💛 Emotional & Mental Health Support
1. Counselling and Therapy
- Free or low-cost through your GP (NHS in the UK) or local services.
- Look for parent-focused therapists, especially ones with experience in solo parenting, attachment, or trauma.
2. Parent Coaching
- Coaches who focus on gentle/respectful parenting for solo mums/dads — some offer sliding scale prices.
- Community groups or coaching from One Village (we’ve got you!).
💸 Financial & Practical Help
- Money Saving Expert: Grants, benefits calculator, useful information on tax free childcare
- Gingerbread UK: Grants, benefit calculators, helpline
- Tax free childcare: £2,000 per year for working families towards childcare
- Child benefit: allowance paid for your child every 4 weeks
- Free childcare: for working families
- Universal Credit: Support for childcare, housing, and income.
- Turn2Us: Find grants for single parents
- Council Tax Reduction: Contact your local council for Single person discount (25%) and hardship funds
- Free School Meals & Holiday Clubs: Through schools and local authorities
- Local foodbanks: via Trussell Trust
🏘️ Building Your Village
1. Local Support Networks – there are lots of places to meet other parents and to build your village locally
- Family hubs / Sure Start centres are a great place to meet other parents
- Library baby/toddler groups
- Home-Start: Volunteers who support families with young children at home