Adults in parenting roles

The following script gives details of support organisations for parents having difficulties with bringing up or looking after a child.

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 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 9.15am-5.15pm). 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 Fridays 10.30am-1.30pm and Wednesdays 3pm-6pm. Find out more about this on their website at www.oneparentfamilies.org.uk.

Parents at Work aims to help disadvantaged families achieve a balance between home and work life. You can contact their employment law helpline to find out your rights as an employee on 020 7628 2128 (Tuesdays and Wednesdays 11am-2pm).

To obtain free copies of their factsheets on choosing childcare, employment rights and flexible working options, ring their orderline 020 7628 3565 (any time) and leave a message. Factsheets are also available on the Parents at Work website at www.parentsatwork.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 020 7730 3300 (Mondays to Fridays 10am-4pm). You can also visit their website, which has helpful information for young people, including booklets about bullying, at www.kidscape.org.uk.

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