At some point in our lives we may well need support in the form of someone to talk to, some advice or guidance or to be with people that understand us and our situation. However finding that support might not instantly come to us, so we need to actively seek it out for ourselves.
Situations that you might need support with –
- Parenting – behaviour, worries, growing up
- Ex partner – house, finances, contact with children
- Debt – struggling to survive financially
- Loneliness – after separation or a move
- Domestic Violence – even when we are safe we may still need to think about the affects
- Studying/Training – what can we do?
- Work – how to find sustainable employment
- Confidence – how to raise it and feel better
- Health/Fitness – keeping well physically and mentally
- School – dealing with school issues assertivelyFamily – who doesn’t have issues there sometimes!
- Housing – suitability, paying rent/mortgage, repairs
- Drugs and Alcohol – our or our children’s use
- Legal – about ourselves or our children
- New relationships – how to fit them in, tell children, stepfamilies
- CSA – how does it work?Benefits/Tax Credits – are you getting all you’re entitled to
- Counselling – past experiences, bereavement
- Childcare – what’s available and where?
- Refugee or Asylum Status – rights
- Racism – not acceptable, who can help?
- Keeping Children Safe – internet safety, community safety
Action
Make a list of things that you feel you could do with some support, advice or guidance with.
Now make a list of where you think you can get the help.
How will you find out what else is around?
Finding Support Top 10 Tips
- Ask at your children’s toddler group or school/nursery.
- Ask the doctor, health visitor, midwife, family planning or school nurse.
- Find a local community centre – pop in, check out the workers and notice boards.
- Go to our Your Local section of One Space and see what is in your area
- Find a good site for something specific e.g. Women’s Aid for domestic violence and look at their ‘Useful Links’.
- Talk to your friends and neighbours – people often know of something that someone else has used – word gets round!
- Ask at your local church/faith group or check out notice boards at your local leisure centre.
- Check out your local authority’s website – they usually have a search box.Put ‘Council for Voluntary Services’ followed by your town/county/borough into your search engine.
- Put specific key words into a search engine e.g. Children’s Centres or Youth Services or Debt Advice or Housing Support and the name of your town/county/borough.
Take a deep breath, and make some calls, drop into some organisations and use what’s out there to support yourself and your family.