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Family, Relationships, Parenting and Elderly Concerns

Updated: 03.10.2024

In this section you can find support for:

  • Elderly concerns
  • Families and Relationships
  • Missing Persons
  • New Parents
  • Separation and Divorce

Elderly Concerns 

Age UK  

Services for older people, their families and those who care for them. Local Age UKs offer a range of advice and services.
Advice Line: 0800 678 1602 (lines open 7 days a week 8am – 7pm) 

Campaign to End Loneliness 

Campaigning organisation with information on what you can do if you feel lonely. 

Hourglass 

Calling time on the harm & abuse of older people. Information & support for older people or anyone concerned that an older person is at risk.
Helpline: 0808 808 8141 (lines open 24 hours)
Text: 07860 052 906
Email: helpline@wearehourglass.org

Men’s Sheds Association 

Men’s Sheds are spaces for men to connect, converse and create through activities similar to those of garden sheds. Find one in your area or find out how to start one. 

National Pensioners Convention - NPC 

National Pensioners Convention promote the welfare and interests of pensioners, as well as campaigning. Current concerns for pensioners are outlined in a quarterly newspaper, pamphlets and bulletins.

The Silver Line 

Confidential helpline providing information, friendship and advice to older people. 
Helpline: 0800 4 70 80 90 (lines open 24 hours) 

U3A 

The University of The Third Age is a self-help organisation for those no longer in full-time employment, providing local leisure, educational and creative opportunities. 

Family and Relationships 

CEOP - IT Safety 

Information on keeping your child safe, using parental controls on the internet and how to report incidents.

CLICK 

Online advice service providing relationship support for individuals, couples and families.

College of Sexual Relationship Therapists   

Information about sexual and relationship concerns and a directory of therapists.

Coram Children’s Legal Centre 

Offering support information and legal representation to children, their families and carers.

DNA Testing 

Information from the Government on DNA testing, how it is used, approved testing companies and what is involved.

Employers For Childcare 

Family Benefits advisory service.

Family Action  

Providing practical, emotional and financial support to families experiencing poverty, disadvantage and social isolation.
Family Line for adult family members: 0808 802 6666 (lines open Monday – Friday 9am – 9pm)
Text: -7537 404 282 (lines open Monday – Friday 9am – 9pm)
Email: familyline@family-action.org.uk 

Family Lives 

Provide support to anyone in a parenting role, on any parenting problem.
Parentline: 0808 800 22 22 (lines open Monday – Friday 9am – 9pm, Weekends 10am – 3pm) 
Email: askus@familylives.org.uk 

Family Lives - Child Taken into Care 

Family Lives information on what happens when a child is taken into care.

Family Lives - Same Sex Parenting 

Information for anyone considering same sex parenting.

Family Rights Group 

Providing advice to families about children’s services, including welfare information. 
Helpline: 0808 801 0366 (lines open Monday – Friday 9.30am – 3pm)

Gingerbread  

Gingerbread are an information service for single parents helping across a variety of concerns including childcare, benefits and legal rights.
Helpline: 0808 802 0925 (lines open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 10am- 12noon, Wednesday 10am – 1pm, plus Monday 2 - 7pm, Tuesday & Thursday 2 – 4pm, Wednesday 4 - 7pm)
Webchat: (online Monday, 12 noon – 3pm, Tuesday 12 noon – 4pm, Wednesday 12noon – 1pm, Thursday 12 noon – 2pm)

Kinship 

Support advice for grandparents, siblings, relatives and family friends who are raising children when their parents aren’t able to.
Helpline: 0300 123 7015 (lines open Monday - Thursday 9.30am – 2pm)
Email: advice@kinship.org.uk

Kinship Care  

BAAF information on Kinship Care, known as ‘family and friends care’. 

Muslim Women’s Network – MWN Helpline 

Information, support to Asian and Muslim women and girls from diverse ethnic / faith backgrounds who are facing problems on a range of concerns, including marriage and divorce.
Helpline: 0800 999 5786 (lines open Monday – Friday 10am -4pm)
Text: 07415 206 936 (Text at any time, replies Monday – Friday 10am -4pm)
Email: info@mwnhelpline.co.uk

NSPCC Helpline 

NSPCC offer confidential advice to adults who are concerned about the safety or welfare of a child. Services are available in several languages and for anyone deaf or hard-of-hearing.
Helpline: 0808 800 5000 (lines open Monday – Friday 11am – 5pm)
Email: help@nspcc.org.uk 

Parenting Focus NI 

Offering advice to parents in Northern Ireland on all aspects of parenting.
Helpline: 0808 8010 722 (lines open Monday - Thursday 9.30am – 3.30pm, Friday till 12.30pm)

Parentline Scotland 

For any parent or carer in Scotland who needs information or simply someone to talk to. Parentline Scotland: 0800 028 22 33 (lines open Monday - Friday 9am - 9pm, Weekends 9am – 12 midday) 

Relate 

Relate provide counselling, mediation, and other services to help individuals, couples and families with relationship difficulties. They work face-to-face, online and on the phone.  Find local contact details 

Reporting Child Abuse 

What to do if you’re worried that a child or young person is at risk or is being abused or neglected.  

The Children and Family Court Advisory - CAFCASS 

The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service support the interests of children involved in family court proceedings.  

Twins Trust 

Twins Trust  provide support advice to families of twins, triplets and more. Helplines are staffed by trained volunteers who are parents of multiples.
Twinline: 0800 138 0509 (lines open Monday – Friday 10am - 1pm, 7pm - 10pm) 

Vaccination Information 

Information for parents about vaccination. 

Missing Persons

Child Taken Abroad Without Consent 

Information on what to do to get your child returned or to establish contact.

Missing People 

Missing people provide support and advice to missing people, as well as concerned families and friends.
Helpline: 116 000 (lines open every day 9am – 11pm)
Text: 116 000
Email: 116000@missingpeople.org.uk 

New Parents

Association for Post Natal Illness - APNI 

Support and information for women experiencing depression following childbirth.
Helpline: 0207 386 0868 (lines open Monday – Friday 10am – 2pm)

Best Beginnings  

Online information for new parents. 

Contact  

For families of children with disabilities.
Helpline: 0808 808 3555 (lines open Monday – Friday 9.30am - 5pm)
Email: helpline@contact.org.uk 

Cry-Sis  

Advice for families or carers of babies who may be excessively crying and sleepless. 

ICON – Babies Cry, You Can Cope 

Working to protect babies and young children from being shaken and harmed. Provides information about infant crying being normal and how comforting methods can help.  

NCT - The National Childbirth Trust  

Providing support advice on being a new parent.
Helpline: 0300 33 00 700 (lines open 8am - midnight) 

Netmums 

Netmums provide information and support to members on anything related to being a Mum. 

NHS: Birth to 2 

Online interactive guide about development from birth to 2 years old. 

Separation and Divorce

Families Need Fathers 

Offering support to parents, with the aim of helping both parties to be involved in their children’s lives following separation.
Helpline: 0300 0300 363 (lines open Monday – Friday 6pm – 10pm) 

Match 

Providing support advice to mothers who are separated from their children.
Email: enquiries@matchmothers.org 

National Association of Child Contact Centres 

NACCC is the supporting membership body for around 350 child contact centres and services. Children of separated families can have contact with their non-resident parents and occasionally other family members, in a comfortable and safe environment.
Information Line: 0115 948 4557 (lines open Monday – Friday 9am - 1pm)
Email: contact@naccc.org.uk 

Parental Alienation Awareness

Raising awareness of parental alienation and the consequences for parents, children and the wider family.
Helpline: 020 3778 1171, option 2 for emotional support, option 4 for legal advice (open Monday – Thursday 6pm – 9pm)

Wikivorce 

Online advice for anyone who has experienced the breakdown of a serious relationship.