Parent Support is defined as a service or activity provided by voluntary or statutory organisations to provide support and advice to parents and carers so that they may develop strategies and skills which enable them to bring up and equip their children to a play full part in society.

There are several services and organisations which provide parent support to the parents and carers in Brighton & Hove. To find out more about them parents and carers can contact the following services who can sign post and direct parents to an appropriate parents support group.

Alternatively, parents and carers can visit the websites and national services identified below for more information and advice about parent support.

Contacts in Brighton & Hove

Children’s Centres

Children's Centres provide a 'one stop shop' for all your family's needs. You will be able to access services which everyone can get as well as extra services for families and children under 5 years old.

To contact your nearest Children’s Centre and to find out more about the services they can offer see the ‘Map of Services’ on this website.

Parents Forum

The Brighton & Hove Parents’ forum has been created to ensure that parents’ voices are heard at a decision making level of the Children & Young People’s Trust - which is the body that brings together Brighton and Hove City Council and the Primary Care Trust to run children’s services across the city.

The forum aims to promote the inclusion of all parents and carers across the city to influence and improve children and young person’s services.

The Forum is an additional and independent group to bring existing parent groups together to develop a strong, experienced voice.

The Forum aims to give parents and carers as much information as possible about the future of those services that will affect their children, about the changes and improvements to be made and gain their opinions in order to feed them back at ‘the highest level'.

To find out more about the Parents Forum see their website:

www.brightonandhoveparentsforum.com

Children’s Information Service

If you need information or advice on childcare, children's activities or working in childcare contact the Children's Information Service at Brighton Town Hall.

The CIS is a free service giving detailed information and advice on childcare as well as general information on a wide range of services for children and families in Brighton and Hove.

To find out more parents and carers can visit the ‘Map of Services’ on this website, contact the CIS direct on Tel: (01273) 293545 or visit www.childcarelink.gov.uk/brightonhove/

HOVE YMCA

Parent Support Group by Hove YMCA covers issues such as communication, boundaries, and assertiveness, and offers methods to reflect on how loss and/or family history have led to a breakdown in parents relationships with their teenagers.

To find out more about the Parent Support Group on offer by Hove YMCA parents and carers can contact:

Hove YMCA, 17 Marmion Road, Hove, E Sussex, BN3 5FS

Tel: (01273) 731724

Website: www.hoveymca.org.uk/

MOSAIC

Community organisation for Black and mixed parentage families. The Advocacy Project provides support for parents and carers with education issues such as concerns around school admissions etc. Mosaic also aim to provide a parenting skills course once a year.

Parents and carers can contact Mosaic at:

MOSAIC, Community Base, 113 Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XG

Tel: (01273) 234017

Website: www.mosaicbrighton.org.uk

Amaze

Amaze works with parents and carers of children and young people with any special need, aged 0 - 19 years. They offer one point of access to information, advice and support about issues to do with education, social services, leisure, money matters, safety and health care etc.

Amaze Telephone Helpline (01273) 772289
The helpline is open Monday to Thursday mornings from 9.30am - 12 noon and Thursday evenings from 6pm - 8pm. The helpline offers information and advice to parents and professionals about any issue to do with children with special needs.  

Amaze, Community Base, 113 Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XG

Email: info@amazebrighton.org.uk

Website: www.amazebrighton.org.uk/

Brighton Unemployed Centre

Brighton Unemployed Centre can provide general support to parents through advice, signposting, form filling and home visiting. They also provide a Families Project  which offers a wide range of services from courses and classes, a crèche and childcare etc.

To find out more contact:

Brighton Unemployed Centre, 6 Tilbury Place, Brighton, BN2 0GY

Tel: (01273) 671213 or 601211

Website: www.bucfp.org

National contacts

Parentline

Available seven days a week, 24 hours a day, parentline plus offer a free confidential helpline, including information and support, and the chance to talk through the issues facing parents. Tel: 0808 800 2222 or Textphone - 0800 783 6783

Parenline Plus also have a textphone available for people who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech impairment. Like Parentline, this service provides opportunities to get support on being a parent. This service is open 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Alternatively you can visit the Parentline Plus website, see below.

Links

www.parentlineplus.org.uk/

Parentline Plus is a national charity that works for, and with, parents and families. They can offer parents and carers a range of advise and information regarding a range of parenting issues. To find out more visit the website and look around. Parentline Plus also have a free advice line which can offer advise and support to parents. Contact Tel: 0808 800 2222

www.parents.org.uk/

Parents Online (POL) is a web site for parents, by parents. It can offer a range of information and advise regarding parenting issues to do with young children.

www.parentscentre.gov.uk/

The Parents centre provides parents and families with information and support regarding a range of issues including learning, childcare etc.

www.ukparents.co.uk/

UKParents.co.uk is a network and community of parents and people wanting to become parents. Through the website parents and carers can access information and talk to other parents around the UK about a range of issues.

www.direct.gov.uk/

The Direct gov website gives you information about all public services in the UK, including information about parenting, rights, transport, education, a guide to government and much more.

www.forparentsbyparents.com/

For parents by parents is a website designed by parents to provide other parents with information and advice about parenting issues.

www.gingerbread.org.uk/

Gingerbread is the leading support organisation for over 1.8 million lone parents and their children throughout England and Wales who can provide a range of advice and information for lone parents.

www.pinkparents.org.uk/

Pink parents is a website which offers a range of support services and social activities for all LGBT families.