We all need a bit of help from time to time, and sometimes finding the right place to direct our query can be a bit of a minefield, even if you are a gold-star Googler! So, we’ve compiled a list of useful websites. If we’ve missed anything, please drop us a line at editor@motherswhowork.co.uk.

Useful websites

4 Children (www.4children.org.uk) – the national charity dedicated to creating opportunities and building futures for children

Autistic Society (www.autisticsociety.org) – aims to unite parents, families, friends, people with autism and professionals by creating a strong, supportive community worldwide. It shares first hand knowledge, information, news and research about autistic spectrum disorders.

Barnardo’s (www.barnardos.org.uk) – works with the most vulnerable children and young people, helping them transform their lives and fulfil their potential. They are the UK’s largest children’s charity, supporting 100,000 children and their families through more than 300 projects in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

BBCi Parenting (www.bbc.co.uk/parenting) – offers practical solutions to help with the challenges of everyday parenting – great features, expert advice, and tips and support from other mums and dads

Beatbullying (www.bbclic.com) – this site is the first website of its kind to focus on helping young children overcome this increasingly widespread problem of bullying. In merging an interactive games-type environment with exceptional and accessible content [for example much of the content is voiced], young people are reacting to the bbclic with real enthusiasm. The site is open to both victims of bullying as well as bullies and allows those affected to learn from other people’s experiences and draw from them.

Bullying Online (www.bullying.co.uk) – provides help and advice for pupils, parents, teachers and youth leaders on tackling bullying as well as a problem page for children.

Care Commission (www.carecommission.com) – the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care, known as the Care Commission, was set up by an Act of the Scottish Parliament, The Regulation of Care Scotland Act 2001. It is a national body responsible for regulating care services throughout Scotland. The Care Commission has a legal duty to register and inspect a wide range of care services and helps to ensure that people who use care services are safe, protected and that the services meet the requirements of the law and other standards

Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit (http://www.taxcredits.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/) – a link to the Inland Revenue’s site which explains the Tax Credits and has a calculator, which will help you work out how much you could be entitled to, and will allow you to apply online.

Childcare Information Services in Scotland Leaflet (www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/1181/0014848.pdf) – provides information and guidance on a full range of services for children including options and availability. This leaflet provides information about these services.

Children 1st (www.children1st.org.uk) – one of Scotland’s leading childcare charities. Their mission is to give every child in Scotland a safe and secure childhood. Children 1st supports families under stress, protects children from harm and neglect and promotes children’s rights and interests. Information regarding services and projects can be found on this website.

Children in Scotland (http://www.childreninscotland.org.uk) – the national agency for voluntary, statutory and professional organisations and individuals working with children and their families in Scotland.

Contact a family (www.cafamily.org.uk) – the only UK charity providing support and advice to parents whatever the medical condition of their child.

Daycare Trust (www.daycaretrust.org.uk) – a national childcare charity promoting high quality affordable childcare for all.

Disabled Parents Network (www.disabledparentsnetwork.org.uk) – a membership organisation of and for disabled parents. We operate a peer support/contact register that is open to all disabled parents, circulate a newsletter to members and operate a help-line, which is, operated by disabled parent volunteers. For more information please click on the link above.

Early Years Online (www.ltscotland.org.uk/earlyyears) – contains information and resources for all involved or interested in the care and education of children 0-8 years. The site provides quick access to up to date information about current thinking and research, new initiatives and policy decisions in the fast changing world of early years education and care. It also supports continuing professional development for all early years staff.

Employer Links (www.employer-links.org.uk) – a national membership scheme for employers who are committed to the development for work life balance polices for all.

Health Visitors Website (www.healthvisitors.com) – a global Health Visitor based website that health visitors, related healthcare practitioners, parents and families visit for quality professional information on all subjects relating to the postnatal period and parenting infants and children 0-5 years.

info4local (www.info4local.gov.uk) – a government portal that gives local authorities a quick and easy way to find and link to relevant information on the web sites of central government departments, agencies and public bodies.

Look For Childcare (www.lookforchildcare.co.uk) – a FREE directory that connects parents to childcare providers. Plus, for those who need it, you can pay for the site to find childcare for you – from just £30.

Kids Behaviour (www.kidsbehaviour.co.uk) – formed to offer a unique reference point on understanding children and dealing with behavioural problems.

Message Home Helpline (www.missingpersons.org/missing.asp) – a dedicated helpline for missing adults under who wish to pass a confidential message home. It is part of the National Missing Persons Helpline – this helpline offers confidential advice and support, can makes referrals to other organisations and pass messages home. Message Home Helpline – Freefone 0800 700 740 (24hours) or email: help@messagehome.org.

National Childminding Association (NCMA) (www.ncma.org.uk) – the only national membership organisation for registered childminders in England and Wales. Supports childminders and promote their work so that children, families and communities can benefit from the best in childcare and education.

National Day Nurseries Association (www.ndna.org.uk) – the national membership association of day nurseries in the UK.
NDNA is dedicated to the provision, support and promotion of high-quality care and education for the benefit of children, families and communities.

National Missing Persons Helpline (NMPH) (www.missingpersons.org) – a charity (No.1020419) dedicated to helping missing people, their families and those who care for them. NMPH has information sharing agreements with the police. All Local Authorities in England and Scotland fund the ‘Missing from Care’ division, which provides a specialist service to Social Services when any of their ‘looked after’ young people go missing. (020 8392 4545). NMPH – Freephone 0500 700 700, or email: help@missingpersons.org.

National Society for Children and Family Contact (www.nscfc.com/index.htm) – actively promotes the case for mediation to break cycles of animosity, and works to ensure that welfare organisations and the courts serve the best interests of the child.

NCH – The National Children’s Charity (www.nch.org.uk) – one of the UK’s leading children’s charities, helping children achieve their full potential. Through our services we support some of the UK’s most vulnerable and excluded children, and work in partnership to develop services in response to the needs of local children, young people and their families.

NSPCC (www.nspcc.org.uk) – the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) is the UK’s leading charity specialising in child protection and the prevention of cruelty to children. Founded in 1884 as the London SPCC by the Reverend Benjamin Waugh, the NSPCC is the only UK children’s charity with statutory powers that enable it to take action to safeguard children at risk of abuse.

Ofsted (www.ofsted.gov.uk) – a non-ministerial government department established under the Education Schools) Act 1992 to take responsibility for the inspection of all schools in England. Its role also includes the inspection of local education authorities, teacher training institutions and youth work. In 2001, Ofsted became responsible for inspecting all 16-19 education and for the regulation of early years childcare, including childminders.

One Parent Families Scotland (www.opfs.org/uk/contacts/directory.html) – this website provides a directory with a comprehensive listing of organisations dealing with lone parenting issues. Each entry contains the organisations contact details, opening times and a synopsis of their key areas of work.

Parentline Plus (www.parentlineplus.org.uk) – a national charity offering help and information for parents and families.

Parents Centre (www.parentscentre.gov.uk) – information and support for parents on how to help with your child’s learning, including advice on choosing a school and finding childcare.

Pink Parents UK (www.pinkparents.org.uk) – a UK-wide charity of, by and for lesbian, gay and bisexual parents, parents-to-be and their children, offering a quarterly magazine, website, helpline, publications, enquiry service, and workshops.

Play Scotland (www.playscotland.org) – the national organisation for children’s play, working to make the right to play a reality for children in Scotland. Services include the provision of advice and information, conferences and seminars. Play Scotland is active in promoting and carrying out research into play provision including work on school playgrounds. Play Scotland is a membership organisation and is based in Edinburgh.

Pre-school Learning Alliance (www.pre-school.org.uk) – an excellent resource for parents and early years settings. Providing a range of useful information including specialist publications, training courses, quality assurance, advice and support services.

Runaway Helpline (www.runawayhelpline.org.uk) – a dedicated helpline for young people under 18 who are away from home or care. Part of the National Missing Persons Helpline – this helpline offers confidential advice and support and makes referrals to other organisations to enable a young person get to a place of safety. Runaway Helpline – Freefone 0808 800 7070 (24h) or email: help@runawayhelpline.org.uk for more information.

Scottish Council for Independent Schools (SCIS) (www.scis.org.uk) – can help parents choose the right school for their children. SCIS publishes a free directory each year that gives details of independent schools throughout Scotland including information on scholarships and bursaries, fees and contact information.

Scottish Executive – Childcare Partnerships Website (www.scotland.gov.uk/about/ED/EEC/00015135/page281701866.aspx) – there are 32 Childcare Partnerships – one in each local authority in Scotland. Childcare Partnerships aim to expand childcare in their area in line with parental demand. They bring together the interests, knowledge, expertise, ideas and resources of the public, private and voluntary sectors, parents and the community. They identify local need, develop plans and generate proposals for the development of services.

Scottish Out of School Care Network (www.soscn.org) – the national support body for the out of school care sector.

Scottish Pre-School Play Association (www.sppa.org.uk) – a Scottish charity that aims to develop quality care and education in pre-school groups. It provides advice, support and training on issues of good practice in the management of groups and play and educational development of the children.

Sure Start – Children’s Centre Finder (www.surestart.gov.uk/surestartservices/settings/fundedsettings) – visit the site to use its search facility for Sure Start funded programmes, including Children’s Centres. Sure Start funded programmes aim to improve the health and well-being of families and children before and from birth.

Talk to Your Baby (www.literacytrust.org.uk/talktoyourbaby) – a campaign run by the National Literacy Trust to encourage parents and carers to talk more to children from birth to three.

Teachernet (www.teachernet.gov.uk) – interested in new opportunities for schools to broaden their role in the community? Click here for Department of Education and Skills guidance on providing extended services such as childcare, study support, arts and sports, adult education and healthcare for children, families and adults.

The Department for Education and Skills (Childcare careers site) (www.childcarecareers.gov.uk/iandex.cfm) – the offical website for Sure Start’s national childcare recruitment campaign, giving you all the information you need to get working in Childcare, Early Years and Playwork!

The Maternity Alliance (www.maternityalliance.org.uk) – a national charity which works to improve support for, and end inequality amongst, pregnant women, new parents and babies under one years of age.

The National Scottish Care Standards for Childcare Agencies (www.scotland.gov.uk/about/HD/CCD1/00017652/Carestandardshome.aspx) – these standards cover services such as nanny agencies, home-based childcare services and sitter services. Private, voluntary or local authority providers may manage these services.

The Scottish Childminding Association (SCMA) (www.childminding.org) – promotes childminding as a quality childcare service. Its primary purpose is to inform childminders, parents, employers, local authorities and central government about what constitutes good practice in childminding and how to attain this.

The Scottish Out of School Care Network (www.soscn.org) – the lead organisation representing out of school care and school-aged childcare in Scotland. Since 1991 SOSCN has been offering advice, support and information to childcare providers, parents, development workers and other organisations working within the sector. We support the right to play and the continued development of a playcare training infrastructure as well as equal opportunities and partnership working.

The Shaw Trust (www.shaw-trust.org.uk) – a national charity that provides training and work opportunities for people who are disadvantaged in the labour market due to disability, ill health or other social circumstances. We are the largest UK provider of employment services for disabled people.

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