Everywhere
Benefits, energy and money
National Citizens Advice: Website or phone line: 03444 111 444
Turn 2 Us
Universal Credit Support
Money Saving Expert
Housing
Shelter National Helpline: 0808 800 4444
Citizen’s Advice
Jobs, working rights and advice:
Job Centre
Maternity Action
Working Families
ACAS
Learn Devon
Eat That Frog
Pluss
Parenting
Action for Children’s Parent Talk: A free Monday to Friday one to one online chat facility to speak with a parenting coach. The website includes lots of useful articles.
Action for Children’s Dots: Advice, resources and signposting from the AFC Under 5’s team.
Henry: Healthy start, Brighter future
NSPCC
Best Beginnings (free online group support sessions for antenatal and postnatal parents)
Incredible Years
Homestart
Institute of Health Visiting
Family Line: We are here to provide a listening ear, answer those particular parenting questions or help with guidance around more complex issues. We can also provide longer term support through regular sessions with our befrienders and counsellors. All via telephone, text message or email for free. Monday to Friday 9am - 9pm. Telephone: 0808 802 6666, Text message: 07537 404 282, Email: familyline@family-action.org.uk or live web chat through
Family Lives: 0808 800 2222 (9am – 9pm Mon- Fri, 10am-3pm Sat and Sun) Online Chat available 1.30pm – 5.30pm Mon – Fri.
Young Parents Advice
Disability, Pregnancy & Parenthood: Practical information and peer support for disabled parents
Tiny Happy People can help you develop your child’s language and communication skills, so they get the best start in life
Hungry Little Minds: Simple, fun activities for kids, from new-born to five.
Words For Life: Gives you an idea of what communication milestones your baby and child might reach as they grow. There are ideas for fun activities you can do together to help your children develop their skills.
Gingerbread: Single Parenting resource website
NSPCC Look Say Sing Play: We’ve teamed up with Vroom™ to give you some fun and easy tips to help you bring even more Look, Say, Sing and Play into your daily routine with your baby.
Twins
Health for Teens (confidential advice and support for teenagers)
Health for Kids (health resources for children)
Early Days and Infant Development
- The Association For Infant Mental Health
- NHS
- Unicef’s Baby Friendly Initiative
- Best Beginnings
- Brazelton Centre, Learning what your baby is saying to you
Infant Feeding
- Unicef BFI
- Global Health Infant Feeding
- La Leche: 0345 120 2918 (helpline is open from 8am to 11pm, seven days a week)
- National Breastfeeding Helpline: 0300 100 0212 (Open 9.30am – 9.30pm every single day of the year, Live online support also available via web chat service)
- NHS
- Twins Trust
- BfN
- NHS Weaning
- NCT Weaning
Coping with Crying
Infant Sleep
Relationships
- - Relationship Matters (Supporting Parents whether together or separated with relationship difficulties): https://relationshipmatters.org.uk/
- Click Relationships: https://click.clickrelationships.org/home/all-issues/
- Relate: https://www.relate.org.uk/relationship-help/help-relationships
Domestic Abuse
- FearLess: breaking the cycle of abuse
- Devon Rape Crisis: Offers support for anyone who has experiences sexual abuse or sexual violence, 01392 204174 support@devonrapecrisis.org.uk
- Devon Victim Support: Providing emotional and practical suport to victims and witnesses of crime, 0300 303 0554 devon.cornwall@victimsupport.org.uk
- Women’s Aid: https://www.womensaid.org.uk/information-support/
- Gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-abuse-how-to-get-help
- Safe Lives: https://safelives.org.uk/node/278
- Freedom Course: https://freedomprogramme.co.uk/
Additional Support
- Cruse Devon: Bereavement support, 0300 330 5466
- Balloons: Bereavement support especially for families. https://www.balloonscharity.co.uk/
- Choices Pregnancy Centre: http://choicespregnancycentre.co.uk/
- Children and Families in grief: www.childrenandfamiliesingrief.co.uk
- Rainbows: https://rainbowsgb.org/
- Antenatal Results and Choices: https://www.arc-uk.org/
- Beat Eating Disorders: https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/
- Diabetes UK: http://south-devon.diabetesukgroup.org/
- LGBT Foundation: https://lgbt.foundation/
- Royal British Legion: Help offered for ex or serving armed forces and their family, free advice line 8am-8pm 0808 802 8080
- Devon Forces Family provides information for anyone who has ever served in any branch of the armed forces and is now living in Devon, or is planning to move here. https://www.devonforcesfamily.org.uk/
- In the Same Boat: Help, guidance, and support, to Ex British Armed Forces, reservists, veterans, and their families. https://inthesameboatcic.wixsite.com/inthesameboat
- Thinkuknow UK organisation which protects children both online and offline: https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/
- Alcoholics Anonymous: Meetings Held locally 0800 9177 650 help@aamail.org
- Narcotics Anonymous: Meetings Held locally 0300 999 1212 meetings@ukna.org
- Adfam: Improving life for families affected by drugs and alcohol, https://adfam.org.uk/
- Rise Recovery South: 03003 033384
- Addaction: www.addaction.org.uk
- Frank Text: 82111 Call: 0300 123 6600 http://www.talktofrank.com/ Web chat 2-6pm
- Breaking Free: https://www.breakingfreeonline.com/
- National Association for Children of Alcoholics: 0800 358 3456 http://www.nacoa.org.uk/
- Healthwatch: https://healthwatchdevon.co.uk/
- Young Devon: http://www.youngdevon.org/ 0808 281 0155
- Young Carers: https://www.torbay.gov.uk/children-and-families/services-and-support/young-carers/
- Carer’s Support: https://www.carersuk.org/
- Pete’s Dragon (Comfort after suicide loss): http://www.petesdragons.org.uk/Home_341.aspx
Baby Apps
- Baby Buddy App: https://www.bestbeginnings.org.uk/baby-buddy
- HANDiPaediatric: Expert support for most common childhood illnesses
- Hungry Little Minds: Simple, fun activities for kids, from new-born to five. https://hungrylittleminds.campaign.gov.uk/
- The Breastfeeding Hub App: a virtual breastfeeding supporter, available 24/7. It provides breastfeeding support information with photos and video clips to help you along the way.
- Infant Sleep Info: Up to date research-based info on infant sleep, safety & development.
- Mush: Mush is the #1 app for mums, helping mums everywhere to instantly become part of their local mum community.
- Baby check: https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/baby-check-app/
Dad and Partner Links
- Links to support for dads and co-parents
- The Dad Pad: https://thedadpad.co.uk/ (also an app)
- Tiny Happy People; Dad Life: https://www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people/dad-life
- Birthing for Blokes: https://birthing4blokes.com/
- Dad Info, Because Dads Matter: https://www.dad.info/
- Dad AF App (By Dads for Dads)
- Dangerous Dads: http://www.dangerousdads.org.uk/
- Dad Matters: https://dadmatters.org.uk/
- Dad Matters Videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB94in41rWboL3ejwRHo6DQ/videos?disable_polymer=1
- From Dads to Dads: http://www.fromdadstodads.org.uk/
- Make Birth Better: https://www.makebirthbetter.org/support-for-partners
- NCT: https://www.nct.org.uk/life-parent/dads-and-partners
- Beyond Blue: https://healthyfamilies.beyondblue.org.au/pregnancy-and-new-parents/dadvice-for-new-dads
- Fatherhood Institute: http://www.fatherhoodinstitute.org/
- Domestic Abuse Support Line for Men: https://mensadviceline.org.uk/
- Families need Fathers: https://fnf.org.uk/
- Family Lives: https://www.familylives.org.uk/advice/your-family/parenting/parenting-in-same-sex-relationships/
- Relationship Matters (Supporting Parents whether together or separated with relationship difficulties): https://relationshipmatters.org.uk/
All information on this website is drawn from up-to-date research and the experiences of many parents of new babies. We hope that you find the site helpful as you learn to live with your first baby.