Wellbeing support for Parents and Carers

We know how important it is for parents and carers to recieve support and advice on supporting their child with emotional wellbeing difficulties. We also know that many parents and carers themeslves may need additional support for their own welbeing.

Below is a list of resources and support groups for parents and carers to access.

Active Lifestyles - GP Referral Scheme

Are you worried about your health? Struggling to get active and don’t know where to start? If you live in Central Bedfordshire, speak to your GP or health professional about an active lifestyles referral.

More information can be found on the Active Lifestyles page.

Angels Support Group - FREE Support for families

Angels are an experience-led charity that aims to make the world a better place for autistic children and children with ADHD.   We provide individualised, professional expertise and advice for the families of autistic children and children with ADHD aged 0-25 (and those awaiting diagnosis). Come along to our meetings to chat with other parents, share ideas and experiences and gain information, advice and strategies.

We provide:

  • Parent support group meetings and workshops in Stevenage, Letchworth and Online.
  • Online evening support group meetings.
  • One-to-one service to support you in a personalised way with any issue around your child/young person’s conditions, including support with meetings and forms.
  • A private moderated Facebook group just for members.

Our services are free of charge but we require parents/carers to become members by completing the following online form

Who to contact

Caroline Upcraft, Specialist Support Practitioner

Telephone 01462 685150 

E-mail info@angelssupportgroup.org.uk 

Website Angels Support Group Website

Bedford and District Cerebral Palsy Society Therapeutic Sessions

Bedford and District Cerebral Palsy Society (BDCPS) run a programme of therapeutic sessions for parent carers with an aim of reducing isolation, improving their health and well-being and increasing their resilience. Sessions will include a combination of reiki, yoga, music therapy, mindfulness and meditation and will aim to give parent carers a small window of complete relaxation to help recharge their batteries and enable them to continue their often challenging caring role. A family support worker will be on hand to facilitate the session and provide refreshments and support for parent carers.

More information can be found on the BDCPS website.

Bedfordshire Recovery College

Bedfordshire and Luton Recovery College is part of the Bedfordshire Mental Health Academy which is a formal partnership with East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) and the University of Bedfordshire.  

All of the online courses are FREE of CHARGE

Download the latest prospectus

Bedfordshire Wellbeing Service

The Bedfordshire Wellbeing Service is for residents of Bedfordshire (excluding Luton who have a separate service) who experience depression, anxiety, sadness, extreme shyness, obsessive behaviour, phobias, relationship difficulties including depression and common mental health symptoms or other psychological issues which are holding them back in their lives. It provides one-to-one sessions and/or group workshops.

The service offers help with depression, anxiety, sadness, extreme shyness, obsessive behaviour, phobias, relationship difficulties including depression and common mental health symptoms or other psychological issues. 

Following an interview with you either in person on over the phone, you will be offered a range of options that can help you to understand why you are feeling as you do, the reasons behind this and tools and strategies to help you handle things and get more out of your life. Options and approaches include workshops, group therapy, one to one therapy, homework and suggested reading.

You can self refer yourself via email:  Elt-tr.bedfordIAPT@nhs.net or you can use this secure online form

Carers in Bedfordshire Wellbeing sessions

Carers in Bedfordshire hold weekly and monthly Wellbeing sessions, for you to ask any questions to our Wellbeing Practitioner as well as Wellbeing Groups for Anxiety and Low Mood. You can register for these on our What’s On page. 

We also offer free one-to-one support for carers aged 11 and upwards. These can be one-off sessions or a series of frequent appointments: fortnightly or monthly, depending on your needs and what suits you.

You may also benefit from our counselling service which offers person centred counselling to carers aged 11 and over.

If you would like an initial chat, you can contact Carers in Bedfordshire on 0300 111 1919 or email us at wellbeing@carersinbeds.org.uk

More information on Carers in Bedfordshire website.

CAMHS Talk - Let’s discuss Men’s Mental Health

The issue of men’s mental health has been the focus of a lot of debate and a common theme is how difficult it is for men to open up and talk about how they feel. In this three-part episode, CAMHS have brought together a group of men, both service users and professionals who share and debate the issues that affect men today. This is a good opportunity to listen in on a heartfelt discussion about stigma, society expectations and the ways in which men are ‘supposed to be’. In this discussion, we talk about our own experiences of mental health issues, how we manage them and what needs to be different.

Episode 5 (Part 1) – Let’s discuss Men’s Mental Health

Episode 5 (Part 2) – Let’s discuss Men’s Mental Health

Episode 5 (Part 3) – Let’s discuss Men’s Mental Health

 

CAMHS Wellbeing Programme

This is a programme of webinars for parents and carers in Bedfordshire to get advice and strategies to support their children and young people with their emotional health and wellbeing.

The sessions are run throughout the year and are promoted on social media and on the Local Offer. 

The best way of finding out more is to follow the team on Twitter @CAMHSWELLBEING1

Connect - Parent and Carer Support Group

A support group in Stotfold open to parents, carers and family members of children who have additional needs

The group has been set up by two mums to offer encouragement and support, and information about organisations to help you & your child

There is no agenda - just time and space to rest, recharge, chat, share stories and refreshments!

9.00 - 10.30 am, 1st Tuesday of each month during term time

King's Baptist Church, The Green, Stotfold, Hitchin, SG5 4AN

Contact Listening Ear

Contact Listening Ear1-1 telephone appointments for parent carers looking for emotional support.

FUN Parent & Carer Wellbeing Group

Want to find something to so while the children are at school, or maybe you are looking to take part in some fun activities or learn a new hobby????

Sessions run on Wednesdays (term time only) from 10am to 2pm, for parent/carer member’s of FUN. Please feel free to attend – no need to pre-book, just drop-in!

Parents are welcome to bring their pre-school children with them. A small amount of toys/resources will be provided if required. Parents will be responsible for their children at all times.

Website:  familiesunitednetwork.org.uk

Home-Start Parent Mentoring Support Service

Volunteer Parent Mentors who have themselves got experience with children with SEND offer one to one support for a period of time (usually six weeks) to other parents with children with additional needs.

What kind of support can they offer?

This will be tailored according to the family’s needs but could include:

  • Emotional support – someone to talk to who “gets it”
  • Help and guidance with navigating the pathways to access Neurodevelopmental services such as CAMHS, paediatricians and speech and language services
  • Signposting to and accompanying for initial sessions to support groups and other services
  • Signposting and help with finding other support services such as SENDIASS and specialist organisations.

Contact: 01582 660061 or email office@home-startcentralbeds.org.uk

Navigate (Scope)

Navigate is a national mentoring service, that provides online emotional support for parents and carers of disabled children who are finding out about their child’s additional needs.

Navigate is open to any parent or carer who:

  • lives in England or Wales 
  • has parental responsibility for a child under 18
  • this child is on a pathway to diagnosis or has received one in the last year

Telephone: 0808 801 0510

Website: Scope Navigate

NHS Every Mind Matters

NHS Every Mind Matters website has loads of useful advice and there are helplines if you need someone to talk to

The Challenging Behaviour Foundation - Family Support Service

The Family Support Service can provide information and support about the needs of your family member with a severe learning disability.  

Opening Times:  Monday - Thursday 9.00 - 5.00 pm.  Friday 9.00 - 3.00 pm.

Contact: 0300 666 0126 or email support@thecbf.org.uk

Website: The Challenging Behaviour Foundation - Family Support Service

The Lighthouse - Mental Health Drop-in service

The Lighthouse is a co-produced mental health drop-in service staffed by fully qualified NHS mental health professionals and trained volunteers in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire.

No referral is needed to the service and you don’t have to have a mental health diagnosis, all members of the community can attend whether you live in Leighton Buzzard or somewhere else.

Opening hours: Monday & Tuesday: 5.30-9pm. Wednesday & Friday: 10am-3pm

Address:  Whichellos Wharf The Elms, Stoke Road, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 2TD

Email address: elft.thelighthouse@nhs.net

Facebook page: The Lighthouse ELFT 

Young Minds Parent Helpline
  • Young Minds Parents Helpline is available in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
  • You’ll get through to a trained adviser who will listen and talk through your concerns in complete confidence.
  • Your adviser will help you to understand your child’s behaviour and give you practical advice on what to do next.
  • If you need further help, they’ll arrange for one of our qualified mental health professionals to call you for a 50-minute telephone consultation within seven days.
  • Please note, calls may be recorded for monitoring or training purposes.
  • Hard of hearing or speech-impaired? Please use Typetalk or Textdirect to contact us, or use our Parents Webchat.
  • If English is not your first language, we can arrange for an interpreter as a member of LanguageLine.

For more information visit the Young Minds website.

Your Wellbeing Bedfordshire

Your Wellbeing Bedfordshire provides information, advice and support to help you solve your own problems and build a good life as a member of the community.