Links

In this section you can find links to other web sites offering advice, guidance, information and support. If you can't find what you're looking for simply contact us with your query and we will try our best to point you in the right direction.

Also, if there is a link you think should be on this page, let us know!

Fun and Study Links for Kids

• Fun Links - Links to movies, television, games, soccer clubs, and fun things for younger students.
• Study Links - A big list of useful links that students will find useful aid to learning and revision.
• BGfL: Secondary - Revision, news, resources, careers, youth parliament, competitions, etc, for Secondary school aged pupils.
• BGfL: Primary - Activities, news, homework help, gallery, stories and more for children in Key Stages 1 and 2.
• BGfL: Foundation - Communication, language and literacy, creative, social and physical development tools for children aged 4 to 7.

General Links

• Links for Parents - A page of resources and links of interest to parents.
• Links for Teachers - A page of interesting links for teachers.
• Adviceguide - The online Citizens Advice Bureau service that gives you information on your rights and on a wide range of topics including benefits and employment, and debt and legal issues.

Focus on Abuse

• ChildLine - Free, 24 hour helpline for children and young people in danger or distress.
• Enough Abuse - From the Child Protection Agency. Helps parents manage the issues of 'grooming' and sexual child abuse.
• Everyman Project - Aims to help men change their violent or abusive behaviour.
• MOSAC - Provides support, advice, information and counselling following the discovery of sexual abuse.
• NAPAC - Support for people abused in childhood.
• NSPCC - National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
• Women's Aid Federation - Support for women experiencing physical, emotional or sexual violence in the home.

Focus on Addiction

• FRANK - Visit this site for free confidential advice and information on drugs 24 hours a day.
• Gamcare - Information, advice and practical help in relation to gambling.
• Release - Information and advice on drugs and the law.

Focus on Adoption

• British Association for Adoption and Fostering - Provides advice and support for adoptive and foster parents.
• NORCAP - National Organisation for Counselling Adoptees and Parents.

Focus on Bereavement

• Child Death Helpline - Freephone line for anyone affected by the death of a child.
• The Compassionate Friends - Support and friendship for parents and families after the death of their child – regardless of age or cause.
• Cruse Bereavement Care - National bereavement support.
• SANDS (Still birth and neonatal death society) - Support for those affected by the stillbirth or death of a baby in the early weeks of life.
• Winston's Wish - Support children and their families following the loss of a parent or sibling.

Focus on Bullying

• Kidscape - An anti-bullying helpline for parents.
• Bullying Online - Help on all forms of bullying including in-school, cyberbullying, racism, homophobia, bullying in sport etc.

Focus on Childcare

• Childcare Link - Provides information on all aspects relating to childcare in the UK.
• Daycare Trust - A national childcare charity working to promote high quality affordable childcare for all.
• Emergency Childcare - Book local nursery and childminder places or an emergency nanny on a flexible, ad hoc or daily basis.

Focus on Children and Young People

• Ask Jeeves Kids - Helping children search the internet for answers to their questions.
• BROOK - Provides free and confidential sexual health advice and contraception to young people.
• ChildLine - Free, 24 hour helpline for children and young people in danger or distress.
• Connexions Direct - Help and information for young people 13-19 years.
• Get Connected - Provides young people with help on finding a service to help them, whatever the problem.
• The Hideout - Provides indirect and informal support to children and young people living with domestic violence or those who may want to help a friend.
• National Youth Advocacy - Advocacy services for children and young people up to the age of 25.
• NCH: It's Not Your Fault - Practical info for children, young people and parents going through a family break-up.
• NSPCC - National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
• Runaway Helpline - For anyone aged 17 or under who has run away or been forced to leave home.
• RU Thinking About It? - Information and advice to young people age 12-18 on sexuality and sexual health.
• Youngcarers.net - Advice, support and information for children and young people who have a caring responsibility for someone in their family.
• Young People and Self-Harm - This site is a key information resource for young people who self-harm, their friends and family, and for professionals working with them.

Focus on Counselling

• British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy - Provides lists of counsellors in your local area.
• NORCAP - National Organisation for Counselling Adoptees and Parents.
• PACE - A free counselling, support and advice service for people who are thinking of adopting a child. It is available to all family members, whatever their age and sexuality.
• Relate - Relationship counselling.
• Tavistock Centre for Couple Relationships - Consultation and psychotherapy services for couples seeking help with their relationships.

Focus on Crime

• Victim Support - Information and support for people who have been affected by a crime.

Focus on Disability

• Benefit Enquiry Line - General information and advice on benefits and how to claim them.
• Carers UK - Provides information and advice to parents/carers of children and adults with disabilities.
• Contact a family - Charity providing support and advice to parents /carers of children with a disability (of any kind).
• Dial UK - Information, advice and practical assistance for people with disabilities and their families.
• Disability Alliance - Provides publications on benefits.
• Disability, Pregnancy and Parenthood International - Information and enquiry service for people with disabilities on all aspects of pregnancy and parenthood.
• Disabled Parents Network - Supports disabled people in pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood.
• Enable Together - A website with the aim of sharing information for independent living.
• National Autistic Society - Advice and support for children and adults with Aspergers syndrome and autism.
• NDCS - National Deaf Children's Society.
• RNIB - Royal National Institute of the Blind.
• RNID - Royal National Institute for the Deaf.
• Scope - Support and advice for people with cerebal palsy.
• Sibs - For people who grow up with a brother or sister with special needs, disability or chronic illness.
• Youngcarers.net - Advice, support and information for children and young people who have a caring responsibility for someone in their family.

Focus on Divorce/Separation

• Family Mediators Association - The Family Mediators Association is a registered charity which offers family mediation outside the court system.
• National Association of Child Contact Centres - Providing safe places where children of separated families can spend time with one or both parents.
• National Family Mediation - Mediators helping parents who live apart stay close to their children.
• NCH: It's Not Your Fault - Practical info for children, young people and parents going through a family break-up.

Focus on Domestic Violence

• The Hideout - Provides indirect and informal support to children and young people living with domestic violence or those who may want to help a friend.
• Everyman Project - Aims to help men change their violent or abusive behaviour.
• Women's Aid Federation - Support for women experiencing physical, emotional or sexual violence in the home.

Focus on Education (learning, schools, etc.)

• Advisory Centre for Education (ACE) - An independent national service centre for parents of children in state-funded education. Can provide advice, information and support on exclusion from school, school admissions, special educational needs and all other education-based issues with particular focus on the legal position/rights of parents and how to take unresolved matters further.
• BBC - Schools and Parents
• BBC - Schools: Revision Guide
• BBC - Starting a new school
• Department for Education and Skills (DfES) - Helping children and adults get the most from learning.
• Homework Elephant - Resources to help children complete their homework.
• Oddies - Read with me.
• ParentsCentre - Information and help on supporting your children with learning and the education system.
• Parentlink - A website set up by a group of teachers to provide practical tips to parents on helping with their children's schoolwork.

Focus on Emotional Support

• Samaritans - Emotional support to anyone in distress or at risk of suicide.

Focus on Emotional well-being

• Understanding Childhood - Provides free downloadable information leaflets for families and childcare professionals to help raise emotionally secure children.
• Young Minds (for children's mental health) - Information for parents who may be concerned about the mental health of their child.

Focus on Ethnic Minorities

• Confederation of Indian Organisations (UK) - Provides details of South Asian organisations across the UK.
• Muslim Women's Helpline - Emotional support helpline, providing information and referrals for Muslim women of any ethnic background.
• Parents pack (from the Refugee Council) - A resource pack to support refugee parents.
• Southall Black Sisters - Information and resources for women, particularly Asian women experiencing domestic violence. Also offers immigration advice and advice on other matters relating to relationship breakdown.

Focus on Families

• BBC - Parenting
• Families Need Fathers - Information and support on shared parenting following separation or divorce.
• Family Rights Group - Provides advice and services to families whose children are involved with social services.
• Gingerbread - Support organisation for lone parent families.
• Home-start - Offers regular support to families with one child under 5 years old – local offices in Birmingham.
• National Family Mediation - Helping parents who live apart stay close to their children.
• National Family and Parenting Institute - A charity aiming to improve the wellbeing of children and families in the UK.
• One Parent Families - Free information to lone parents including benefits, tax and housing.
• ParentsCentre - Information and help on supporting your children with learning and the education system.
• Parenting UK - The national umbrella body for people who work with parents. Does not offer direct services to parents, but parenting courses offered by forum members are advertised on the page 'for parents' on this website.
• Parentline Plus - Parentline is a free, confidential helpline for parents and anyone caring for a child.

Focus on Gay and Lesbian

• EACH (Educational Action Challenging Homophobia) - A national, charitable organisation set up to challenge homophobia.
• FFLAG - Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays UK is a national and voluntary organisation and registered charity which offers support to local parent groups and contacts in their efforts to help parents and families understand, accept and support their lesbian, gay and bisexual members.
• PACE - A free counselling, support and advice service for people who are thinking of adopting a child. It is available to all family members, whatever their age and sexuality .
• Pink Parents - Information and advice on all aspects of gay and lesbian parenting.

Focus on Grandparents

• The Grandparents Association - To support the special relationship between grandchildren and grandparents.

Focus on Health

• Eating Disorders Association - Information and support.
• NHS Direct - Information on health, illness and the NHS.
• Terrance Higgins Trust - Help and advice on living with HIV.

Focus on Housing/Homelessness

• Birmingham City Council Housing
• Shelter - Information for people who are homeless or having a housing problem.

Focus on Immigration

• Asylum Aid - Free advice and assistance to refugees and asylum seekers.
• Immigration Advisory Service - Free legal advice on immigration, asylum and nationality issues.
• Refugee Council - Advice and support to asylum seekers and refugees.
• Parents pack (from the Refugee Council) - A resource pack to support refugee parents.
• UKCOSA (Council for International Education) - Provides independent advice for students from overseas on issues such as immigration, fees and welfare benefits.

Focus on Internet

• Internet Safety - Home Office leaflet about how to ensure your children are using the Internet safely.
• Internet Watch Foundation - Site for reporting potentially illegal online content, specifically child abuse images and content hosted anywhere in the world, criminally obscene content hosted in the UK and incitement to racial hatred content hosted in the UK.
• Parents Online - Helping parents get the most out of using the internet with their children.

Focus on Legal

• Children's Legal Centre - Information on all aspects of child law in England and Wales including contact, parental responsibility and residence orders.
• Community Legal Service Direct (CLS Direct) - Easy to use services providing free information on a range of issues.
• Legal Services Commission - Provides free information and help on legal issues and how to find legal help.
• Resolution - An association of solicitors specialising in family law.

Focus on Lone Parents

• Gingerbread - Support organisation for lone parent families.
• One Parent Families - Free information to lone parents including benefits, tax and housing.
• Single Parent Travel Club (SPTC) - SPTC links single parent families so that they can enjoy holidays, days out and events together.

Focus on Mental Health

• MENCAP - Support and information for people with a learning disability and their families.
• MIND - Information on all aspects of mental health.
• Rethink - Advice and information for those suffering severe mental illness and their families or carers.
• Sane - Mental health helpline.
• Young Minds (for children's mental health) - Information for parents who may be concerned about the mental health of their child.

Focus on Missing Persons/Runaways

• Message Home Helpline - 24 hour helpline for anyone aged 18 and over who has left home or run away.
• National Missing Person's Helpline - 24 hour helpline for those with a family member missing or for anyone who has information about a missing person.
• Runaway Helpline - For anyone aged 17 or under who has run away or been forced to leave home.

Focus on Money

• Benefit Enquiry Line - General information and advice on benefits and how to claim them.
• Charities Aid Foundation - Donating to charity through your payroll.
• Child Benefit - Deals with all child benefit claims.
• Child Support Agency - The Child Support Agency, as part of the Department for Work and Pensions, is responsible for assessing, collecting, paying and enforcing Child Support Maintenance.
• National Debtline - Advice by telephone or email for people with debt problems.

Focus on Pregnancy

• British Pregnancy Advisory Service - Offers information and treatment for unplanned pregnancy.
• Education for Choice - Education for choice is dedicated to enabling young people to make informed choices about pregnancy.
• FPA - Advice and publications on all aspects of sexual health.
• The Miscarriage Association - Support and information for people who experience a miscarriage.
• NCT (National Childbirth Trust) - Support through pregnancy and beyond.

Focus on Prisoners Families

• Prisoners' Families Helpline - Free service to anyone with a family member in prison.

Focus on Sexual Health

• BROOK - This site provides free and confidential sexual health advice and contraception to young people.
• Education for Choice - Dedicated to enabling young people to make informed choices about pregnancy.
• RU Thinking About It? - Information and advice to young people age 12-18 on sexuality and sexual health.