Parenting Support
Being a parent or carer can be wonderful, exhausting and everything in between. Find practical support without judgement.
Asking for support is part of caring for your family
You do not have to wait until things reach crisis point. Support can be for one practical question, a difficult stage, your own wellbeing or several pressures happening at the same time.
A good place to begin
If you are not sure which service you need, try one of these simple starting points.
Name the hardest part
Is it sleep, feeding, behaviour, money, relationships, loneliness, school or simply feeling unable to keep going as you are?
Choose one person
Tell a health visitor, GP, school, nursery, Family Hub worker or someone you trust what is happening. You do not need to explain it perfectly.
Ask for the next step
Try: “What support is available?”, “Can you help me contact them?” or “What should I do if things get worse?”
Family Hubs & Local Services
Local places and teams that can help families find the right support.
Wakefield Family Hubs
Family Hubs provide support, advice and guidance from pregnancy until a child is 18, or up to 24 where there is a SEND need. Families can walk in, call or email for help.
Find your Family Hub ⟶- Pregnancy and new babies
- Parenting support
- Child development
- Relationships and wellbeing
- Groups and activities
- Help accessing other services
Wakefield Families Together
Find Family Hubs, Youth Hubs, Start for Life services and Team Around support for behaviour, attendance or early development.
Explore local support ⟶Free parenting courses
Wakefield Council offers courses covering behaviour, boundaries, tantrums, bedtime, fussy eating, aggression and resilient parenting.
See parenting courses ⟶Local family groups
Find baby and toddler groups, youth activities, clubs and welcoming places to meet other families in Crofton.
Browse Crofton groups ⟶SEND information
Find Wakefield’s Local Offer, SEN Support and EHCP guidance, inclusive activities and impartial advice.
Visit SEND support ⟶Kinship carers
Wakefield’s Kinship Care Team supports relatives, family friends and other trusted adults caring for a child full-time.
Kinship support ⟶More family services
Browse childcare, parenting information and other resources available to families across Wakefield district.
Search family support ⟶Feeding, Sleep & Behaviour
Reliable information for common challenges that can affect the whole household.
Baby feeding
For breastfeeding support in Wakefield, Families and Babies offers free information and help by telephone.
- Feeding questions
- Positioning and attachment
- Concerns about supply
Fussy eating
Try to keep mealtimes calm and look at patterns over time rather than judging one meal. Seek professional advice if growth, swallowing or nutrition is a concern.
- Speak to your health visitor or GP
- Use Wakefield parenting courses
- Follow individual medical advice
Baby sleep
The NHS explains normal sleep patterns, settling routines and safer sleep. Babies vary, and frequent waking can be normal—especially in the early months.
- Normal sleep development
- Simple bedtime routines
- Where babies should sleep
Children’s sleep
Predictable routines, calm wind-down time and a suitable sleep environment can help. Speak to a health professional if sleep problems persist or affect safety and health.
- Regular wind-down routine
- Age-appropriate expectations
- Consider health and additional needs
Big feelings and behaviour
Behaviour often communicates tiredness, hunger, frustration, fear, overload or an unmet need. Look for patterns and focus on calm, safe and consistent responses.
- Notice triggers
- Keep limits clear and realistic
- Repair after difficult moments
Behaviour or attendance concerns
Wakefield’s Team Around approach can bring the right people together when behaviour, development, attendance or wider family pressures need coordinated support.
- Team Around the School
- Team Around Early Years
- Whole-family support
Wakefield breastfeeding support
Families and Babies: 01924 851901
Wakefield Council lists this telephone support as available 24 hours a day.
Health concerns: contact your health visitor, GP, NHS 111 or the appropriate health professional if you are worried about feeding, growth, breathing, dehydration, pain, extreme tiredness, development or a sudden change in your child.
Emotional Wellbeing
Support for parents, carers, children and young people when feelings become hard to carry alone.
Your wellbeing matters too
Exhaustion, worry, loneliness, anger, grief and low mood can make everyday parenting much harder. You deserve support as a person—not only advice about your child.
- Tell someone honestly how you are coping
- Ask for a GP appointment if low mood or anxiety persists
- Accept practical help with meals, rest or childcare
- Use urgent support if you feel unable to stay safe
FamilyLine
Free emotional support and guidance for any family member dealing with parenting, caring, conflict, relationships, finances or feeling overwhelmed.
Visit FamilyLine ⟶Your GP or NHS 111
Your GP can discuss your mental health and treatment options. If you need urgent mental-health help, use NHS 111 online or call 111 and select the mental-health option.
Urgent NHS guidance ⟶Support for a child
Wakefield Council lists local emotional-wellbeing services, CAMHS ReACH, Compass, Night OWLS, school nurses and confidential support for young people.
Children’s wellbeing help ⟶Talk to FamilyLine
Monday–Friday, 9am–7pm, excluding bank holidays. Calls, texts and emails are confidential.
When Family Life Feels Difficult
Practical and specialist help when several pressures are building or home does not feel safe.
You will not be the only family to need help with conflict, housing, debt, relationships, domestic abuse, school attendance or coping with a child’s needs. Asking earlier can make more options available.
Early and whole-family help
Wakefield Families Together can help connect families with Team Around support and services for relationships, housing, debt, domestic abuse and other pressures.
Ask for family support ⟶Food, money or housing
Use the Crofton Signpost support pages to find practical local help with food, household costs, benefits, debt and housing.
Find practical help ⟶Domestic abuse support
Wakefield Domestic Abuse Support Service supports anyone affected by domestic abuse. Domestic abuse is not limited to physical violence.
Get confidential support ⟶Concerned about a child
If you are worried that a child is being harmed, neglected or is unsafe, contact Wakefield Children’s Social Care. You do not have to provide your personal details.
Report a concern ⟶Worried about your own behaviour?
Recognising that shouting, control, aggression or conflict is harming loved ones can be frightening. Specialist help is available to support change.
Find help to change ⟶Someone to listen
Samaritans is available free, day or night, if you are struggling to cope and need someone to listen.
Call 116 123 ⟶If somebody may be in immediate danger
- Call 999 if you or someone else is in immediate danger.
- For urgent mental-health help, call 111 and select the mental-health option.
- To report a concern about a child in Wakefield, call 0345 8 503 503.
- Wakefield Domestic Abuse Support Service: 0800 915 1561 or 01924 972715.
You are allowed to ask for help
You do not need to know the name of a service or prove that things are “bad enough.” Start by telling one trusted person or service what is happening and what you are worried might happen next.
This page provides general signposting and does not replace individual medical, safeguarding, legal or mental-health advice. Contact details and opening times can change, so check the linked service where possible.