
Translated information
Easy-read information
British Sign Language access

Support for Single Parents

Single-parent families may need support with:

Benefits
Childcare
Child maintenance
Housing
Employment
Emotional support

Gingerbread provides information and support for single-parent families.

Young Parents

Young parents may be able to access:

Housing support
Education support
Benefits advice
Health visiting
Family hubs
Specialist parent groups

Kinship Carers

Kinship carers may be grandparents, siblings or other relatives caring for a child.

Support may involve:

Legal advice
Financial support
Education support
Contact arrangements
Peer support

Contact the local authority and seek independent advice about the child’s legal arrangement.

Adoption and Fostering Support

Adoptive and foster families may need:

Therapeutic support
Education support
Training
Respite
Peer networks
Financial guidance

Contact the placing authority, fostering service or adoption support team.

Parenting Programmes

Local services may offer programmes covering:

Behaviour
Routines
Communication
Teen relationships
Separated parenting
Children with additional needs

Ask the local council, school, health visitor or family hub.

Support When a Service Says No

If support is refused:

Ask for the decision in writing
Ask which criteria were used
Ask what alternative support exists
Check the complaints process
Seek independent advice
Keep deadlines in mind

Making a Complaint

A complaint should usually include:

What happened
Dates
People involved
Evidence
The impact
The resolution requested

Advocacy

An advocate may help a parent:

Understand rights
Prepare for meetings
Communicate concerns
Challenge a decision
Access information

Helping Another Family

Practical support can include:

Listening without judgement
Sharing trusted contact details
Helping with forms
Providing a meal
Offering transport
Passing on suitable children’s items

Do Not Promise More Than You Can Provide

Be clear about:

Time
Money
Transport
Childcare
Emergency availability

FREE Children’s Items and Practical Support

Some families need immediate access to clothing, nursery items, toys, books or school supplies.

Possible sources include:

Local councils
Family hubs
Baby banks
School uniform exchanges
Community groups
Charities
Preloved marketplaces

Family Support and Kidora

Kidora is a UK-only marketplace where parents can buy and sell new and preloved baby and children’s items.

Families may find clothing, toys, books, nursery equipment, school items and other children’s products. Sellers pay no selling fees and keep 100% of the item sale price. Buyers pay a mandatory Buyer Protection fee on paid purchases, shown before checkout.

Suitable items can be listed at £0 as FREE rather than being thrown away, which may help another local family. FREE listings are collection-only and do not include a Buyer Protection fee.

Kidora is not an emergency, medical, legal, safeguarding, benefits, housing or family-assessment service. It does not determine need or replace a baby bank, council, NHS service, school, charity or qualified adviser.

Check product instructions, condition, completeness and recalls before buying, selling or giving away any item.

A Family Support Checklist

Identify the main issue
Write down key dates and evidence
Choose the most relevant first contact
Ask what support is available
Request decisions in writing
Keep copies and reference numbers
Check deadlines
Seek independent advice where needed
Use urgent services when safety is at risk
Call emergency services for immediate danger

Frequently Asked Questions

Where should I start if I do not know which service I need?

Start with the local council, family hub, health visitor, GP, school or Citizens Advice, depending on whether the main issue is family support, health, education, housing or money.

Can a school help with family problems?

Schools may offer family liaison, safeguarding, pastoral, SEND, meal, uniform or referral support. Ask for a private meeting.

What should I do if support is refused?

Ask for the decision and reasons in writing, check the complaints or review process and seek independent advice.

Where can I get urgent mental health help?

Use NHS urgent mental health guidance, NHS 111 where applicable or emergency services if someone cannot remain safe.

What should I do if a child may be in immediate danger?

Call 999. For non-emergency safeguarding concerns, contact the local authority children’s social care team or use NSPCC guidance.