Having a premature or sick baby in hospital can be incredibly distressing for families.
Bliss offers emotional and practical support to empower families and equip them with the knowledge and skills they need to provide the best possible care to their baby, for however long they live and for however long their stay in neonatal care.
Bliss provides information about caring for premature and full term sick babies at every stage of their hospital journey, and after they have gone home.
Through our network of dedicated volunteers we provide face-to-face, phone and email support, meaning families have access to practical advice and a listening ear when they need it the most.
Helpline:Â 0808 801 0322
Website:Â www.bliss.org.uk
Email:Â hello@bliss.org.uk
Children’s Centres enable families to access support from midwives, health visitors, early years practitioners and family support as well as providing opportunities for training and help into employment.
Children’s Centres focus on the following areas:
Services provided by Children’s Centres include:
Additional services and activities will be available in some areas but will be based on the needs of the community.
Also don’t forget that if you are a new mum and on benefits you can get free vitamins, fruit and vegetables and milk through the healthy start scheme – ask your health visitor if you qualify.
Our friendly staff are always pleased to meet you, so if you have a child under five come along and visit your local centre.
Some activities will be free whilst some may have a nominal charge. Contact your local centre to find out more:
Abacus Sure Start Children’s Centre – 120 Garners Lane, Adswood, Stockport, SK3 8QW
Tel: 0161 474 5043
Email: admin.abacuscc@stockport.gov.uk
Belmont & Lancashire Hill Sure Start Children’s Centre – All Saints CE Primary School, Churchill Street, Heaton Norris, SK4 1ND
Tel: 0161 218 1198
Email: admin.blhcc@stockport.gov.uk
Brinnington Sure Start Children’s Centre – Westmorland Drive, Brinnington, Stockport, SK5 8HH
Tel: 0161 406 9558
Email: admin.brinningtoncc@stockport.gov.uk
Edgeley & Cheadle Heath Children’s Centre – Lark Hill Nursery and Primary School, Northgate Road, Edgeley, SK3 9PH
Tel: 0161 968 1969
Email: admin.echcc@stockport.gov.uk
Stockport Central Children’s Centre – Vernon Park Primary School, Peak Street, Stockport, SK1 2NF
Tel: 0161 480 2505
Email: admin.sccc@stockport.gov.uk
A maternal wellbeing group, aimed at supporting mums and mums-to-be, primarily in the first two years, but any mother looking for support is welcome. Hot drinks and snacks available. Term-time only and booking is essential.
Mondays, 10 – 11.30am
Wednesdays, 1 – 3pm
Thursdays, 9.30 – 11am
Address: Offerton Community Centre/Pausa Cafe Dunelm Stockport/Heaton Norris Community Centre
Tel: 07867 526560
A national charity which supports, advises and campaigns with single parents to help them meet their family’s needs and achieve their goals.
Helpline: 0808 802 0925 (check website for up-to-date opening hours)
Website: www.gingerbread.org.uk
The health visiting service aims to promote good health and wellbeing by working with children under five years old and their families.
For a list of health visitor clinics in Stockport and contact numbers, click here.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in Heaton Moor supporting people experiencing depression and anxiety. Covering the Heatons, Cheadle and Didsbury.
Tel: Polly on 07754 959 815
Everybody needs a little help sometimes, and there are any number of things which might make parenting even more challenging, for example:
This is not an exhaustive list – whatever challenges you are facing, Home-Start can provide free, confidential support for as long as you need.
There is no ‘typical’ Home-Start family – if you are in Tameside, Oldham or Stockport and have a child under 5 years old, you are eligible to receive Home-Start support. Our families reflect the diverse communities we serve.
If you are referred or refer yourself for Home-Start support, you’ll be allocated a co-ordinator who will visit you for a chat to find our how best we can support you. We will then match you with one of our volunteers, who will visit you for a couple of hours a week and give you both emotional and practical help.
All our volunteers are parents themselves – it’s really important to us that you are supported by someone who understands what it’s like to be a parent. Our volunteers all hold an enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service certificate (formerly CRB check) and undergo full training before being matched with you.
The main referrers to Home-Start HOST are health visitors and professionals in the social care and child care sectors. Others include GP’s and those working in the fields of mental health, education and early years. We also accept self referrals from families directly.
To request Home-Start support, just give us a call on 0161 344 0669Â
The Pines, 67 Chester Road, Hazel Grove, Stockport, SK7 5PE
The Children and Family Centre provides inclusive play opportunities in a safe and welcoming environment for children with learning disabilities and additional needs. Through its wide range of groups, play sessions and SEN training courses, children can learn and play while parents can access a wide range of information and support. We tailor both the support and the groups to the children’s individual needs and ensure that numbers of those attending the groups are kept low to ensure each child gets the attention they deserve. The groups are all family based, with parents and carers joining their children for sessions.
Along with the indoor space which features plenty of toys, games and crafts as well as lots of sensory equipment, The Centre also has a large garden. The outdoor space is fully secure, and there are lots of outdoor toys, games, and play equipment available.
The Children and Family Centre is unique to the Stockport area with its strong ethos of reverse inclusion. This means that we welcome all children, including siblings and friends to The Centre when it is appropriate, but those with additional needs and disabilities take priority.
Groups and activities include:
After School Club – Tuesdays 3.30 – 5.30pm ages 8-13. Inclusive play for children with additional needs and their families. £3 per child & siblings £1.
Boredom Busters – 2nd & 4th Saturday of the month, 10am – 2pm. Drop-in style free play for all abilities, £3 per child
Dance & Drama – From 19th April 2017. Wednedays 4-5pm for children aged 4-7 and 5:30-6:30pm for children aged 8-13. Exploring different kinds of movement and expression. £5 per child. Tea and coffee will be provided for parents. Places need to be booked in advance via Sam – 0161 482 7933 / sjarvis@independentoptions.org.uk
Parents Coffee Morning – Last Monday of the month, 9.30am – 12pm. A chance to relax and meet other parents of children with additional support needs, and to build a support network. £1 per session.
Sensory Stories – Thursdays 9.30 – 11.30am. Making story time interactive and fun for everyone! £3 per child.
Siblings Club – Thursdays 4 – 5.30pm. A fun support group specifically for the siblings of children with a disability.
Sing & Sign – Wednesdays 9.30 – 11.30am. A fun signing group for children with communication needs! £3 per child.
Soft Play – Thursdays 4-5.30pm (from 6th April 2017) at Wild Things Soft Play Centre, Headlands Road, Bramhall, SK7 3AN. Soft play sessions exclusively for children with additional needs. £4 per child, maximum age is 10. No booking necessary, just turn up on the day.
For more information or to book one of the groups or activities, contact Julia or Sam:
Tel: 0161 482 7933
Provides mother to mother support for all breastfeeding mums at every stage of their breastfeeding journey via our helpline, through social media, online helpforms and face to face at local meetings.
Helpline: 0345 120 2918
Website: https://www.laleche.org.uk/
Little steps is a friendly, local support group run by Stockport NCT that support any parent who has had a baby or child who needed NICU or on ward treatment after birth whether premature or full term.
The run a friendly online support group, regular meet ups and offer a tiny baby clothes library.
Tel: 0300 330 0700
Email: Branch.StockportAndDistrict@nct.org.uk
Click here for the Facebook page.
Click here for the website.
Independent, confidential, mother-centred, non-judgmental breastfeeding support and information.
Open 9.30am – 9.30pm every single day of the year
Live online support also available via the web chat service
Helpline: 0300 100 0212
Website:Â www.nationalbreastfeedinghelpline.org.uk
PIPS is an independent local parent carer forum in Stockport run by parents for parents, carers, grandparents and family members who have a child/young person between the ages of 0 & 25 years with a special educational need and disability or/and additional need.
Pure Innovations provides great quality community based project opportunities for individuals aged 16+ with disabilities . These projects range from Ceramics, Radio, Art and Animation to name a few and are located in various locations across Stockport. for more information about what we offer contact Kerry Bullen 07710 385 887.
Sands supports anyone who has been affected by the death of a baby before, during or shortly after birth. Bereavement support is at the core of everything we do. Some of the services that we offer include a Helpline for parents, families, carers and health professionals; a UK-wide network of support groups with trained befrienders; an online forum and message boards enabling bereaved families to connect with others; and a wide range of leaflets, books and other resources available online and in print.
Contact details for Manchester Sands:
Snowdrops is a group is run by mums to provide support to mums experiencing pre or postnatal mental health issues. No booking required.
Wednesdays, 12.45.-2.15pm.
Address: The Guywood Centre, Guywood Ln, SK6 4AN
Tel: 07745 862557
SPACE Stockport is a support group for parents and carers of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and associated conditions. They are a registered children’s charity and there is no charge to attend their meetings or any of our guest presentations.
Tel: 07580 720 730 (Please note that this phone line is primarily intended for use by parents and therefore we would prefer that this number was not used by organisations wishing to approach us with sales opportunities.)
Email: info@spacestockport.org
Twitter: @SPACEstockport
Website: www.spacestockport.org
4th Saturday of the month 10.30-11.30
Stockport Allergy & Asthma playgroup at Bramhall Library
DROP IN
Find out more information by searching Facebook @stockportallergymamasÂ
Stockport & District Branch is an active and friendly Branch, run by local volunteers, offering support and information to parents and parents-to-be.
Tel: 0300 330 0700
Email: Branch.StockportAndDistrict@nct.org.uk
Click here for the Facebook page.
Click here for the website.
The Infant Feeding team for Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, include Lactation Consultants, Breastfeeding specialist nurses and midwives, and trained peer supporters.
Tel: 0161 419 4430
Website:Â http://www.stockport.nhs.uk/breastfeeding
Click here for the Facebook page.
Dove House, 65 Union St, Stockport, SK1 3NP
Stockport Mind is a local, independent adult mental health charity, supporting people in the Stockport area. The Charity offers accessible support and information to people in mental distress and works with others to promote well-being in our local community.
Tel:Â 0161 480 7393
Website:Â www.stockportmind.org.uk
Stockport PANDAS at Woodbank Young Peoples Centre. Join us for a coffee & chat in a relaxed and inclusive environment.
Held on the first and third Tuesday of each month.
7 to 8:30 pm
At: Woodbank Young Peoples Centre, Turncroft Lane, Offerton, Stockport, SK1 4BN
Adswood Young People’s Centre, Neston Grove, Adswood, SK38PH
Stockport SEND Families is a support group in Stockport, run by parents to support families who have children/young people with additional needs.
We are a parent run support group, we recognised there was a huge gap and lack of funding to provide families who have children with additional needs quality time together. To do activities where the whole family can access it together to create friendships and support circles in a environment where the families are not judged and stared at. Already we are seeing some lovely friendships developing with families and children.
We also have a closed Facebook support group, where parents can chat and ask for advice. There are currently over 700 parents in this group and it is very active. We also have a open Facebook information sharing page where we share our events, share local authority SEND information etc and a Twitter account that we use to connect with other organisations around Stockport.
We currently run a weekly weekly drop in, monthly coffee evening, monthly minecraft club, regular activities during school holidays, a group for girls who have additional needs, with anxiety and related issues.
We also have talks, training and workshops, These are all in local places, all closed to public and only open to families with additional needs. We have a new sensory room, which we fundraiser to create.
We support families in meetings where needed, complete forms for grants and benefits, signpost to services. We are seeing parents grow in confidence, self esteem and networks created.
We receive no ongoing funding, and try to make activities, groups and drop ins as low cost as possible for families, so we just cover costs.
The group is run by parents for parents, we are all volunteers who have children with disabilities of our own.
Email: stockportsendfamilies@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/StockportSendFamilies/
Twitter: @SendStockport
Stockport Sling Library offers a range of slings and baby carriers for parents to borrow on short- or long-term loans and offers one-to-one consults.
Email: stockport.sling.library@gmail.com
Click here for the Facebook page.
Helpline:Â 0161 477 4271 (Lines are staffed Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm and there is an answer phone outside of these hours.)
Email:Â info@stockportwithoutabuse.org.uk
Website: www.stockportwithoutabuse.org.uk
Tel: 0161 355 4455 (Mon – Fri 9:00am to 5:00pm)
We offer confidential support to anyone affected by the sudden and unexpected death of a baby or young child. This support is here whenever you need it, whether the death was recent or many years ago. It is available for families, friends, carers and professionals.There are different ways we can support you and you can choose from our range of services.
Helpline:Â 0808 802 6868
Website:Â www.lullabytrust.org.uk
Email:Â support@lullabytrust.org.uk
The Miscarriage Association provides support and information to anyone affected by pregnancy loss.
Helpline:Â 01924 200799
Email: info@miscarriageassociation.org.uk
Website:Â http://www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk
