Support if you have a baby
Coping with crying babies
During this challenging time stress levels at home may be increased. Please follow the ICON guidance for coping with crying.
Support with breastfeeding
From a Breastfeeding Friend to websites with advice, you can get lots of support online or call the National Helpline on 0300 100 0212.
COVID-19) and caring for your baby
The latest advice on coronavirus (COVID-19) for if you are pregnant or have a young child.
Support if you have young children
Keeping your child safe online
With children and young people being educated at home there may be more opportunity for more unsupervised internet access. There is a lot of support available to keep your child safe online:
Ideas for enjoyable activities
Try to make time to unwind and do things that give you a little boost. We've got lots of ideas for kids' activities here and ideas for kids' exercises here).
Useful resources
Young Minds - starting conversation
What's the best way to encourage your child to open up? Have a look at some of the conversation starters on the Young Minds website.
Helping children cope with stress during COVID-19
Information leaflet from the World Health Organisation.
Children's Guide to Coronavirus
A guide that aims to answer children’s questions about coronavirus, tell children how to stay safe and protect other people and how to help them make the best of their time at home.
Kooth offer free, safe and anonymous online counselling for young people.
Free, printable online comic available about coronavirus worry.
A Southampton intensive care nurse has created a book to help reduce anxiety in children caused by the Coronavirus outbreak.
Keeping your teenager safe online
With teenagers being educated at home there may be more opportunity for more unsupervised internet access. There is a lot of support available to keep your child safe online:
Useful resources
Kooth offer free, safe and anonymous online counselling for young people.
Podcast - managing screen time
Providing advice about how to manage screen time while working from home and sharing information about some helpful apps that can support you with this.
Free resources to support learning.
Positive Parenting Project
A blog with useful tips on helping children learn from home.
Podcast for parents - supporting education
A useful podcast that explore's what's being good enough in supporting your children’s education at home.
ChatterPack is a voluntary-run, special educational needs and disabilities hub. We work hard to support families, schools, and other professionals. A list of free, online, boredom-busting resources.
Resources for balancing home schooling and working:
The parents’ guide to homelife and study:
Free guide on 'homelife and study' to find out what you can do to make your child’s homelife the supportive infrastructure they need.
National Numeracy - help with maths
Free activities to help families keep up with their maths together during school closures. The pack, contains 28 activities for children aged between 4 and 11.
Daily lessons for homeschooling in maths and English for every year group, as well as regular lessons in science, history, geography and more.