Local Support Services

If you are struggling with a mental health problems like depression or anxiety, it is important that you ask for help from friends, family or your midwife, health visitor, GP or make a referral to our service. You may also find one of the services below a good source of support.

If you feel that you are in a crisis situation and unable to attend to your family’s needs or unable to keep your family safe from harm, it is important to seek urgent support. Services can work with you to consider what support you need to help you and your family move forward positively. Please call 999 for A&E, or contact The Samaritans for free on 116 123 (open 24 hours per day, 365 days a year).

BAME Community

Breastfeeding

  • Start4Life - For pregnancy/early parenthood support including breastfeeding, a dedicated website, the Breastfeeding Friend support service (available on Facebook Messenger, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant), Start4Life social media channels, also an information service for parents, a free week-by-week email programme of information and support throughout pregnancy, birth and the first 5 years of a child’s life. Content is tailored to each subscriber’s due date or the age of their child and covers core health behaviours including breastfeeding: https://www.nhs.uk/start4life
  • Fed is Best - Breastfeeding and Bottle-feeding Safely | Fed is Best

COVID-19

Crying and Sleep Support

Dads

Post-natal Depression

  • PANDAS Foundation – www.pandasfoundation.org.uk - gives support to people coping with Pre and Postnatal Mental Illnesses, as well as their families, friends and carers

Fertility

General Support

  • HOME START - Help families with children of ALL ages cope with the challenges they face, by helping to build their confidence and offering them practical support. Support is offered by volunteers who are or have been parents themselves http://www.hsts.org.uk/
  • Calm Connections - PARENTS — Calm Connections. Calm Connections supports parents and carers to look after themselves, create more calm and have a better understanding of how to manage their children’s wellbeing or mental health challenges.
  • Institute of Health Visiting - https://ihv.org.uk/families/top-tips/ - helpful factsheets to find expert advice on key areas of looking after your new baby from when they are born to when they go to school. Written by experts in the field, they cover topics such as feeding, health, behaviour and development, and are based on up-to-date research and the experience and knowledge of real-life health visitors working across the UK.
  • Netmums - A website offering support and information on all aspects of parenting, to pregnancy and beyond. There is a specific section of the website offering support with details of where to find local and national support in person and online, including local resources and support groups. www.netmums.com
  • Family lives- online support, information and access to phone support around all aspects to do with family life www.familylives.org.uk   phone -0808 8000 2222
  • Zero to Three – www.zerotothree.org, videos and handouts for parents covering a huge range of topics
  • Family Action, Building stronger families (family-action.org.uk) -  Practical, emotional and financial support for those experiencing poverty, disadvantage and social isolation across England (includes self-care resources and peer support services)
  • MIND - explains postnatal depression and other perinatal mental health problems, including possible causes, treatments and support options. Also has information for friends and family, including support and advice for partners: www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/postnatal-depression-and-perinatal-mental-health/about-maternal-mental-health-problems/
  • Children’s centres - Children’s Centres help to improve outcomes for young children and their families by focusing on things like Child development and school readiness, Parenting skills, Child and family health. Children's Centres (trafford.gov.uk) centres in Partington and Stretford

LGBTQ+

Loss

Finding Rainbows – non-profit organisation that offers support to anyone who has suffered the loss of a baby, child or through early pregnancy loss.  www.findingrainbows.co.uk

Pregnancy

  • Tommys - For support before and during pregnancy https://www.tommys.org/
  • Best Beginnings - Free emotional support to new and expectant mothers, fathers, and other non-birth parents including the Baby Buddy app, 24/7 access to the confidential Crisis Messenger text line, films and written information to support you through pregnancy and your baby's first months – also you can join a small group of other antenatal and postnatal parents/separate groups for mums, dads, or other non-birth parents/meet weekly for three or more weeks and together will be supported by two experienced facilitators. One-to-one support with an experienced practitioner: Best Beginnings
  • Start For Life: For pregnancy/early parenthood support - a dedicated website, the Breastfeeding Friend support service (available on Facebook Messenger, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant), Start4Life social media channels, also an information service for parents, a free week-by-week email programme of information and support throughout pregnancy, birth and the first 5 years of a child’s life. Content is tailored to each subscriber’s due date or the age of their child and covers core health behaviours including breastfeeding: https://www.nhs.uk/start4life
  • My Birth My Choice - Your Pregnancy Is A Journey – information on maternity units in Manchester with virtual tours. Also includes antenatal education info and courses.

Single Parent Families

https://www.gingerbread.org.uk/

Twins / Multiple Births

Young Parents

  • Teenage pregnancy support - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
  • Butterflies Young Parents Group, Sale | Trafford Directory - the groups are specially for parents under the age of 20. You can meet new friends, get advice, information and support while having fun. We offer lots of activities and a safe place for your little ones to play. The group is run by experienced, qualified and approachable youth workers, who offer support, advice and a friendly face. Telephone 0161 912 2453. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/butterflies.talkshop. Based at Sale Talk Shop. Wednesday, 10.30am to 2pm, lunch provided and activities.
  • Young Bumps (for young mums) Healthwatch Trafford - Young Bumps is a friendly group for pregnant young mums under the age of 20. You can meet new friends, celebrate your pregnancy, get advice, information and support whilst having fun. Together our aim is to deliver a good level of ante-natal care and to provide pregnant teenagers across Trafford with knowledge and information to help them with their pregnancy, labour and the first few weeks of being a mum. All activities/trips and lunch are free of charge. The group meets every Friday from 11-2pm (transport provided). 0161 912 2453. www.trafforddirectory.co.uk/kb5/trafford/fsd/service.page?id=3sh0WZt8HYQ

Apps

  • Orcha Apps – database of lots of perinatal apps - Resources - ORCHA (orchahealth.com)
  • NHS Apps database: htpps://www.nhs.uk/apps-library/category/mental-health/ ·
  • Baby buddy: https://www.nhs.uk/apps-library/baby-buddy/ - For parents during pregnancy and the first 6 months following your baby’s birth. Includes: getting answers with expert information, video clips on different pregnancy and baby topics, a map of useful locak health services including baby support groups and baby clinics, a diary, check up dates/reminders, list of questions to ask at appointments with GP/midwife, emotional support by text (text BABYBUDDY to 85258)
  • Peanut: https://www.nhs.uk/apps-library/peanut/ - For women over 17 who want to join a community of mothers. Access a social network to connect with other women across fertility and motherhood. Meet, chat and learn from like-minded women. Arrange to meet, have a chat/group conversations, join groups with specific interests, ask questions and share advice
  • Mush: https://letsmush.com/the-app/ - Find friends who live nearby with kids the same age, arrange meetups, join chat groups. Every week, experts on everything from sex to weaning pop by to answer your burning questions.
  • Nourish App: www.thenourishapp.com – for postnatal mothers – and includes audio, video and text. Inclusion of: soothing breathing rhythm, safe place imagery and gratitude for kindness from your partner, as well as four videos on things like handling thoughts hooking mothers (failure, not good enough) and understanding shame and guilt. Only brief content as they are trying to keep it light enough to work for sleep deprived people. The app is not a pure meditation app - it has yoga, breathing, pelvic floor exercises etc. First month is free and then it is £2.99 per month or £18 per year (just to cover the developing costs).
  • Family Assist: For information on pregnancy/birth/to chat with healthcare professionals https://www.nhs.uk/apps-library/family-assist/
  • GDm-Health: Monitor blood glucose levels during pregnancy (have/or at risk of diabetes) https://www.nhs.uk/apps-library/gdm-health/
  • IFDC: Keep track of what’s happening to your baby if they’re in intensive care https://www.nhs.uk/apps-library/integrated-family-delivered-neonatal-care-ifdc/
  • vCreate: Receive secure video updates from staff if your child is in hospital and you can’t be by their side https://www.nhs.uk/apps-library/vcreate/
  • Kicks Count: Keep track of baby’s movements in the womb and monitor any changes https://www.nhs.uk/apps-library/kicks-count/
  • Squeezy: Reminders for pelvic floor exercises and guidance on how to do them – cost is £2.99 https://www.nhs.uk/apps-library/squeezy/
As a patient

As a service user, relative or carer using our services, sometimes you may need to turn to someone for help, advice, and support. 

Find resources for carers and service users  Contact the Trust