Local Kinship Offer

Below are details of ‘universal support’ or ‘early help’ services that are freely available to all families.Warwickshire's Early Support locality-based teams work with children, young people, and families facing various challenges. These teams include:Family Information Service,

• Youth and Community Centres,
• Early Support Family Support Workers,
• Early Support Officers,
• and the Domestic Abuse team.

Early help locality teams work with families empowering them through providing tools and strategies to support families to find their own solutions, seek wider support, and help children be safer, healthier, and happier.

Family Information Service (FIS)

Kinship Carers can access Warwickshire’s Family Information Service (FIS). This is a free, impartial service provided by Warwickshire County Council to support families with children and young people. FIS provides information, advice and guidance on a variety of services related to childcare, family support and other issues.

FIS Contact details:

• Warwickshire County Council - Children and families
• Facebook - Warwickshire Family Information Service (FIS)
• Email: fis@warwickshire.gov.uk
• Phone: 0800 408 1558 or 01926 742 274

Support groups

Kinship Carers may sometimes feel isolated particularly if they are managing the complex needs of vulnerable children for which they had not planned. The council promotes opportunities for carers to come together, talking with other carers in similar situations provides carers with an informal safe space to talk, share experiences and learn from experiences of others.

Informal support groups provide more than informal practical advice they provide emotional support for carers, offering reassurance from their experiences is often an invaluable source of support for carers.

Support groups and opportunities are located within this offer and our dedicated team of social workers will be able to discuss with you any new or additional support groups which might be available.

Warwickshire Children & Family Centres

Warwickshire’s children & family centres can be accessed by Kinship Carers to offer support with young people aged 0-19 (25 with additional needs).

Services are primarily on offer across children and family centres and outreach venues in Warwickshire. Support is on offer for all children and families, with an extra focus on pregnancy and the early years of a child’s life.

Warwickshire County Council - Children and family centres

Details of services and activities delivered by our Children and Family Centre providers and partners in Bedworth can be found on the St Michaels CFC Linktree page and throughout the rest of the county via the Coventry and Warwickshire Barnardos.

More information can also be found through the social media links:

• Facebook - Nuneaton Children and Family Centres
• Facebook - North Warwickshire Children and Family Centre
• Facebook - St Michael's Children and Family Centre - Bedworth
• Facebook - Rugby Children and Family Centres
• Facebook - Warwick Children and Family Centres
• Facebook - Stratford Children and Family Centres

Centre activity timetables can be found via the Facebook pages above.

Family support workers are also available across Warwickshire to listen, support and offer advice and guidance to families and professionals.

To speak to a family support worker over the phone or book a face-to-face consultation:

• Call: 01926 412412, Monday to Friday between 9am - 4pm.
• Or email: earlysupport@warwickshire.gov.uk

Family and relationship offer (Parenting programmes and workshops)

In Warwickshire, parents to be, parents, carers and grandparents have access to a variety of parenting resources and advice. Support can be accessed online, face-to-face through informal advice, one-to-one consultations, group programmes and workshops.

Book events and workshops

For more information, email: ehparenttrainers@warwickshire.gov.uk

Online courses

The online courses are designed to increase the confidence of parents-to-be, mums, dads, grandparents, and carers. These courses have been developed by NHS experts and parents through an evidence-based model known as the Solihull Approach.

All the courses can be completed flexibly, at your own pace. Each of the course modules takes around 15 to 20 minutes to complete. Each course contains several modules.

All the courses are FREE for Warwickshire residents and carers using the access code BEAR.

There’s also a selection of other online and face-to-face courses for parents, covering a wide range of topics.

Warwickshire County Council - Free online courses to help parents feel more confident.

Other organisations offering support

Kinship.org also offers important signposting towards support groups and workshops that Kinship Carers can attend in and around Warwickshire. This includes peer support groups and events such as ‘meet and walk’:

• Kinship - Support Groups near you
• Kinship - Workshops & events near you