You may the find organisations listed below useful.
Please get in touch with us if you know of an organisation that we should link to:
links@onlymums.org
Please note: OnlyMums & OnlyDads CIC does not necessarily endorse the organisations listed.
Alcohol & Drugs
People with a drug user or drinker in the family often take months and even years to look for help. Adfam provides a place where families can take that first step and find information about where to get the expert support and advice they need.
You can read more about them here.
If you are concerned that you or someone you care about has a problem with alcohol there is lots of help available. You can find some useful links and phone numbers here
Friendly, confidential drugs advice.
Contact Centres/Services
National
The NACCC provides safe spaces where children can meet the parents they don’t live with. They oversee around 350 contact centres across the UK. If you are visiting a centre for the first time, you will find this article useful.
Birmingham/Leicester
Provides valuable, affordable service to ensure contact can be maintained between families going through the family courts process where there is a need for contact to be supervised.
COVID19
If you are in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police.
If you are in danger and unable to talk on the phone, dial 999, listen to the questions from the operator and respond by coughing or tapping the handset if you can. Then follow the instructions depending on whether you are calling from a mobile or a landline.
If prompted, press 55 to Make Yourself Heard – this will transfer your call to the police. Pressing 55 only works on mobiles and does not allow police to track your location.
Free Professional Advice Male & Female Victims Of Domestic Abuse – if you have concerns about a domestic abuse situation please call one of our legal professionals. This service is for men and women. Look for the Green Phone Symbol. All professionals displaying this symbol with NOT charge for your call.
Guidance to support children and families as the situation surrounding COVID-19 develops. Including information on benefits, housing, work and finance.
If you’re a child and in a situation where you may be experiencing domestic abuse, Childline can offer some advice or support via their free, 24-hour confidential helpline for children and young people who need to talk. Phone: 0800 1111
First Light is a charity supporting people in Cornwall, Devon and Wiltshire who have been affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence. In response to the COVID 19 outbreak First Light have put contingencies in place to help maintain services.
Finding Legal Options for Women Survivors, is a legal support service, designed to help protect women against domestic abuse. Flows can help women access injunctions from the court and have an online contact form that is easy to fill in and you just need to tell them the safest way to contact you.
Government Guidelines on Contact
While you must now stay at home, government guidelines say that you are allowed to move children between their parents’ homes. This means that your children may spend time with you and their other parent in a similar arrangement to how they did before.
Lots of advice and information for single parents worried about the impact of COVID19 including information on benefits, work, housing and children.
Male Victims of Domestic Abuse – For Confidential Help, Please Call 01823 334244.
Offers confidential advice for men experiencing domestic violence from a partner or ex-partner. Phone: 0808 801 0327 (weekdays 9am-5pm)
Refuge provides safe, emergency accommodation and emotional and practical support to women and children experiencing domestic abuse. Phone 0808 2000 247.
Here you can find blogs, advice and tips for helping your relationships stay healthy during the pandemic.
Respect Phoneline offers confidential advice and support to help domestic violence perpetrators stop being violent and abusive to their partners or ex-partners. Phone: 0808 802 4040.
Coronavirus update: Our free confidential legal advice lines for women remain open. However some opening times have changed and telephone numbers may change, please check website for updated times etc. You can read their Coronavirus and Child Contact Arrangements update here.
Safe Lives are the UK-wide charity dedicated to ending domestic abuse, for everyone and for good. You will find a range of information including a practical guide about staying safe during Covid-19 which talks about general safety planning and self-care.
SPLITZ Support Service (South West)
Splitz Support Service is a registered charity delivering support services to adults and young people experiencing the trauma of domestic abuse and sexual violence. Splitz delivers services across south-west England.The Devon Helpdesk for Splitz can be contacted on: 0345 1551074
A community London based initiative offering a range of domestic abuse services for African heritage women and girls.
Transparency Project – A Guide To Remote Hearings
A very useful document explaining what a remote hearing in the Family Courts is, what to expect and what your concerns might be.
COVID-19 will have serious impacts on the lives of women and children. Survivors are telling us that they are feeling unsafe with the prospect of being isolated in the house with their perpetrator. Women’s Aid want to reassure survivors and local specialist services that they will be doing everything we can to support you during this challenging time.
Try and keep a mobile phone with you at all times if possible. The police are a key service when in immediate danger. Do not be afraid to call 999 in an emergency.
Feeling concerned or overwhelmed by the news is understandable, especially if you are struggling with your mental health or you have a physical illness. It might be that you’re anxious about your own health, the health of someone in your family, or what impact the virus will have on your life. Lots of tips on how to manage and cope with anxiety and stress.
Children/Parents
Childline is a free, private confidential service, online, on the phone, anytime. They can help with a range of issues including abuse, home, family, sex and relationships.
Fegans is a charity that counsels children and provides parent support, intervention and training.
A charity providing help and support to families who are struggling.
Advises parents and other family members whose children are involved with or require children’s social care services because of welfare needs or concerns.
From the charity Place2be. Parenting Smart is a resource that gives you advice from child mental health experts. Practical tips to support primary age children’s wellbeing and manage behaviour.
Women’s Aid have created this space to help children and young people to understand domestic abuse, and how to take positive action if it’s happening to you.
The Mix is the a support service for young people. They are there to help you take on any challenge you’re facing – from mental health to money, from homelessness to finding a job, from break-ups to drugs. You can talk online, social or on a free confidential helpline.
Separation and divorce can be a challenging and upsetting time for all involved. But although there may be a lot going on, it’s important to make sure the children get the support they need.
Knowing how to tell children about the separation can be a challenge. Take a look at their advice on talking about difficult topics.
UK charity specialising in international parental child abduction.
If you’re worried about how your relationship break-up might affect your child, here is our advice and information on where you can get help.
Age appropriate content for 13-19 year olds on what is going on, ways in which they can share their voice and support for their health and wellbeing.
Friendly discussion boards with peer and expert support from our moderators and Service Partners. Directory of local youth organisations to find someone to talk to nearby.
Guides for parents and family law & mediation organisations on supporting children and young people in the middle of divorce & separation.
Dads
Service providing separated parentings with the suggestions about the most successful way to communicate, negotiate and solve problems after family breakdown.
Dads Unlimited offers advice, support, and a community of men who have been through similar (and different) experiences.
You can read more about them and the services they offer here.
Domestic Abuse
CourtNav is an online tool designed to help you if you are completing an application for a non-molestation and/or occupation orders (injunction) to get legal protection in England or Wales.
A charity that gives free legal advice from a family law solicitor about your personal situation. Anyone can self refer via the website if they have been the victim of domestic abuse or violence. (Thames Valley; Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire)
First Light is a charity supporting people in Cornwall, Devon and Wiltshire who have been affected by domestic and sexual violence.
Mankind supports male victims of domestic abuse. They run a confidential helpline available across the UK for all men suffering from domestic violence or domestic abuse by their current or former wife or partner (including same-sex partner). 01823 334244.
My Ally is a support line that is available to any woman impacted by domestic abuse or relationship struggles, whether they need a one-off phone call, or need to call time and time again – 01923 927 500.
Supporting those who have experienced violence and abuse is at the core of everything we do. No matter what your experience – domestic violence, sexual violence, ‘honour’ based violence, forced marriage, FGM, human trafficking or modern slavery – we are here to support you.
The National Domestic Violence Helpline
0808 2000 247
The helpline can give support, help and information over the telephone, wherever the caller might be in the country. The Helpline is staffed 24 hours a day by fully trained female helpline support workers and volunteers. All call are completely confidential. Translation for callers whose first language is not English and a service for callers who are dear of hard of hearing are available.
Rights of Women work in lots of different ways to help women through the law. They want to make sure that, at some of the most difficult times in their lives, women are able to talk to a lawyer who can give them expert and non-judgemental legal advice or get clear and accessible information about the law and their legal rights.
Save Dave – Kent & Medway
Save DAVE is a Domestic Abuse Victim Empowerment service providing confidential advice, impartial support, and advocacy for male victims of domestic abuse in Kent and Medway.
The Male Victim Domestic Abuse Service for Kent and Medway is a bespoke support service for male victims of domestic abuse and domestic violence including psychological, physical, sexual, financial, emotional abuse and also coercive and controlling behaviour.
Safe Lives are the UK-wide charity dedicated to ending domestic abuse, for everyone and for good.
Useful sign-posting information on where to go for support and how to recognise and understand the different forms domestic abuse can take.
A community London based initiative offering a range of domestic abuse services for African heritage women and girls.
Help and advice about stalking, including national helpline: 0808 8020300
As an independent charity, they work towards a world where people affected by crime or traumatic events get the support they need and the respect they deserve. They help people feel safer and find the strength to move beyond crime. Their support is free, confidential and tailored to your needs.
Women’s Aid is the national charity working to end domestic abuse against women and children.
0808 2000 247 Freephone 24hr National Domestic Violence Helpline.
Regional Organisations
DASH – East Berkshire & South Buckinghamshire.
If you’re experiencing domestic abuse we’ll provide a range of services that will help to keep you safe and give you and your family a positive future.
Hertfordshire Domestic Abuse Helpline
This is a confidential, free, support and signposting service for anyone affected by domestic abuse. Call 08 088 088 088
9am-9pm Monday to Friday and 9am-4pm weekends.
NDADA– North Devon
NDADA provide temporary refuge to women and children and offer support and help to anyone who asks us.
SODA – West Midlands
SODA offer support and friendship. They have self-care groups, one-to-one support and a phone line: 07805 164358. You can read more about this group here.
Disability
If you have a disabled child, they offer a range of short breaks including community, residential short breaks, family-based breaks or support in your own home. They also provide a range of services from early support to helping disabled young people prepare for adulthood.
They are the umbrella body for the disabled children’s section bringing together professionals, practitioners and policy-makers. They have an online library of resources that you can access to find out more about disability policy and practice which includes a selection of materials specifically written with parents in mind.
Help if you have a disabled child
This is the Governments page on support you can get if you have a disabled child, including where to find local support groups to accessing financial support.
They provide support, information and advice to more than a quarter of a million disabled people and their families every year.
Grandparents
Bristol Grandparents Support Group
The aim of this group is inform people of the issues surrounding Grandparents and their rights to see their Grandchildren, when contact has been denied.
You can find out more about this support group here.
Family lives is a national family support charity providing help and support in all aspects of family life.
We provide advice and information to grandparents in all kinds of situations, whether they’re having to take on care of children full-time (as kinship carers) or are struggling to see them.
Information for grandparents wanting to maintain relationships with grandchildren.
Housing
They have lots of useful information online about how to go about renting or buying a home or just finding somewhere to live. You can also find advice on handling problems with your landlord and help to avoid losing your home.
Gingerbread provide information to help single parents support themselves and their family. They provide support on range of housing issues including finding a new home for you and your family, and setting up home for the first time as a single parent.
Shelter helps millions of people every year struggling with bad housing or homelessness through their advice, support and legal service.
Immigration
This organisation support migrants, refugees and asylum seekers to settle, integrate, and build new lives in the UK. They have a range of support services including immigration legal advice.
They support people who have had to flee their homes. They offer support for vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers in the UK.
They provide a range of services covering issues including immigration problems and abusive relationships; immigration advice and a counselling service helpline – 0208 571 0800.
Legal & Mediation
Advocate is the Bar’s national charity that makes it possible for barristers to balance a dedicated practice with making a significant contribution to the community. We match make members of the public who need help with barristers who are willing to donate their time and expertise in deserving cases for those who are unable to obtain legal aid and cannot afford to pay. You can read more about Advocate here.
Divorce or separate amicably, without lawyers. Focus on the best outcome for you both and – if you have them – your children.
Child and Family Solutions is a company specializing in delivering high quality child focused services to families who are separating or who are experiencing difficulties.
Help for anyone involved in the Child Protection (or Child in Need) process.
You can download all the Children Act forms from this site.
Resolution is an organisation of 6,500 family lawyers and other professionals in England and Wales who believe in a constructive, non-confrontational approach to family law matters. You can read more about how Resolution can help you here.
Royal Courts of Justice Advice Bureau
Citizen’s Advice Bureau providing free advice to litigants in person, including family law. Able to refer to Bar Pro Bono Unit where appropriate.
Our focus is to facilitate the resolution of any issue involving family breakdown, separation, divorce and its financial consequences, arrangements for children and any other kind of family dispute.
NFM provides a voluntary, confidential process helping people reach joint decisions without using court. We offer a safe, neutral place where couples no longer in a relationship can meet with a trained professional mediator to make sustainable plans for the future. You can read more about National Family Mediation here.
Support Through Court (formerly PSU)
Support Through Court are a charity supporting people who face court alone so that they can represent themselves to the best of their ability. The service is free and based in court buildings.
Volunteers will provide reassurance and practicable help, including:
- Explain how the court works, help fill in forms, organise papers, and discuss settling issues without going to court
- Help plan what you want to say in court, and if needed, go with you to court to provide support, take notes and help afterwards
- Provide details of other specialist advice agencies and help you find out whether you can get free legal advice
Lots of very useful information on family law and support to help you make better informed decisions for your family.
The Divorce Surgery does what solicitors and mediators cannot do. They give separating couples expert legal advice together.
Mental Health
Anna Freud – National Centre For Children And Families
They provide a range of specialist types for support for children, young people and families, seeing them at the Centre, in schools and other settings. In addition to their direct work, they provide resources to other professionals to be more effective in their work. The overarching aim of their services is to build resilience and to help children, young people and families who are in distress.
Child And Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
CAMHS are specialist multidisciplinary services, funded by the NHS, to assess and treat children with mental illnesses, and emotional and behavioural disorders. You can access CAMHS through your GP.
Mind provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. You can find out where your nearest local service is and lots of information and support to help you and your family.
A really useful guide to mental health services in England.
From the charity Place2be. Parenting Smart is a resource that gives you advice from child mental health experts. Practical tips to support primary age children’s wellbeing and manage behaviour.
Advice and helplines for people with issues relating to mental health illness.
Whatever you’re going through, a Samaritan will face it with you. We’re here 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Free Phone 116 123.
A free network for school staff and allied professionals which shares practical, academic and clinical expertise regarding the wellbeing and mental health issues that affect schools.
Anxious? Worried? Stressed? 24/7 text service for anyone in crisis. Text 85258
They have lots of support and advice for parents who are concerned about their children, including an fee confidential helpline – 0808 802 5544.
Money
Lots of useful information and advice on managing your finances when you are going through divorce and separation.
Free and impartial money advice set up by Government. Very useful site with lots of support on a range of issues including debt, managing your money and benefit payments.
Helps people across the UK to tackle their debts and manage their money with confidence.
National Association For Child Support Action (NACSA)
Nacsa provides expert advice and guidance to parents who encounter problems with Child Maintenance Service decisions.
A national debt advice charity.
Government advice relating to child maintenance if a parent lives abroad.
You can find divorce specialists on this site, search by location and “financial professionals’
We provide bespoke financial planning services to those in the Altrincham, Manchester and Cheshire area who are faced with navigating the challenges of divorce.
Connecting you with the UK’s biggest selection of financial advisers, mortgage brokers, accountants and bookkeepers.
Guidance on how to manage your finances between you and your ex, as well as information around benefits and debt advice providers.
This charity has team of debt experts help, the advice is free, impartial and confidential and they will tailor it to your situation. They provide a range of managed debt solutions and all the support you need to help you if you have debt.
Relationships/Co-Parenting
Parenting Through Separation – Putting Your Children First.
This guide aims to give parents access to information and support that helps them throughout their parenting journey, through separation, divorce and beyond. Produced by the Resolution Parenting After Parting Committee.
A co-parent coaching practice that works with parents to enable them to work with each other to bring up their children. We work with parents who are separating and divorcing, parents who live apart and new parents who want to align their parenting.
The Parenting Apart Programme, is promoting a scheme which can reduce the stress, trauma, and conflict of a family breakdown by making the emotional wellbeing of the children the main priority. The programme aims to support and swiftly restore positive and respectful communication between parents, especially where the non-resident parent and child do not have a relationship with each other.
The Parents Promise is a written or verbal commitment made by parents, to each of their children, that they will always to their best to look after the interests of each child, even in the event of divorce or separation.
Eleda offers counselling and psychotherapy to help people with relationship difficulties, family issues, divorce or separation.
Support for separated parents – a child-focused program offering parents specialist guidance and advice on how to create a collaborative, effective and successful co-parenting partnership beyond their separation. You can read more here.
Lots of information on how to support your children through separation and divorce.
A wide range of information and tools to help you understand the issue that maybe affecting your parenting relationship. All the material have been designed to support parents as they work things out for themselves.
Lots of support and advice for couples going through separation including confidential phone line where you can talk to qualified counsellors.
Single Parents
Asian Single Parents Network CIC
This network is the only organisation in the UK supporting both mums and dads from the South Asian community. We offer social, emotional and practical support in order to build confidence, prevent isolation and combat the stigma attached to being a single parent in South Asian families.
Black Mums Upfront is a London based collective. We talk candidly about our experiences and we laugh a lot. We like to share, support and empower. We also like to challenge stereotypes, make motherhood inclusive and tackle head-on issues of inequality and disproportionality.
The Frolo App is strictly for single parents, Dads and Mums. It is all inclusive whether you became a single parent through a relationship breakdown, death of a partner, solo parent by choice or if you are legal guardian.The Frolo community is a safe place to make friends, feel supported and empowered, seek advice, share stories and experonces without fear of judgement or negativity.
Supporting separating families our mission is to improve outcomes for the children of separated parents within a healthy and positive co-parenting environment following family breakdown. The issues which we deal with on a daily basis are poor mental-health, domestic abuse, child protection, feelings of loneliness and isolation, as well as provide services that deal with self-harm/suicidal ideation.
We provide wrap-around support on all of these issues, and focus on making sure the voice of the child is at the heart of the family breakdown process; by putting in early interventions to reduce parental conflict so as to improve co-parenting.
Gingerbread provide information to help single parents support themselves and their family. They run programmes to equip single parents with the skills and opportunities to gain employment. They campaign and influence policy to reduce stigma against single parents, and make services more accessible to all families.
They offer help to all single parent families; mums, dads, young parents and kinship carers.
Single Parents Business Network
The primary objective of the SMBN is to help you gain exposure to your business whilst reducing stigma and dispelling misconceptions that single mums are work shy. It is the passion of founder Julie Hawkins to raise awareness of the real issue being that work is not in sync with school and wages are not in sync with inflation.
They offer essential information, expert advice, interactive learning, multi-media content, links to other support organisations and news for anyone who is parenting alone.
Single Parent Rights is a campaign group led for and by single parents to end single parent discrimination. Our research shows that up to 80% of single parents face discrimination. We are calling on the UK government to add single parents to the Equality Act so that this discrimination is outlawed, as it is for other groups including those who are married/ in a civil partnership.
Young Parents
They have some useful advice and information for young parents who are not living with their child’s other parent.
This website has been developed by Family Rights Group to share legal and practical information to help more young mothers and fathers and young parents-to-be to keep their children safely with them.
Lots of useful link and advice on being a young mum.
They offer assistance to young mothers when applying for benefits to ensure that mothers are receiving all of the money that they are entitled to. They provide specialist information and advice regarding stopping smoking, budgeting, keep fit, breastfeeding, further education, training, employability and lone parenting.
