Adults in parenting roles

The following script gives details of organisations for parents or anyone in a parenting role.

It's not unusual for any parent to feel he or she needs help over a problem. You can often get that support or advice from a friend or family member, but sometimes this may not be practical, or you may feel you need more professional advice.

If your child is under school age your health visitor is an invaluable source of practical help and experience. If you don’t have a health visitor or have lost touch, contact your local GP, doctors’ surgery or health centre.

Whether you’re a parent, step-parent, foster parent or grandparent, and whatever the age of your child, there are organisations that can help.

Parentline Plus offers help and support via their helpline and leaflets to anyone in a parenting role. Call their free confidential helpline on 0808 800 22 22 (24 hours a day). You can also find useful information on their website at www.parentlineplus.org.uk.

The National Council for One-Parent Families runs an information service for lone parents on a variety of issues, including childcare, benefits and legal rights. Call their free helpline on 0800 018 5026 (Mondays to Fridays 9am-5pm). Also, on the same number, there's a specific advice service for lone parents with maintenance, Child Support Agency, benefits and other money problems. This service is available on Mondays and Thursdays 11am-2pm and Tuesdays 3pm-6pm. Find out more about this on their website at www.oneparentfamilies.org.uk.

Working Families provides advice and information for working parents on a low income and parents trying to get into work. This includes advice on benefits and tax credits that you may be eligible for, with specialist advice available for working parents of children with disabilities. Call their free, confidential, Low Income Families Helpline on 0800 013 0313 or check out their website at www.workingfamilies.org.uk.

If your family is involved with social services about the care and protection of children, you can get help and advice from the Family Rights Group. They have a free helpline on 0800 731 1696 (Mondays to Fridays 10am-12pm and 1.30pm-3.30pm). There's advice available on their website at www.frg.org.uk.

ACE, The Advisory Centre for Education is an independent advice service for parents, offering advice on topics such as special educational needs, admissions, exclusion from school, bullying and more. For information on exclusions and to order a pack call the 24 hour line 0207 704 9822. For general advice call the free helpline on 0808 800 5793 (Mondays to Fridays 2pm-5pm). There's also a lot of information and downloadable packs on their website at www.ace-ed.org.uk.

Sometimes children seem to misbehave because they are trying to deal with a problem. If you think your child is being bullied, the organisation Kidscape can help. Kidscape publishes a range of free leaflets and booklets for young people and parents on bullying. To obtain leaflets, send a large stamped addressed envelope to Kidscape, 2 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0DH.

Parents who would like advice on helping their children can call Kidscape's bullying counsellor on 08451 205 204 (Mondays to Fridays 10am-4pm). You can also visit their website, which has helpful information for children and adults, including booklets about bullying, at www.kidscape.org.uk.

This message has been prepared and is updated regularly by Programme Support at Channel 4.

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