Family Support

Family Support Worker:

Hello, my name is Gabbi Westhead, and I am the Family Support Worker here at St Andrews Infant School.  

I am available for all kinds of advice and support, for your children, yourselves and your wider family. Whether you just need a cuppa and a chat to offload, you’re in need of some advice, or you’re looking for some additional support, please feel free to reach out to me.  

Phone: 07564 928889 

Email: [email protected]  

I also have signposting for local and national organisations and support for the following areas: 

• Domestic Abuse 
• Child Sexual Abuse 
• Online Safety
• Child Sexual Exploitation and Child Criminal Exploitation
• Bereavement Support for adults and children 
• Child Mental Health and Wellbeing  
• Adult Mental Health and Wellbeing  
• Non-recent Abuse 
• Support for parents of children with additional needs (including support in Education) 
• Bullying (online and in person) 
• Female Genital Mutilation and Honour-Based Abuse
• Signposting for Legal Advice and Support 
• Family life  
• Family court 
• Housing 
• Alcohol and Substance Misuse 

This list is not exhaustive of the areas of support we can offer advice and support with, so whatever you need, please don’t hesitate to reach out!  

Useful Services/Contacts/Links:

Parent Information

Young Minds - can offer advice about the emotional welfare or the behaviour of a young person up to the age of 25 years, for young people, parents and those who work with young people, for mental health and wellbeing. Young Minds offer a Parent Helpline, for parents who are worried about their child’s mental health and wellbeing. You can contact the helpline on 0808 802 5544 or visit their website for more information.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) - provide appropriate access to specialist provision for children and young people with a broad range of emotional health, psychological distress and mental health disorders. More information can be found on their website. 

Healthy Young Minds - has lots of advice, guidance and support related to children and young people's mental health and emotional wellbeing. They have sections for parents with top tips, guides and information to support your children. They also have a section for children and young people. 

Gingerbread - a charity that provides advice and support for single parent families so that they have the tools to support their children and themselves, so that no parent feels alone. You can call their helpline on 0808 802 0925.

Stay Wise - brings together the educational resources of the emergency services and key safety-focused organisations. 

Child Bereavement UK - offering help to children, young people, parents and families to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies. You can call their Helpline on 0800 028 840. 

Little Parachutes - creates picture books that help young children cope with their emotions and deal positively with new experiences, situations and issues. 

ChildLine - has a section for under 12s, that offers advice on emotional regulation and has some ideas for activities you can do with children to help them cope with and manage their emotions. 

Talk Pants - with the help of the friendly dinosaur, Pantosaurus, Talk Pants is a simple conversation to help keep your child safe from sexual abuse. 

Family Support 

Children and Family Wellbeing Service, South Ribble, have a range of classes and courses that you and your children can access. The timetable for the September - December 2024 'What's On Guide' is attached below, and more information can be found on their website. 

South Ribble Council have a range of local information for a wife variety of support issues (safeguarding, domestic abse, rental/landlord issues, financial support etc.). More information can be found on their website. 

Family Lives are an organisation that offer support, advice and information on any issue around parenting, e.g., behaviour, bullying etc. for anyone in parenting/care giving roles in the UK. They also offer parenting courses and direct services in areas of England. You can contact them on 0808 800 2222 or visit their website for more information. are an organisation that offer support, advice and information on any issue around parenting, e.g., behaviour, bullying etc. for anyone in parenting/care giving roles in the UK. 

Safe Parenting Guide - being a parent is one of the most difficult tasks there is - it can be both challenging and rewarding. There is no such thing as a perfect parent and most parents need help from time to time in developing their parenting skills. The handbook below is designed to be a practical and useful tool for parents and professionals; we hope it will offer help and advice to support you as a parent.

Domestic Abuse

Domestic Abuse is any type of controlling, bullying, threatening or violent behaviour between people in a relationship, or within a family. Witnessing domestic abuse can have long lasting effects on children's emotional wellbeing and development. 

If you are an adult experiencing domestic abuse, you can get support and help. 

Women's Aid offers advice, information and shelter to women who are victims of domestic violence. They have a directory of local services in the UK on their website, and you can chat to them via live chat or email. More information can be found on their website. They also offer information regarding covering your tracks online, if this is something that you wish to do. Women’s aid also have a webpage dedicated to Children and Young People where you can find more information on helping children through domestic abuse. 

The Mankind Initiative offers support, information and advice to men who are victims of domestic abuse. They will also offer advice to friends, family of victims and other organisations. You can contact them on 01823 334244 or visit their website for more information. 

If you, or a child or ever at immediate risk of harm, please contact the Police on 999. For non-emergencies you can call them on 101 and request a safe and welfare check. 

Parental Mental Health

We all have mental health, and some of us struggle with it more than others. Below are a few websites and resources for you to access to further improve and support your own mental health. To be able to look after others, you must first look after yourself.

Samaritans offer emotional support and advice for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including for those who are suicidal. You can contact them via phone on 116 123 or you can send them an email to [email protected]. More information and resources can be found on their website.

Shout is a free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging service for anyone who is struggling to cope. You can contact them on 85258. They offer support and assistance for people who are anxious, stressed, depressed, suicidal, or overwhelmed. This service can be used by adults and children.

CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) is a helpline for young males aged 16 to 35 years who suffer from depression and low self-esteem. It offers counselling, advice and information. You can call them on 0800 58 58 58 between 5pm and midnight, 365 days a year. You can also visit their website for more information. 

Mind offers information on types of mental distress, treatments and advocacy. They also offer legal advice on mental health, the law, human rights and discrimination. You can contact their advice line on 0300 123 3393 or visit their website for more information.

Hub of Hope is a national database provided by National Charity, Chasing the Stigma. It brings together national, local, peer, community, charity, private and NHS mental health support and services together in one place.

Andy's Man Club is a men’s suicide prevention charity, offering free to attend peer to peer support groups across the UK and online. They aim to end the stigma around men’s mental health and help men through the power of conversation. You can find your nearest club on their website, and you can email them with any queries at [email protected].