Family stress

Where to start

Where money or housing is part of it, solving the practical problem does more for a child than anything said to them about it.

• Citizens Advice. Free, independent advice on the practical layer: housing, benefits, debt, employment, and your rights when a family separates. When the worry is partly a practical problem wearing an emotional coat. Solving the practical part often lowers the temperature at home more than anything else will. www.citizensadvice.org.uk
• MoneyHelper. The government-backed free money guidance service, including a debt advice locator. When money is part of what is happening at home. Children read household stress long before anyone explains it to them. www.moneyhelper.org.uk
• Your child’s school. The pastoral lead, the head of year, or the form tutor. Free, already knows your child, and often the quickest way to get something changed at school. Before or alongside anything else. A school cannot act on what it has not been told, and what you bring is often what it did not have.
• Your GP. The gateway to everything the NHS offers a child: paediatric assessment, a referral to CAMHS, and support for you as the parent. Ask for a double appointment. Describe the pattern over weeks rather than the worst single day, and say plainly what you are worried about. Bring a written list; the ten minutes go quickly. www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-gp

For family stress

• Coram Family Lives. A free, confidential helpline for any parenting or family worry, by phone, live chat, WhatsApp or email, staffed by trained family support workers. When you need to talk it through with someone, about your child or about how you are managing, and you do not need a specialist to do it. Coram Family Lives helpline 0808 800 2222 · Mon-Fri 9am-9pm; weekends 10am-3pm; closed bank holidays · Live chat and WhatsApp 07441 444125 at the same hours; email askus@coramfamilylives.org.uk · Outside those hours the line is closed. Samaritans answer at any hour on 116 123, and Shout answer if you text the word SHOUT to 85258. www.coramfamilylives.org.uk/how-we-can-help/confidential-helpline
• Family Action FamilyLine. A free helpline for adults on family relationships, conflict, parenting, caring and money, by phone, text, email or chat, with befriending or short counselling if it would help. When the strain is on you and there is no one to say it to. FamilyLine 0808 802 6666 · Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; closed bank holidays. Out of hours, text FAMILYACTION to 85258 family-action.org.uk/get-support/familyline
• Action for Children Parent Talk. A free one-to-one webchat with a trained parenting coach, and a library of articles by age on behaviour, sleep, neurodiversity and family life. When you want to talk it through with someone in writing, this week, without a referral. Free one-to-one webchat with a parenting coach, Mon-Fri, with evening slots on Mon and Thu; check the site for current times · Parent Talk+ by phone or video for parents of children with additional needs, up to eight free sessions parents.actionforchildren.org.uk
• Home-Start UK. Trained volunteers who visit families with young children at home, week by week, and local groups. You can refer yourself. When the early years are harder than anyone told you and what you need is another adult in the house. What is offered varies by area. What is offered, and how long the wait is, vary by area. The local branch is the right first call. www.home-start.org.uk/find-your-nearest-home-start
• Relate (part of Family Action). Relationship, family and young people’s counselling, online or at a local centre, with a short first call to see whether it fits. When the trouble is between the adults and the children are catching it. Fees apply; local centres are separate charities. Fees apply. Local Relate centres are separate charities. www.relate.org.uk

If money is part of the pressure

• StepChange Debt Charity. Free debt advice by phone or online, and a short guide to telling children what the household cannot afford. When money is part of what is happening at home. Start online if the phone queue is long. Debt advice is the main service here. For wider money guidance, MoneyHelper is the other place to look. StepChange Helpline 0800 138 1111 · Mon-Fri 8am-8pm; Sat 9am-2pm www.stepchange.org/contact-us.aspx
• Turn2us. A free benefits calculator and a search for charitable grants your family may be entitled to, including grants for a child with a disability. When money has tightened and you do not know what help exists. www.turn2us.org.uk

If drinking, drug use or gambling is part of it

• Nacoa (National Association for Children of Alcoholics). A free helpline and email service for anyone affected by a parent’s drinking, open six days a week, and one of the few lines a child can call directly. When a parent’s drinking is shaping the household, whether you are the other parent or the child. Nacoa Helpline 0800 358 3456 · Mon-Sat 10am-7pm · Outside those hours the line is closed. Samaritans answer at any hour on 116 123, and a child or young person can call Childline free on 0800 1111 at any hour. nacoa.org.uk/helpline
• Al-Anon Family Groups (including Alateen). Free support groups, in person and online, for anyone affected by someone else’s drinking, a daily helpline, and Alateen groups for twelve to seventeen year olds. When the drinking is a relative’s and you need people who have lived with it. Al-Anon helpline 0800 0086 811 · Every day 10am-10pm al-anonuk.org.uk/getting-help/helpline
• FRANK. The government’s confidential drugs advice line, open twenty-four hours, with an A to Z of drugs, a section for parents who are worried about their child, and a finder for local services. When you have found something, or heard something, and want facts before the conversation. Charged at your standard call rate, not free. FRANK 0300 123 6600 · 24 hours, every day www.talktofrank.com
• With You. Free, confidential webchat with trained recovery workers, guidance for people worried about someone else, and young people’s drug and alcohol services in many areas. When a young person’s drinking or drug use has stopped being experimental. Webchat with trained recovery workers, seven days a week www.wearewithyou.org.uk

If there is abuse between the adults at home

• National Domestic Abuse Helpline (run by Refuge). A free, confidential line open day and night for women experiencing abuse at home, and for anyone worried about someone who is, with live chat in the daytime. When the fear at home is between the adults, and the children are living inside it. National Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247 · 24 hours, every day; live chat Mon-Fri 10am-10pm www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk
• Men’s Advice Line (run by Respect). A free, confidential advice line and webchat for men experiencing abuse at home. The same moment as the line above, for fathers. Men’s Advice Line 0808 801 0327 · Mon-Fri 10am-5pm; webchat Mon-Fri 9am-10am mensadviceline.org.uk
• Women’s Aid. Written guidance you can read quietly, a directory of local refuges and services, live chat, and a site for teenagers on what a healthy relationship looks like. When you are not ready to ring anyone yet. www.womensaid.org.uk/information-support

If you are caring for an unwell relative, or your child is

• Carers UK. The UK’s carers’ charity. A free weekday helpline and email advice on benefits, carers’ assessments, work and local services. When you are caring for a partner, parent or child alongside everything else and need to know what you are entitled to. Carers UK Helpline 0808 808 7777 · Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, including bank holidays · Outside those hours the line is closed. Samaritans answer at any hour on 116 123, and Shout answer if you text the word SHOUT to 85258. www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/helpline-and-other-support
• The Children’s Society Young Carers Service. The Children’s Society’s young carers programme, with a finder for the young carers’ service in your area. When your child has taken on caring for someone at home. The local project is the thing to find; the phone line is mainly for professionals. Charged at your standard call rate, not free. Include (Children’s Society Young Carers) 01962 711 511 · Mon-Fri 9am-5pm www.childrenssociety.org.uk/information/young-people/young-carers
• Age UK. Age UK’s free advice line, open every day, and a finder for your local branch. When you are caring for an older relative while parenting, and need the practical side handled. Age UK Advice Line 0800 678 1602 · Daily 8am-7pm, 365 days a year www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice

If a parent is seriously ill

• Macmillan Cancer Support. The clearest UK guide to telling children about a parent’s cancer, age by age, and a free daily support line with nurses on the same number. When a diagnosis has arrived and you are rehearsing how to say it. Macmillan Support Line 0808 808 00 00 · Every day 8am-8pm · Online chat at macmillan.org.uk; nurse line within the same number for clinical questions www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/diagnosis/talking-about-cancer/talking-to-children-and-teenagers

If you are parenting on your own

• Gingerbread. The charity for single parents. Clear written guidance on money, housing, separation and co-parenting, and free membership of local and online groups. For the practical layer of parenting on your own. There is no longer anyone to ring; the information pages are the offer. The advice line closed in April 2025. The information pages remain. The advice service closed on 1 April 2025. No helpline or webchat. www.gingerbread.org.uk/information

If you are considering private therapy

Waiting lists are long. If you can meet the cost, a registered therapist can usually be seen in weeks rather than months. Both registers below are accredited by the Professional Standards Authority, which is the thing to check before anything else.

• BACP Therapist Directory. The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy’s public register. Search by area, by what you are bringing, and by whether the therapist works with children. www.bacp.co.uk/search/Therapists
• NCPS Therapist Directory. The National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society’s register. Every therapist listed is qualified, supervised, insured, and accountable to a code of ethics. ncps.com/find-a-counsellor
• Kensington Square Therapy. Our own practice. We work with children, young people and parents, in person in London, online, and inside schools we partner with. www.kst.ltd

What to look for in a therapist, what a first session is like, and the questions worth asking before you commit, are set out at theparentbook.com/finding-a-therapist

Everything else

The full directory, across every subject, is at theparentbook.com/services. If a number here has changed, please tell us at hello@theparentbook.com and we will correct it.