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Sources of support

Supporting you
Supporting you
Advice to help you with the day to day challenges of being a parent
Booklets and information sheets to support parents
Booklets and information sheets to support parents
Information sheets to help you with specific behaviours or concerns.

Parenting support

Action for Children

Parent Talk Cymru - Free and confidential live chat with a parenting coach.

https://parents.actionforchildren.org.uk/parent-talk-cymru/

Family Lives

Provides information, advice, guidance and support on any aspect of parenting and family life, including bullying.

Free Helpline on 0808 800 2222

www.familylives.org.uk

NSPCC Cymru/Wales

Have a Helpline – 0808 800 5000 which offers help and advice. Bilingual Welsh/English service. Open 10am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

Textphone 0808 100 1033

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/our-services/nspcc-helpline/

The NSPCC Take 5 campaign also provides hints and tips to help parents keep their cool in challenging parenting situations.

Cry-sis

Helps families who find it difficult to cope when their baby cries a lot.

08451 228 669

www.cry-sis.org.uk

Stonewall

The charity Stonewall have a dedicated page to support parents to understand their parental rights. They also have links to a number of downloadable booklets and information sheets for parents who are supporting LGBT children.

https://www.stonewallcymru.org.uk/help-advice/parenting-rights-2

Parenting courses and books

The following parenting courses have been shown to help families to have a stronger relationship with their child and promote good behaviour in the family. The organisations that have developed these courses also have books and on-line courses which you may find useful.

Incredible Years books

incredibleyears.com/category/books/

Family Links books and resources

https://www.familylinks.org.uk/parent-zone

Family Links online course

www.netmums.com

Triple P online parenting courses

Toddlers to tweens

Pre-teens and teens

Fear-less: managing childhood anxiety

Relationship support

Domestic Abuse

Please call the helpline on 0808 8010 800 or visit the Live Fear Free website for more information and sources of support

https://gov.wales/live-fear-free 

Relate Cymru

Offers advice, relationship counselling and support.

0300 003 2340

www.relate.org.uk/cymru

One Plus One

Offers early action in relationship support by creating resources that help families and frontline workers tackle relationship issues early.

https://www.oneplusone.org.uk

Sorting out Separation

Provides information to help separated parents work together to achieve what’s best for their children. It also provides Information on a range of topics including co-parenting, mediation and childcare arrangements.

https://www.gov.uk/separation-divorce

Parenting Together – Supporting children through separation

This is a simple and effective guide designed to help separated parents understand how to work together to identify what their children need most and support them through a separation.

https://parentingtogether.gov.wales/

Parent Educational Growth Support (PEGS)

Offers support to parents experiencing child to parent abuse. 

http://pegsupport.co.uk

Family support

City Hospice

Support for those suffering from cancer, their families and carers.

02920524150

www.gthc.org.uk

Family Information Service

Is the first point of contact for advice and information on local services for families and carers.

0300 123 7777

http://www.fis.wales/home

National Childbirth Trust (NCT)

Supports families through pregnancy, birth and early parenthood.

0300 330 0770

http://www.nct.org.uk

Barnardo's Cymru

Runs a number of projects aimed at supporting children, young people and their families.

029 2049 3387

http://www.barnardos.org.uk/wales

Home-Start UK in Wales

Supports families with young children.

03338 800014

http://www.homestartcymru.org.uk

Action for Children

Offer services to children and young people and their families.

029 2022 2127

https://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/our-work-and-impact/our-work-around-the-uk/our-work-in-wales/

Gingerbread Wales

Supports lone parent families in Wales.

Tel 029 2047 1900, Helpline 0808 802 0925

www.gingerbread.org.uk/content/462/Gingerbread-Wales

National Offenders' Families Helpline

Provides information on what to expect if a member of your family is arrested and what it means if they are charged.

Helpline - 0808 808 2003 (freephone: including most mobiles). The helpline is open 9am – 8pm Monday to Friday and 10am – 3pm Saturday and Sunday.

www.offendersfamilieshelpline.org

Both Parents Matter Cymru

Is a charity which supports dads, mums and grandparents to have personal contact and meaningful relationships with children following parental separation.

Helpline 0333 050 6815 (Monday to Friday 10am - 7pm excluding bank holidays).

bpmuk.org

Winston’s Wish

Is a charity to support childhood bereavement.

Freephone Helpline: 08088 020 021

www.winstonswish.org.uk

LGBTQ+ households and families 

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LGBTQ+ action plan logo


The following services concerns households and families with LGBTQ+ parents, carers, children and/or young people, sometimes known as rainbow families. LGBTQ+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning and the “plus” represents a variety of sexual orientations and gender identities.

Welsh Gender Service

The Welsh Gender Service are a multidisciplinary administrative and clinical team, made up of Consultants, Gender Clinicians, Clinical Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists and Management. They work together to provide holistic patient-centred care focussing on hormonal, psychological, and social aspects of transition (17.5, years old+).

https://gender.wales/

https://cavuhb.nhs.wales/our-services/welsh-gender-service/

CAV.WGS_Enquiries@wales.nhs.uk

Phone: 029 2183 6619

Children and Young People’s Gender Dysphoria Services

https://gids.nhs.uk/referrals/

agem.cyp-gnrss@nhs.net  

Stonewall Cymru – Parenting Rights

Stonewall Cymru | Transitioning - advice for parents, families and carers

Umbrella Cymru

Gender and sexual diversity specialist support

www.umbrellacymru.co.uk 

Phone: 0300 3023670

National Conversion Therapy Helpline

https://www.conversiontherapysupport.org.uk

help@galop.org.uk

Phone: 0800 130 3335

Fflag

Charity dedicated to supporting families and their LGBT+ members.

https://www.fflag.org.uk/

Phone: 0300 688 0368

Galop – Children & Young People

Support young people who are experiencing or worried about abuse (13-25, years old).

https://galop.org.uk/get-help/children-young-peoplev/

Contact – Viva LGBT

Support for children and young people Identifying as LGBT or for those who are unsure (14-25, years old).

http://www.vivalgbt.co.uk/contact

info@vivalgbt.co.uk

Phone: 01745 357941

Books for Families and Young People

The Welsh Government has supported Stonewall Cymru and Peniarth to translate into Welsh two books. 'Early One Morning' and 'Bedtime Not Playtime!' focus on LGBTQ+ families. The books have been distributed to primary schools. This ensures children have access to inclusive materials that reflect on the diversity of Wales.

Mental health

C.A.L.L. Helpline

This is a confidential helpline which offers emotional support on mental health and related matters.

Telephone: 0800 132 737 (24 hour service) - Community Advice and Listening Line - (or text ‘help’ to text 81066).

www.callhelpline.org.uk

Samaritans

Offer a confidential helpline on freephone number 116 123 (confidential 24 hour service). You can get in touch about anything that’s troubling you, no matter how large or small the issue.

www.samaritans.org

Mind

Offer information and advice on a range of topics relating to mental health. Helpline - 0300 123 3393 Lines are open 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday (except for bank holidays).

0808 80 23456/free text 84001 (24-hr)

https://www.mind.org.uk/about-us/mind-cymru/

Drugs and alcohol

DAN 24/7

Is a free confidential Drug Helpline and Alcohol Helpline. It is open 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year and is run by fully trained operators.

Freephone: 0808 808 2234 or text DAN to: 81066

https://dan247.org.uk/

Adfam

Provides support and advice for families affected by drugs and alcohol

https://adfam.org.uk/help-for-families

Language development

Cymraeg for Kids

Begin the bilingual journey. With over 65,000 children in Welsh-medium or bilingual primary schools in Wales, why do parents consider the Welsh language important for their children?

https://gov.wales/cymraeg-for-kids

Words for Life

Activities and tips for parents to help their children develop vital communication and literacy skills from birth to age eleven.

www.wordsforlife.org.uk/

I can

Is a charity working for children with speech and language difficulties. Call 020 7843 2544 to arrange a free phone call from one of their speech and language therapists through the I CAN Help Enquiry Service or you can email your questions to help@ican.org.uk

www.ican.org.uk

Mudiad Meithrin

Promotes the education and development of children under 5 years old through the language of Welsh.

Telephone: 01970 639639, Fax 01970 639638

https://meithrin.cymru/?lang=en

BookTrust

Is the largest reading charity in Wales. Their programmes in Wales support children and families to read together and enjoy books, stories and rhymes from an early age. Their work in Wales also helps children to develop literacy and numeracy skills, and helps parents and carers to support their children to read and learn.

www.booktrust.org.uk/cymru/

General support

Citizens Advice

Advicelink Cymru offers quality assured advice on welfare benefits, debt, employment, education, housing, immigration and discrimination.

People in Wales can access the service Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm through our Advicelink Cymru number: 0800 702 2020.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/wales

NHS 111 Wales

Gives health advice and information 24 hours a day, every day in English and Welsh.

0845 4647

https://111.wales.nhs.uk/

Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT)

Is the UK’s leading charity working to reduce the number of children and young people killed, disabled or seriously injured in accidents.

020 7608 3828

www.capt.org.uk

UN Convention on the rights of the child: guide for parents

They outline what children need to have the best chance of growing up happy, healthy and safe.

www.childcomwales.org.uk

Blue Light Hub

Is a free app designed to teach 7-12 year olds about what happens when they call 999, appropriate use of 999 and how ambulance resources are dispatched and managed.

You can download the Blue Light Hub app for free on the apple app store for iOS, and on Google Play from a Google Android device by searching for either "Blue Light Hub" or "Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust".

Support for children with additional needs

Contact Cymru

Is an organisation dedicated to helping families who care for children with any disability or additional need.

Free Helpline 0808 808 3555, Textphone 0808 808 3556, Telephone: 029 2039 6624

https://contact.org.uk/cymru/

Autism Wales

Is a website helping to improve the lives of autistic people and their families in Wales. There are also a wide range of free downloadable resources that have been developed with autistic people, parents/carers and professionals from across Wales.

www.autismwales.org

Positive about Down syndrome

Is a website created by parents who have children with Down syndrome and offer support from screening and diagnosis to raising happy children and celebrating their families experiences.

https://positiveaboutdownsyndrome.co.uk/

SNAP Cymru

Offers information and support to families of children and young people who have special educational needs.

Helpline 0845 120 3730 or, from mobile 0345 120 3730. Office 029 2034 8990.

www.snapcymru.org

National Deaf Children’s Society

https://www.ndcs.org.uk/our-services/

Welsh Language Resources