Early sources of family support

Support to attend school

If your child is struggling to attend school, these resources may help:

Emotionally based school avoidance | Wellbeing in Education

Support to attend school | Suffolk Local Offer

Pupil attendance and welfare | Suffolk County Council

Apply for free school meals | Suffolk County Council

Home to school travel | Suffolk on Board

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Visit Suffolk Local Offer for advice and information on a wide range of SEND-related topics, including education, health, social care and more.

Elective Home Education (EHE)

Find out more about elective home education, including news, events, useful resources and more.

Adult Education

Learn Suffolk provide a range of courses for adults ranging from literacy and numeracy and employability skills to community and family learning.

Research shows that the first 1001 days of a child's life have enormous impact on their development in later years. Find support with the earliest stages of parenting here:

Pregnancy, labour and birth

Midwives are health professionals specifically trained to look after women and babies during pregnancy, labour and birth. The easiest way to book with your local midwifery team is via your GP. If you don't feel comfortable going to your GP surgery for any reason, it is important that you and your baby still get care during this time, and so you can self refer to the maternity/midwifery services across the county directly. Find out more information on this via the links below:

Maternity Services in Ipswich

Maternity Services in West Suffolk

Maternity Services in Lowestoft and Waveney

Younger parents-to-be can also access support from the Family Nurse Partnership (for first time Mums aged 21 and under), the Young Parents Pathway for mothers-to-be under the age of 20, or the Youth Enquiry Service, which supports younger parents aged 19-25.

Other sources of support include the Pregnancy to Pre School pages on this website, which give details of courses, apps and other sources of support, and the Perinatal Mental Health Team, who support parents who are experiencing mental health issues during pregnancy or following birth.

Early Years and childcare

Once you have had your baby, your midwife will handover responsibility for your care to your local Health Visitor. You do not have to see your Health Visitor, but they can provide advice and support on a range of topics, including feeding your baby, immunisations, local groups and more. Find out about the support Health Visitors can offer you and your family here.

The Suffolk Family Information Service, part of Suffolk County Council, hold a directory of childcare providers, including early years settings such as nurseries and pre schools, and can provide advice on other sources of support available to families in the early years. 

It can be isolating when you have a baby, especially if the rest of your friends and family are working or at different life stages. Suffolk Community Libraries offer a range of free groups around the county that you can drop in to with your baby or toddler, including Stay & Play, Baby Bounce, Tot Rock and more.

Family Hubs also operate across the county, and provide advice, support, workshops and activities on a range of topics. 

Home Start in Suffolk provide practical support and friendship to families , including specialist support for families of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), parents of twins, triplets and multiples, and Forces families.

Dads

The physical changes of pregnancy and birth happen to mothers, but lots of change happens for men too, and it's natural to feel a mixture of emotions at the many ways in which roles and relationships change at this time. Two organisations in Suffolk that particularly seek to support Fathers are Epic Dad, who offer Fatherhood Preparation Courses and other workshops and social opportunities, and Dads Matter, who support fathers to co-parent through separation, relationship breakdowns and other challenging times.

The Mental Health crisis support line is a 24/7 helpline for people of all ages in Suffolk and Norfolk who need urgent mental health support. If you need urgent mental health support, call 111 and select the mental health option.

Good physical and mental health are both fundamental to empowering families to thrive together. If you are experiencing challenges in either of these areas, you might find support and helpful tools in the following places:

Mental health support for children and young people

The Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation Trust run a range of free parent/carer mental health workshops as well as a series of childhood neurodivergence workshops, aimed at helping parents support the wellbeing and mental health of their children across a range of issues including anxiety, eating difficulties, regulating feelings, self-harm, obsessions and compulsions, sleep and more.

Kooth offers free, safe and anonymous online mental health support for young people aged 13+, including articles, activities, text-based conversation with a mental health practitioner and online groups.

The Source offers information, advice and support for young people in Suffolk on a range of issues, including mental health, anxiety, body image, self esteem and more.

The Emotional Wellbeing Gateway also provides information, advice and links to organisations who can provide support for both children and young people and adults with various aspects of mental health.

Many schools in East, West and Central Suffolk have Mental Health Support Team workers linked with them - early intervention workers who can support children and young people with mild to moderate mental health difficulties within the school setting. This support could include individual therapy, school-based interventions and work with parents. Speak to your child's school in the first instance to see if they have an MHST worker attached to them and if they think your child might benefit from a referral.

Mental health support for adults

Wellbeing Norfolk and Suffolk offer a range of free support for people aged 16+ with common mental health and emotional issues, such as low mood and stress. They offer online courses and workshops as well as access to talking therapies with mental health practitioners.

Anglia Care Trust run something called the Community Connectors Services - a community-based offer to provide support to those who have been discharged by secondary mental health services by phone, email, text or face-to-face support.

Physical Health

You can access general advice and support about maintaining good physical health at the following sites:

Suffolk Eat Well, Feel Well

Feel Good Suffolk 

Healthy Suffolk

You can also find support with more specialist physical issues via the following teams. Many of these will require a referral, so if you think your child would benefit, a conversation with their school or your GP is a good starting point to build on.

Suffolk School Nursing Service

Bedwetting and continence support

The Sensory & Physical Service

Integrated Community Paediatric Services

Autism, ADHD and Neurodiversity

Information and advice about neurodiversity support in Suffolk is available here: Autism, ADHD and Neurodiversity | Suffolk Local Offer

If you or someone in your household is struggling with substance misuse, you don't have to struggle alone. Your GP is a good place to start - they will be able to discuss the issues with you and/or refer you for further help or treatment, or you can also find help and advice from the following organisations:

National substance-related organisations

NHS Live Well - getting help with drug addiction

Talk To Frank - honest information about drugs

Local substance-related organisations

Turning Point - drugs and alcohol support

Anglia Care Trust - drug and alcohol recovery outreach service

Iceni - programme-based support to help break the cycle of substance misuse

Feel Good Suffolk (smoking cessation support)

Healthy Suffolk

Family relationships can be hard and complex, but we can all learn tools to help us improve things and relate better to our loved ones in the future. 

General relationship support

You can access free digital resources designed to help parents reflect on conflict in their relationship with current or ex-partners, as well as the impact on their children, via the Suffolk Family Hubs Relationship Support page.

Relate offer a range of free online toolkits and courses designed to help you strengthen your relationship and support you in navigating tricky family issues such as managing your money, deciding to get married, communication and more.

Family Lives offer support to anyone parenting a child; the child's parents, step-parents, grandparents and foster parents.

Specialist relationship support

Behaviour Safe At Home supports parents, carers and family members living with children who display extreme behaviours, to improve the safety of everyone. 

Iceni run a course called REALationships - an eight week course exploring relationship choices and personal development, particularly suitable for those who have been in abusive or toxic relationships in the past.

Fatherhood Institute: Information aimed specifically at fathers, on all aspects of parenting.

Single Parents: The parenting site for single parents, brought to you by the Single Parent Action Network

Pink Parents: Gay and lesbian parenting issues and advice.

Everyone has the right to feel safe, and to live free from abuse or exploitation. 

If you are concerned about an immediate risk to the safety of a child or adult please call Customer First on 0808 800 4005. In an emergency, call the Police on 999. 

Keeping children and young people safe

If you believe a child or young person is at risk of harm, abuse or neglect, you can report it online using the Suffolk Children and Young People's Portal. 

The Make A Change Team support all young people up until the age of 18 who are at risk or who are victims of child exploitation, including female genital mutilation, forced marriage, honour-based abuse, gangs, trafficking, radicalisation and sexual exploitation. They also provide support and advice to parent carers.

Internet Matters offer advice and support to parents looking to help their children safe online, including instructions on how to set parent controls on a range of devices and social media platforms and digital activities for families to do together to support children's developing media literacy and critical thinking.

Keeping adults safe

If you believe an adult is at risk of harm, abuse or neglect, you can report it online using the Suffolk Adult Care Portal.

Anyone can call Karma Nirvana on 0800 5999 247 if you suspect forced marriage and honour crimes. You can also call 020 7008 0151 to speak to the Government Forced Marriage Unit.

Other sources of safeguarding support and advice

Suffolk Safeguarding Partnership work together with various organisations across Suffolk to ensure they work together to keep those at risk from abuse or neglect. They also provide advice on a range of safeguarding related topics on their website, including dementia, radicalisation, self harm, signs of abuse and more. 

If you're worried that you are behaving abusively in your relationship, call the free Respect Phoneline on 0808 802 4040.

Support for people affected by crime

If you've been a victim of crime, or affected by a crime that has happened to someone close to you, you can contact the Suffolk Victim Support team for free, independent support, including making a safety plan, understanding the system and counselling if needed.

The Ferns Sexual Assault Centre provide medical assessments, support services and aftercare for those who have been sexually assaulted. If you are aged 13 or over, you can self refer without the need for police involvement. If you are under 13, appointments need to be made via the police or social care teams.

Ormiston Families support the families of those who have committed crimes via prison visitors centres, probation family services and Breaking Barriers - support for children and young people affected by the imprisonment of a close family member.

Crime-related support for young people

Suffolk Positive Futures looks to transform young people's lives and reduce crime, anti-social behaviour and gang-related activity in local communities through free engagement and sports-based diversion opportunities.

The Suffolk Youth Justice Service works with young people aged 10-18 who are at risk of offending or who have offended. Their support includes preparing for a court appearance, restorative justice, criminal exploitation and working with Harmful Sexual Behaviours (HSB).

Other sources of crime-related support

Find information on a range of topics including stalking and harassment, spiking, sextortion, honour-based abuse and domestic violence on the Suffolk Police website. 

Digital abuse is when someone monitors, stalks, harasses, threatens, controls or impersonates another person using technology. This could involve stalking through social media, harassment by text message or humiliation by posting pictures or videos, for example. Find out more about digital abuse on the Suffolk Police website.

Domestic violence, also called domestic abuse, includes physical, emotional and sexual abuse in couple relationships or between family members. Domestic violence can happen against anyone, and anybody can be an abuser, but everyone has the right to live safe and free from harm. 

Local support relating to domestic violence/domestic abuse

Find out how to report domestic abuse and what will happen next on the Suffolk Police website.

The Suffolk Domestic Abuse Helpline is a 24 hour free, confidential service for support, advice and action. Call on 0800 977 5690.

Women can also contact Lighthouse, who operate refuges and women's centres in Suffolk.

UK Says No More offer online Safe Spaces and a list of community safe spaces in Suffolk - private, safe and discreet spaces you can use to reach out to friends and family and contact specialist support services.

National support relating to domestic violence/domestic abuse

Women can call The National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247 for free at any time, day or night. The staff will offer confidential, non-judgemental information and support. 

Men can call the Respect Men's Advice Line on 0808 8010 327 (Monday to Friday 10am to 8pm), or visit the webchat at Men's Advice Line for non-judgemental information and support.

Specialist / other support relating to domestic violence/domestic abuse

If you identify as LGBT+ you can call Galop on 0800 999 5428 for emotional and practical support.

Anyone can call Karma Nirvana on 0800 5999 247 if you suspect forced marriage and honour crimes. You can also call 020 7008 0151 to speak to the Government Forced Marriage Unit.

If you're worried that you are behaving abusively in your relationship, call the free Respect Phoneline on 0808 802 4040.

If you are sleeping rough and want to know about local support services, or if you want to report someone else sleeping rough who needs support, StreetLink can help connect you with local outreach teams who can help.

Local information on housing and homelessness is available through your District or Borough Council. You can find contact details for your local team here. 

Other sources of housing-related support

Homeless England is a comprehensive database of Homelessness services throughout the UK. They list a variety of support options in Suffolk, including particular support for women, single people, parent and baby accommodation and more.

Shelter UK is a national organisation who can offer expert advice on housing rights and options. They have an emergency helpline, online advice and a webchat facility.

Citizens Advice Suffolk can also help with advice on a range of topics including housing, benefits, employment and more.

Anglia Care Trust run a temporary housing scheme in Suffolk for people who would not normally be able to rent in the private sector for various reasons.

General financial advice and support

Citizens Advice Suffolk provide free, impartial advice on a range of topics including benefits, debt, employment and more.

The Suffolk Local Welfare Assistance Scheme (LWAS) helps those experiencing financial hardship. This could mean you are struggling to afford the basics, such as food, heating, clothing and fuel, or to pay your household bills.

Suffolk County Council have also published several sources of financial help on their Communities pages here: Cost of Living Support.

Turn2us is a national charity that provides practical information and support to people facing income shocks and financial insecurity. They provide information about benefits, grants and other sources of help.

CAP (Christians Against Poverty) is a national organisation specialising in debt counselling for people in financial difficulty. They offer free, expert debt advice, money and budgeting workshops, job clubs and general tips and advice to make your money go further day-to-day.

Family-related financial support

If you’re pregnant or have children under the age of 4, you can get free Healthy Start payments every 4 weeks to spend on milk, fresh, frozen or tinned fruit and vegetables, and fresh, dried, and tinned pulses. You can also get Free Healthy Start vitamins.

If you receive any of a range of benefits, your child will be eligible for free school meals. Find out more and apply via the free school meals section of this website.

Support to get into work

Government Job Centres can help with various aspects of financial stability related to work, including job searching and training, work experience and grants. Find your nearest Jobcentre here.

Realise Futures deliver a variety of employment programmes across Suffolk, with Employment Advisors to help people learn new skills and find the right job for them, via a range of support activities. 

Other sources of financial support

If you are struggling to afford food, you can find a map of foodbanks and affordable food projects in Suffolk here: Accessing Food in Suffolk | Suffolk Infolink.