One to one advice
Sometimes, we may have attended a workshop or looked for online information but what we really need is to discuss a specific situation or area of concern about our child or young person’s development. In this case, we have telephone helplines for parent support or bookable consultations where you can discuss your concerns with an experienced practitioner.
Family Information Service
Contact the Family Information Service (FIS) for a wide range of information relating to children and young people aged 0-25 including, but not limited to:
- Childcare
- Money and benefits
- Housing
- Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
- Health and wellbeing.
The FIS helpline is available Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm by calling 0800 408 1558 (freephone) or emailing fis@warwickshire.gov.uk to respond your queries, provide information and guide you towards the right support for your needs.
Early Help family support line
Early Help family support workers are available across Warwickshire to listen, offer advice and support around all family parenting and behaviour concerns. Family support workers offer a support helpline open 9am-4pm, Monday to Friday, for telephone advice. They also offer face to face consultations both virtually and in Children & Family Centres.
Call the family support helpline for telephone support or to book a consultation on 01926 412 412. View more information about family support and consultations.
Children and family centres
Children and family centres offer a range of guidance and support to families, from a regularly updated activities programme to extra help, including one to one support where needed. Support from a family link worker can be requested by completing an online form or text a volunteer parent champion for information on support in your local area.
Chat Health
Chat Health is a service offered by Warwickshire health visitors and school nurses to parents, carers, and young people through a text messaging service. Parents and carers can text to ask for advice on any health and wellbeing concerns from a health visitor (for 0 to 5 ages) or a school nurse (for ages 5 to 19). There is also a Chat Health number available for young people aged from 11 to 19 to use themselves.
- Text a health visitor on 07520 615 293
- Text a school nurse on 07520 619 376
- Young people can text a school nurse on 07507 331 525
Rise
Rise provides emotional wellbeing and mental health services for children and young people in Coventry and Warwickshire. Rise offers early support, information and guidance for parents and carers on many emerging mental health concerns.
Parents and carers can book a one-to-one consultation (call 07917 504682 or email risecommunityoffer@covwarkpt.nhs.uk with a Rise clinician, and/or attend themed sessions which focus on areas of requested support. Parents and carers will be asked to complete a Dimensions rating for their child or young person prior to the consultation.
Children with disabilities team
There are some opportunities for one-off specialist advice provided by the Children with Disabilities Team for parents and carers looking for advice around social care issues for their child or young person who has been diagnosed with a disability. The team can help you with concerns you may have on areas such as:
- behaviours
- routines
- toileting.
Support is provided through a half hour telephone discussion bookable via Eventbrite.
Parents and Carers can also book into face to face advice sessions (PDF, 344 KB) with a practitioner from the Children with disabilities team.
IDS - Integrated Disability Service
The Integrated Disability Service (IDS) 0-5 Specialist Teachers are available to provide SEND advice to early years practitioners and families every Monday during term time by calling 01926 413777. For children known to IDS 0-5, families can discuss any queries they may have with their allocated member of the team.
Parenting Project – Family Wellbeing Pathway
The Parenting Project offers a pathway of support which includes family wellbeing support, counselling and parent mentoring. They work with children and young people from 0-19 (up to 25 years with SEND) years and their parents/carers, ensuring each family has access to a combination of services best suited to their needs.
- Family wellbeing - individually tailored support for families and schools, always with the wellbeing of the whole family in mind. This includes parent/carer groups, family support and therapeutic groups in schools.
- Counselling - parents and carers can access up to 18 weeks of confidential counselling to support and improve mental health and emotional wellbeing.
- Parent mentoring - volunteers provide friendly, informal support, encouragement and guidance to families in a non-judgemental way.
Wellbeing for Warwickshire
Wellbeing for Warwickshire support around mental and emotional wellbeing. It is available for anyone aged 16 and over. Wellbeing for Warwickshire provide online, in person or telephone support. This is not parenting advice but can help parents and carers who feel that support for their own mental and emotional wellbeing would help them manage the practical and emotional demands of their family.
Home Start South Warwickshire
Home Start South Warwickshire is a voluntary organisation committed to promoting the welfare of families with young children. Without support, families may feel alone or isolated. Home Start South Warwickshire can offer compassionate, confidential support to families where:
- Parents are experiencing emotional health difficulties like post-natal depression or anxiety.
- Life feels unstable because of financial worries, relationship issues or living in poor housing.
- Parents are finding the early years of their children’s lives demanding and would like help.
- Children have disabilities or developmental delays.
Parents can self-refer or a professional you are working with can make a referral for you.