Access to this support is completely confidential.
Support available
You can find information and advice with links to lots of different organisations, in our Information and Support Directory.
The Family Help Service offer various support in the form of groups and one to one work with the child or the whole family. They aim to ensure that families have access to the support they need and develop positive behaviours and relationships.
Parenting support for antenatal and pre-school
Find out more about our 0 to 2 year pathway by watching this short video:
You can also watch the full 30 minute film: The Pathway - small steps to a better future
0-2 Pathway
Who is the 0-2 Pathway for
This weekly group is for parents and their children, starting at the antenatal stage through to approximately 2 years, who have been referred to us by the midwifery and health visiting service.
Aims of the 0-2 Pathway service
This pathway is based on the 1001 critical days.
Groups within this pathway (1001 critical days) include:
- Bumps to babies (antenatal course)
- 1001 critical day information
- Five to thrive
- Baby massage
- Tiny talkers
- Great expectations
- Solihull parenting programme
- ICON – Babies Cry you can cope
- Me You Baby Too – Healthy Relationships
Babybox
Who is Babybox for
This support is for young parents and parents-to-be, aged under 21, referred by professionals in the teenagers and babies action group (TBAG) meeting.
Aims of the Babybox service
To provide a box, full of essentials for a new baby, at 24 weeks into the pregnancy.
As well as providing the essentials for the mother and baby, it also acts as an opportunity to talk through the box contents and related topics, such as feeding options, safe sleep and contraception.
At the home visit, consent is discussed and ideally secured with the parent-to-be, to be referred for support services via the TBAG meeting.
Support is offered to young parents to engage with the 0-2 pathway and/or other appropriate support commensurate with their needs. Access of services and hand-holding will be provided by Family Help staff and befriender volunteers.
1001 critical days
Who is 1001 critical days for
For all parents, from the antenatal stage through to approximately 2 years.
Aims of the 1001 critical days service
We deliver one-off events throughout the year, across the county, in partnership with midwifery/public health nurses/health visitors, library services, local leisure centres and so on, to deliver the messages behind the 1001 critical days.
Parent and volunteer-led stay and play sessions
Who is this for
Anyone can attend these weekly sessions. They are run across the county and delivered by our trained volunteers.
Aims of this service
Parents, carers and children can meet together to play in a safe environment. Please check our Facebook page for details of these events.
Solihull parenting programme - understanding your child
Who is the parenting programme for
This course is designed for parents and carers of children aged 5 years and under, who are struggling to manage or understand the behaviour of their children, or for those who need extra support in parenting positively and responding better to their children.
Aims of the parenting programme group
The key aim is to teach parents to respond rather than react to their children to achieve a different result.
Thrive by 5
16 fun and simple every-day activities you can do with your little one(s) at home or when out and about.
Parents health and emotional wellbeing (PHEW)
Parenting support for primary school aged children
SEND Support Group for Parents
See our SEND Support from Family Help page.
Parenting support for all age groups
Young parent groups
Who are Young parent groups for
Our young parent groups - available in selected localities - offer weekly support for young parents and their babies. The group offers a range of support, such as wanting to return to education, employment or training or support with their child’s development and meeting with their peers in the same situation.
Aims of the Young parent groups
The groups' aim to help and support young parents and carers on their parenting journey. We also help with returning to education, employment and training.
Triple P Seminar
Who is the Triple P Seminar group for
Triple P Seminar is for parents and carers who are struggling to manage being a parent. You can attend up to 3 seminars to develop positive parenting skills.
Aims of the Triple P Seminar group
To learn different ways of building positive parenting skills and help you put routine and structure into your home.
Triple P Discussion
Who is the Triple P Discussion group for
These 4 sessions are for parents and carers looking for help with managing a particular difficult behaviour. The groups are one-off sessions, so you can just attend the ones which will be of most help to you.
Aims of the Triple P Discussion group
To share ideas and talk through how the skills learned in the session can work for your family. You’ll then develop a plan to help you to manage this behaviour.
The 4 sessions are:
- Dealing with disobedience
- Managing fighting and aggression
- Developing good bedtime routines
- Hassle free shopping
Triple P Group
Who is the Triple P group for
This is an 8-week programme to support you with your child’s development and potential, whilst also helping to prevent behaviour problems.
You will have 5 weeks of group work, then 3 weeks of telephone support while you practice the techniques and strategies you have learned in the sessions.
Aims of the Triple P group
It is important for you to be able to commit to attending all 8 sessions. In these sessions you will learn about:
- Positive parenting
- Helping development
- Managing behaviour
- Planning ahead
- Maintaining changes
- Planning for the future
Reducing parental conflict
Who is the Reducing parental conflict service for
Reducing parental conflict intervention can be offered to families who are living in a constant state of conflict which is having a negative impact on their children.
For example, this could be parents who have very different parenting styles, which causes frequent arguments, or parents who are living in separate households and cannot find compromise to parent their children consistently whilst living apart.
This is not suitable where domestic abuse is present.
Aims of the Reducing parental conflict service
Interventions could help parents where their behaviours are impacting negatively on the child.
The interventions will be very parent focused and will give clear examples of impact that conflict has on children including trauma, anxiety, poor sleep, dis-engagement from education, poor wellbeing and the child going on to have relationships based on conflict.
Parents are also provided with tools to help resolve different opinions in a healthy discussion and to come up with a suitable compromise.
Short-term family wellbeing worker
Who is the family wellbeing worker support for
This is for families and children who may have attended or received other groups or services, within the Family Help Service, but still need some extra help in the form of a one-to-one worker.
Aims of the family wellbeing worker support
A family wellbeing worker will work with your family for up to 12 weeks to support you with changes in the home and family with things that are causing you difficulties.
They will help your family learn specific strategies to make living together in a happy and positive way easier and more rewarding. There are many ways in which families struggle and this 1 to 1 support to help the family work together aims to provide routine and structure into the home.
The family will also be put into contact with any other services who may be able to help with specific difficulties. The family wellbeing worker will help identify where the difficulties are and to recognise how small changes are making a positive difference for the family.
Intensive family support
Who is Intensive family support for
This is for families and children who may have attended or received other groups or services, within the Family Help Service, or they have complex needs and still need some extra help in the form of a one-to-one worker.
Aims of the Intensive family support service
An intensive key worker will work with your family, several times per week, for up to 12 months, to help you identify and manage specific difficulties that you’re experiencing as a family.
This may involve visiting outside of regular office hours to put routines in place or manage difficult times of the day.
They will work with other services, such as schools and housing providers to make sure everyone is working together and understands where the difficulties are.
The key worker will meet with individual family members to listen to their worries, and as a family group to understand how everyone feels about the difficulties they are experiencing.
They will also meet with other family members or friends who are important in your lives, to help them to understand what help and support you need from them.
You’ll also receive hands on practical support when needed, learning how to complete tasks yourself.
Further information and requesting a service
For further information on our services, contact details and requesting a service, please visit our Help for children and families home page.
Further reading
Parenting Support | Family Hubs
Baby Buddy - A free app for expectant parents
Leicester Maternity Services - Preparation for parenthood
A guide to parents and carers of children birth – 5 years
ICON: Babies Cry, You Can Cope - advice and support
Smoking and pregnancy
If you’re pregnant and want to stop smoking, Quit Ready's specialist pregnancy advisors can help.