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Family life is different for all of us. What we have to deal with as a family and the challenges we face can sometimes make us feel we are on our own without support.
There are organisations we can reach out to when we need a helping hand through a crisis or if we need someone to talk to, someone to give information, advice and a listening ear.
Whatever you are going through as a family, advice and support is available to help you get through difficult times and enjoy the best of family time together.
Relationships
Citizen's Advice -Legal difference between living together and civil partnership
Marriage and Civil Partnership
GOV.UK - what the law says about marriage and civil partnerships
Births Marriages and Deaths in Sandwell
Register Office in Sandwell
Citizen's Advice - Separation and getting a divorce
GOV.UK - Get a Divorce Step by Step
Family Lives - advice on supporting children through a divorce
Divorce and separation - how to manage your money
A guide to divorce
What the law says - LGBT Rights and Equality
Same Sex relationships and Civil Partnership rights
Local support and refuge for women suffering domestic abuse and sexual violence
Relate -help with family life and parenting
Relate advice if you're having problems in your family life
Caring for children and young people
NHS Services, support and tips if you care for someone under 21, and moving to adult social services.
Family Life
Childline - help for whatever is going on in the family
Tips and tricks to help with difficult behaviour and negative emotions
Relate - advice on parenting stepfamilies
Family Lives - advice on becoming a stepfamily
Help with common issues in stepfamily life
Create a successful blended family
Advice on common problems families face coming together in new relationships
Adding a new baby to an already blended family
Family Lives - coping if a parent goes to prison
National Information Centre on children of offenders
An information service for all professionals who come into contact with the children and families of offenders
A national charity that advises parents, grandparents, relatives and friends about their rights and options
Young Parenting
information, advice and guidance for teenagers and their families
NHS Teenage Pregnancy support
Family Lives -Information and advice for young parents
Little Lullaby offers young parent support by young parents
Gingerbread - Advice for young single parents
Home Start - advice for young mothers
Childline - help and support for young parents
Advice for parents on supporting their teenager with their pregnancy
If you are under 16, there are only a few benefits you can claim in your own right.
Once you are 16, there are more benefits you can claim in your own right.
Dads
NCT information and advice on birth and labour for Dads and Birth Partners
NHS advice on support during labour and birth
Gingerbread advice for single Dads
Support for dads worried about or suffering from Depression, Anxiety and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
The essential guide for new dads, developed with the NHS.
Single parent benefits for Dads
A quick run-down of benefits for single dads and how to make a claim
Family Lives advice for Dads to be
Information and support for partners
GOV.UK information on paternity entitlement and statutory rights
Parental Rights and Responsibilities
guidance on parent's legal rights and responsibilities
Kinship Carers
Information for all kinship carers - grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and family friends who step up to raise children when their parents aren’t able to.
An opportunity to meet other kinship carers and get advice and support
Key legislation, regulation, guidance and research relating to kinship care
Looking after someone else's child
Get support and financial help if someone else’s child is living with you full time.
Information about private fostering and safeguarding children in Sandwell
Young Carers
Being a Young Carer
Young carers are young people aged five to 18 who look after a family member who is ill, disabled, is experiencing mental ill health, or is affected by alcohol and/or substance misuse.
The Children and Families Act 2014 and the Care Act 2014 gave young carers improved rights to an assessment of their needs.
If you or your parents request it, a social worker from your local council must visit to carry out a young carer's assessment.
A young carer's assessment can determine whether it's appropriate for you to care for someone else, and takes into account whether you want to be a carer.
The social worker must also look at your education, training, leisure opportunities and views about your future.
As part of the assessment, the social worker must ask about your wishes and involve you, your parents and anyone else you or your parents want to be involved.
Getting an assessment is the best way to find out what's available in your situation.
Contact Sandwell Council on 0121 569 2200 to talk to a social worker.
Know your Rights as a young carer
Sandwell Young Carers provides guidance and support to children and young people (aged 5-18) whose health, education and social lives have been affected as a result of caring for a dependent family member.
Sandwell Advocacy for Young Carers
Sandwell Advocacy provides independent advocacy throughout Sandwell, promoting rights, voice and empowerment. Advocacy works to protect children and young people from harm and abuse and ensures their rights are safeguarded.
emotional support, drop in centres, trips and activities for young carers.
NHS advice on being a young carer, your rights and who can support you.
A benefit available to young carers 16 and over who are working.
If you care for someone, you can have an assessment to see what might help make your life easier.
LGBT Parenting
Having a baby if you are LGBT+
NHS information and advice on fertility, conception, adoption, co-parenting and surrogacy.
Parental responsibility, adopting, fostering, co-parenting, fertility treatment and surrogacy
Parenting in same sex relationships
Family Lives information and advice on same sex relationships and parenting
Gingerbread advice on issues that may be of particular relevance to LGBTQ+ single parents or where extra information may be helpful, such as parental responsibility and workplace rights.
Grandparents
Information for Grandparents and family where Grandparents become kinship carers.
Help for grandparents looking after grandchildren
Grandparents to be antenatal sessions
Sandwell’s Changes Antenatal offer – a two hour session specifically designed to support grandparents-to-be or other family members.
Age UK top tips for Grandparents and Grandparents to be
Kinship Care - Grandchildren coming to live with you
Tips for Grandparents who become their Grandchildren's main carers
Bereavement and Loss
Grieving and Dealing with Loss
Childline support and advice to help children cope with death and grief
Free, confidential support for families in Sandwell
Get help with bereavement and grief
NHS advice on coping with stages of grief
Supporting your child when someone dies
Advice on helping your child cope with the loss of someone close to them
Supporting children and young people after the death of a parent or sibling