The OpenFamilyServices Directory is a free resource for the public providing access to information and contact details for 1000s of family and child related services in your locality and beyond, all of which is up to date and authoritative.

Counselling Directory

If you're in need of support, search our network to be connected with a professional counsellor or psychotherapist.

Greatvine

Greatvine lets you talk on the phone to the country's best experts, whenever you need. They've hand-picked the leading specialists in over 100 topics - from breastfeeding and baby sleep to anxiety and depression, diet and nutrition, creative writing and even starting a business.

Kidspace

kidspace is a group support programme that allows children whose parents are separating to safely express their feelings through a range of creative and therapeutic activities. Children leave our groups better equipped to deal with and understand their emotions as well as have enhanced resources to communicate their needs and adjust to their new situation. The group process helps children to relate to and support each other.

The Parent Line

This is a great site, it is stuffed full of useful information and lots of support for all parents – mums, dads, grandparents, stepparents, other friends and relatives.

Parent Centre

Another great site covering everything you ever needed to know about parenting, from having a baby to parental rights and responsibilities.  It also has a parent forum for you to discuss any concerns or issues with other parents.

BBC Parenting

The parenting pages on this site are full of useful information including a useful  guide to internet and mobile phone safety for your kids.

One Parent Families

One Parent Families (formally Gingerbread) is the charity which works nationally and locally, for and with single parent families, to improve their lives. We achieve change by championing their voices and needs and providing support services.

Separated Families

Our services are available to parents who are caring for their children alone, those who are sharing care and those who have no contact with their children. Parents, carers, grandparents or anyone else with concerns about family separation are welcome.

Children's Contact Centres Scotland

An overview of how they work and how to find one local to you.

Help For Fathers

A place for fathers who are fighting to see their children and so that people in the same situation can talk about how they feel and share their experience. 

The Parent Practice

The Parent Practice teaches a series of valuable, easy to learn techniques to make your life as a parent more fulfilling and your children feel happier and more confident.

We offer 5 week Positive Parenting Classes, Private Consultations and Topic Based Workshops in both the daytime and evening.

Come to a FREE taster session of our Parenting Classes held in Clapham South, Putney, Fulham and Wimbledon or you can host at home.

Parent Support Service

The Parent Support Service is run by a Chartered Clinical Psychologist. The service provides practical, professional guidance for parents, and sensitive, solution-focused child & adolescent therapy.

The Parent Support Service specialises in helping parents and young people to better understand complicated feelings, improve difficult relationships and to learn practical skills so as to feel more confident, content and in control.

The Kids Coach

The Kids Coach provides life coaching for children who need help with their behavioural and emotional issues. She provides a space for children to talk confidentially about why they are unhappy and helps them resolve their problems in an interactive, creative and supportive way. The Kids Coach helps children through parent separation and divorce, self-esteem problems, friendship issues and any problems they have at home or at school.

Tricky Kidz

If you've got a challenging child, or a parenting dilemma, check out the TrickyKidz website,  it is a great practical resource for parents and carers.

Match

This an extremely good webiste, Match offers non-judgemental emotional support to mothers all over the world who are apart from their child for one or many complex reasons.

Family Rights Group

Family Rights Group are the charity in England and Wales that advises parents and other family members whose children are involved with or require social care services. They run a confidential telephone advice service for families.

Got a Teenager

This is a social networking and advice websites giving parents of teenagers a space to support each other through the challenges and successes of bringing up teens.

Helping girls through puberty

PogoPack -  a really useful site full of information for mums and dads and daughters on what to expect with the start of thier periods.  They also offer a discreet but well designed starter pack which looks like a pencil case.

Young Mums

If you are a young person who is a parent or is about to become a parent and you need to find out information that is important to you then this website will be very useful to you.

Children's Centres

Children's centres provide a variety of advice and support for parents and carers. Their services are available to you from pregnancy right through to when your child goes into reception class at primary school.

Home Start

With a network of more than 15,000 trained parent volunteers this organisation support thousands of parents who are struggling to cope. Families need support for many reasons including post-natal illness, disability, bereavement, the illness of a parent or child, or social isolation.  Home Start is about parents supporting other parents - to help build a family's confidence and ability to cope.

Sure Start

Sure Start covers children from conception through to age 14, and up to age 16 for those with special educational needs and disabilities. It also aims to help parents and communities across the country.

Here you can find out about the wide range of services that are currently available, from Children's Centres and early support programmes to information and advice on health and financial matters, as well as ways we are helping set and maintain childcare standards.

Young Minds

Young Minds is the UK’s leading charity committed to improving the emotional well being and mental health of children and young people and empowering their parents and carers.

Young Minds provides a telephone helpline service to parents with a concern about their child's emotional problems or behaviour. If you're a worried parent, call us at the Young Minds Parents Helpline on 0808 802 5544. Open: 10am-4pm Mon-Fri and 6pm-8pm on Wednesdays. Calls from landlines and mobiles are free. Parents can also share their problems with other parents on our forum.

Your Family

This is a very good site created by NSPCC, it is full of postive ideas and advice for parents of young children.

Support for prisoners families

Action PF

Action PF represent the views and experiences of our members - organisations providing direct services to the families of people in prison - as well as of families themselves.  We support the development of new and existing services, promote good practice on working with prisoners, their children and families both in prison and in the community, publish information, influence policy and raise awareness of the impact of imprisonment on children and families. Helpline 0808 808 2003.

Prisoners Families Helpline

The Prisoners' Families Helpline is a free and confidential* service for anyone who is affected by the imprisonment of a close family member or friend. The Helpline is managed by Action for Prisoners' Families and the service is provided by the Ormiston Children and Families Trust in Cambridge.

The Helpline is now open from:

9.00am - 5.00pm Monday - Friday,
10.00am - 3pm Saturday

If English is not your first language, the Helpline has access to over 100 languages via language line.

Partners of Prisoners

Partners of Prisoners and Families Support Group (POPS) aims to provide a variety of services to support anyone who has a link with someone in prison, prisoners and other agencies. POPS provides assistance to these groups for the purpose of enabling families to cope with the stress of arrest, imprisonment and release.

Grand Parents Association

Our mission is to improve the lives of children by working with and for all grandparents especially those who:

• Have lost or are losing contact with their grandchildren because of divorce, family feud or other problems.
• Are caring for their grandchildren on a full time basis.
• Have childcare responsibilities for their grandchildren.
• Are interested in the educational and welfare needs of their grandchildren.

Grandparents Plus

Grandparents Plus a national charity which champions the vital role of grandparents and the wider family in children's lives - especially when they take on the caring role in difficult family circumstances.

Single with kids

Looking for great value single parent holidays?
SingleWithKids is the largest provider of single parent breaks in the UK and also has a thriving single parent community

Parenting Across Scotland

Parenting across Scotland is a partnership of charities which offers support to children and families in Scotland.

Magazines

Kidaround

KidAround is a FREE, quarterly magazine for parents with children aged from 0-12 years, packed full with relevant listings, local information, activities, events and competitions.

Support for Forces Children

HomeFrontForces

There are an estimated 175,000 children in the UK with a parent in the Armed Forces. Many experience long periods of separation. In December 2009 HomeFront Forces was established to support them and their families

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