Support for Families

National Financial & Essential Support

• NHS Healthy Start Scheme: Provides a prepaid card to help pregnant people and families with children under four buy healthy food and milk.
• BBC Children in Need Emergency Essentials: Administered by Family Fund Business Services, this programme provides critical items like beds, cookers, and clothing for children in crisis.
• Family Fund: The UK’s largest charity providing grants for families on low incomes raising disabled or seriously ill children to help with essential items and services.
• Buttle UK - Chances for Children: Offers tailored grants of up to £2,400 for children and young people who have experienced a crisis that has impacted their wellbeing and education.
• The Trussell Trust: Supports a nationwide network of food banks and provides emergency food and support to people locked in poverty. 

• Sure Start Maternity Grant  - A one-off payment of £500 to help towards the costs of having your first child. Claim the grant within 11 weeks of the baby’s due date or within 6 months after the baby’s birth.

National Advice & Family Rights

• Home-Start UK: A local support network where volunteers provide one-to-one support for parents with at least one child under five.
• Family Rights Group: Provides specialist legal advice and support for parents and relatives whose children are involved with, or need, children’s social care services.
• Gingerbread: National charity providing expert advice and practical support for single-parent families. Phone: 0808 802 0925
• Working Families: Provides a legal helpline and resources for parents and carers on their rights at work and benefits. Phone: 0300 012 0312
• Baby Basics UK: A volunteer-led project providing Moses baskets and essential equipment for vulnerable families. This is a referral-only service; speak to your health visitor or midwife to access.

Health & Emotional Wellbeing

• PANDAS Foundation: Offers free, confidential support for families suffering from pre and postnatal mental illness. Phone: 0808 1961 776 (10am-10pm daily)
• ICON - Babies Cry, You Can Cope: Provides national resources and support to help parents and carers cope with a crying baby and prevent infant harm. Contact your GP or local health visitor for direct clinical support.

 

Cheshire East

Cheshire East Council - Family Information Service (this link will open in a new window) 

Cheshire East - Parenting Support (this link will open in a new window) 

Support finding childcare (this link will open in a new window)

Help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window)

Cheshire West and Chester

Cheshire West and Chester - Family Information Service (this link will open in a new window)

Cheshire West - Children’s Centres (this link will open in a new window) 

Cheshire West - Parenting Support (this link will open in a new window) 

Finding childcare (this link will open in a new window) 

Help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window)

Greater Manchester (GM‑wide)

Greater Manchester Combined Authority - Family Support Resources (this link will open in a new window) 

Bolton

Bolton Start Well - Support for Families (this link will open in a new window)

Bolton Finding childcare (this link will open in a new window) 

Bolton Help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window)  

Bury

Bury Council - Early Help for Families (this link will open in a new window) 

Bury Finding childcare (this link will open in a new window)  

Bury Help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window) 

Manchester

Help & Support Manchester - Children and Families (this link will open in a new window)

Manchester Children’s Centres (this link will open in a new window) 

Manchester Finding childcare (this link will open in a new window) 

Manchester Help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window)  

Oldham

Oldham Council - Support for Families (this link will open in a new window) 

Oldham Early Help (this link will open in a new window) 

Oldham Finding childcare (this link will open in a new window)  

Oldham Help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window)

Rochdale

Rochdale Council - Family Support (this link will open in a new window) 

Rochdale Early Help (this link will open in a new window) 

Rochdale Finding childcare (this link will open in a new window)

Rochdale Help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window)  

Salford

Salford City Council - Support for Families (this link will open in a new window) 

Salford Early Help (this link will open in a new window) 

Saldord finding childcare (this link will open in an new window)  

Salford help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window)

Stockport

Stockport Family - Support for Children and Families (this link will open in a new window) 

Stockport finding childcare (this link will open in a new window)  

Stockport help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window)  

Tameside

Tameside Council - Families (this link will open in a new window) 

Tameside Early Help (this link will open in a new window)

Tameside finding childcare (this link will open in a new window)

Tameside help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window) 

Trafford

Trafford Directory - Family Support (this link will open in a new window) 

Trafford finding childcare (this link will open in a new window)  

Trafford help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window) 

Wigan

Wigan Council - Start Well Family Centres (this link will open in a new window) 

Wigan finding childcare (this link will open in a new window)  

Wigan help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window)

Lancashire (County‑wide)

Lancashire County Council - Support for Families (this link will open in a new window)

Lancashire Family Hubs (this link will open in a new window) 

Lancashire Finding childcare (this link will open in a new window)

Help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window) 

Funded placements for 2-year-olds (this link will open in a new window)

Blackburn with Darwen

Blackburn with Darwen - Children and Families (this link will open in a new window) 

Blackburn with Darwen - Finding childcare (this link will open in a new window) 

Blackburn with Darwen - Help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window)  

Blackpool

Blackpool Council - Children and Families (this link will open in a new window) 

Blackpool - Finding childcare (this link will open in a new window) 

Blackpool - Help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window)

Burnley

Burnley Together - Family Support (this link will open in a new window) 

Burnley - Finding childcare (this link will open in a new window) 

Burnley - Help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window) 

Chorley

Chorley Council - Support for Families (this link will open in a new window)

Chorley - Finding childcare (this link will open in a new window)

Chorley - Help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window)  

Fylde

Fylde Council - Family Support (this link will open in a new window) 

Fylde - Finding childcare (this link will open in a new window)  

Fylde - Help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window) 

Preston

Preston City Council - Support for Families (this link will open in a new window)  

Preston - Finding childcare (this link will open in a new window) 

Preston - Help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window) 

Ribble Valley

Ribble Valley - Family Support (this link will open in a new window)

Ribble Valley - Finding childcare (this link will open in a new window)

Ribble Valley - Help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window)  

Rossendale

Rossendale Council - Family Support (this link will open in a new window)  

Rossendale - Finding childcare (this link will open in a new window)  

Rossendale - Help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window)  

South Ribble

South Ribble - Family Support (this link will open in a new window)  

South Ribble - Finding childcare (this link will open in a new window)  

South Ribble - Help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window)  

West Lancashire

West Lancashire - Family Support (this link will open in a new window) 

West Lancashire - Finding childcare (this link will open in a new window)

West Lancashire - Help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window) 

Wyre

Wyre Council - Family Support (this link will open in a new window)

Wyre - Finding childcare (this link will open in a new window) 

Wyre - Help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window)  

Liverpool City Region (Merseyside)

Liverpool Early Help Directory (this link will open in a new window) 

Liverpool Children’s Centres (this link will open in a new window) 

Liverpool - Finding childcare (this link will open in a new window)  

Liverpool - Help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window)  

Improving Local Health Services for Families with Young Children in Merseyside (this link will open in a new window)

Sefton

Sefton Council - Family Wellbeing (this link will open in a new window) 

Sefton Family Hubs (this link will open in a new window) 

Sefton - Finding childcare (this link will open in a new window) 

Sefton - Help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window) 

Sefton - Early Help (this link will open in a new window)

St Helens

St Helens - Family Support (this link will open in a new window) 

St Helens Early Help (this link will open in a new window) 

St Helens - Finding childcare (this link will open in a new window)

St Helens - Help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window) 

St Helens Cares - Services for children and young people and families (this link will open in a new window)

Wirral

Wirral Council - Family Support (this link will open in a new window) 

Wirral Early Help (this link will open in a new window) 

Wirral - Finding childcare (this link will open in a new window)  

Wirral - Help with childcare costs (this link will open in a new window)

Wirral - Parenting and family support (this link will open in a new window)

West Lancs

West Lancashire Borough Council - Family Support Services (this link will open in a new window)