Staffordshire
Below is a list of organisations which can provide support and advice following parental separation in locations proximate to the Family Court at Stoke on Trent and Stafford.
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Family Mediation Voucher Scheme is a scheme aimed at supporting and encouraging parties to resolve any family disputes outside of court using mediation. To find out more information about this scheme, including whether you may be eligible, please visit: https://www.familymediationcouncil.org.uk/mediation-vouchers/
Legal advice and support with the family court process
The Family Law Panel will offer a free consultation over the telephone. This ranges from answering one-off specific questions through to an initial “diagnostic” conversation. They can be accessed through its website: https://thefamilylawpanel.org
Only Mums and Only Dads is a not-for-profit organisation which provides support for separating families and works within the Family Law Panel. www.onlydads.org/ www.onlymums.org/
Resolution has an excellent website with many fact sheets and information that can be accessed free of charge. Included are videos to help people acting without legal representation to navigate the court and free booklets that can be downloaded such as “Separation and Divorce – Helping Parents to help children” www.resolution.org.uk
“101 Questions answered about Separating with Children” – is a book (cost approximately £22, available on Amazon) which is intended for parents as a self-help type book and may be something you may wish to purchase. It covers the usual questions asked by parents about child arrangements following separation.
Wikivorce is an online guide to divorce within the UK. This is a volunteer run service which provides free advice and support for those going through divorce proceedings. The free phone service operates Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm and can be accessed on 01202 805020 or visit the website: https://divorce.wikivorce.com
Advice Now is a free online service that offers advice and information about separation and divorce. The site has many guides including: how to apply for child arrangement orders without a lawyer, how to navigate through a separation and how to get a divorce. For more information, please visit: https://www.advicenow.org.uk February 2022
Keele University Divorce Clinic – During term time students from Keele University will be available, via appointment only, to assist with enquiries. The email enquiries are monitored throughout the week and the service can be accessed via the following email address: legal-advice-clinic@keele.ac.uk. See separate leaflet for contact information or speak to reception at the court for information on their availability
SULAC – Staffordshire University offers a free legal advice clinic covering aspects of family law, housing matters and consumer issues. The service is currently operated remotely, to speak to the team please call them on: 01782 294800 or email the team: sulac@staffs.ac.uk. See separate leaflet for contact information or speak to reception at the court for information on their availability.
CLOCK https://clock.uk.net/ is a collaborative project of Keele University, local legal aid law firms, and charities, which has trained students as Community Legal Companions. They do NOT provide legal advice but the Community Legal Companions can signpost you to local legal aid firms, affordable fixed fee services and charitable support services. If there is no professional service available, they can provide help with completing application forms, arranging paperwork, accompanying you to formal proceedings and taking notes.
You may apply directly online through the web portal clock.uk.net. The service is currently operated remotely but arrangements to meet in-person at the court can be arranged by appointment (although less during vacation times). See separate leaflet for contact information or speak to reception at the court for information on their availability.
Support for victims of domestic abuse
Family court domestic abuse support service – The Witness Service is a dedicated service from Citizens Advice. It’s free, independent, confidential and impartial and available to anyone attending the family court who identifies as a victim of domestic abuse (although priority is given to people representing themselves and cases involving child disputes and protective orders). Trained volunteers offer practical information about the court process (including arranging court visits and special measures that may be available) and emotional support to help victims feel more confident about attending court hearings. This can include meeting the victim on the day of the hearing, providing a safe space in their waiting room and helping you to access ongoing support from other organisations.
You can access this service by asking staff on arrival at court, for the domestic abuse support provided by the Witness Service. They also accept referrals over the phone on 0300 332 1000 or online: www.citizensadvice.org.uk/familycourt
Supervised and Supported Contact
YMCA, Harding Road, Hanley offer supervised and supported contacted contact. Supported contact is on Saturdays 10-1pm. Supervised is by arrangement following a referral. Contact as per their website is donna.savigar@ymcans.org.uk Tel 01782 222389
Emotional and well-being support
Support Line provides a confidential telephone helpline on 01708 765200 offering emotional support to any individual on any issue. Email address: info@supportline.org.uk.
The Parent Connection has a wide range of information, support and help for all separated parents. There is also a forum where parents can share experiences with other separated or separating parents. www.advice.co.uk/the-parent-guide-for-couples-and-parents-who-separate-or-divorce/
Family Lives offers a confidential advice line on 0808 800 2222, information and an online community. www.familylives.org.uk/, a live chat is also available between 13:30 – 21:30 on weekdays (Not including bank holidays).
Gingerbread is a free online service which offers a helpline for single parents who may be seeking advice or support. They offer information pages, an online forum, a webchat function and a phone-in helpline. Please visit www.gingerbread.org.uk or call the helpline on 0808 802 0925 (Open Monday 10am-6pm, Tuesday/Thursday/Friday – 10am/4pm, Wednesday – 10am-1pm and 5pm-7pm, the helpline is closed on public holidays).
Mental Health Services
General advice and signposting to local services:
https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/Advice-support-and-care-for-adults/Keeping-well-and-staying-healthy/Mental-health.aspx
North Staffordshire MIND – support and counselling services for both young people and adults
Staffordshire mental health helpline: February 2022
https://www.brighter-futures.org.uk/staffordshire-mental-health-helpline/
Substance and alcohol misuse
Staffordshire Treatment and Recovery Service (‘STARS’)
https://humankindcharity.org.uk/service/staffordshire-treatment-and-recovery-service/
Stoke-on-Trent Community Drug and Alcohol Service (‘CDAS’)
Family Support Services in Staffordshire
Please see the online directory found below for a range of family support services:
https://www.staffordshireconnects.info/kb5/staffordshire/directory/home.page
Staffordshire Family Support and Outreach Service
Family Support Workers are able to provide support for children and young people from 0-19 years and up to 25 years for those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. They can also help parents and carers with vulnerabilities they may be having, which are affecting family life.
Examples of support may include:
- parenting skills and strategies
- building healthy relationships
- emotional wellbeing
- staying safe in the community
- building confidence and self esteem
- child’s development
- building positive relationships between home and school
- housing and financial issues
- returning to employment or education
- developing positive community relationships
- access to local services and facilities
What we do, together with you
We work with the whole family, delivering the service in the family home and other community settings like schools or Family Hubs.
A named Family Support Worker will be in contact with you to make sure this is the right type of service for you and your family. Our practitioners all have DBS clearance.
For the Family Support Worker to understand your support needs fully, they complete an assessment of support need. This is usually an Early Help Assessment (EHA) which is completed with you, your family and other relevant individuals you identify together. This will gather together what you are requesting support with, any other support needs you may identify together as part of your conversations, but importantly helping to build on existing strengths and avenues of support your family already have.
Our approach is to work with families to help coordinate services needed, to ensure that families and children can reach their potential.
By applying a restorative approach, you will draw up a plan of action together. The action plan will work towards the goals that you want to achieve, as well as identify additional local support opportunities available, with the aim of improving your resilience.
Any assessment and plan will be unique to your family, and you will be actively involved at every stage.
Opening Times
Monday- Friday 8:30am- 5pm, closing at 4:30pm on Friday
This is a local service, available free of charge to all families resident in Staffordshire and where appropriate, also to those with children registered at a Staffordshire school.
How to access this service
We accept referrals from all professionals and self-referrals. Any referral must be made with the full knowledge and consent of the family.
A referral form can be found here.
Districts | Family Support and Outreach Service delivered by | Email address to send referrals to |
Staffordshire Moorlands and Newcastle-under-Lyme | Family Action Moorlands & Newcastle: 01782 228 963 | Staffordshire@family-action.org.uk |
Cannock Chase and South Staffordshire | Family Action Cannock & South Staffs: 01543 735 699 | Staffordshire@family-action.org.uk |
Stafford | Family Action 01785 558 172 | Staffordshire@family-action.org.uk |
Lichfield Tamworth and East Staffordshire | Malachi Specialist Family Support Services 0121 441 4556 | Staffordshire@malachi.org.uk |
Who else can help me?
This service is designed to support families with emerging support needs, early on. If you feel your support needs are more complex you may need the Family Practitioner Service – Early Help.
If you feel a child is at risk of harm or you are worried about the safety of a child, please contact Staffordshire Children’s Advice and Support Service on: Telephone: 0300 111 8007, option 1, then option 5.
Stoke on Trent City Council Family support services
Other areas of legal advice and support: housing/debt/welfare benefits
Citizens Advice offer a telephone advice line (call charges apply) on 0300 3009062. This service is available Mon-Thurs 9-5 and Fridays 9-4.30pm. Drop in advice is available at Advice House, Cheapside, Hanley ST1 1HL Mon, Tues and Fri 9-1.30pm, Weds 1-5pm and Thursdays by appointment.
CAB can assist and advise in relation to welfare benefits, money and credit problems (including bankruptcy), employment, consumer rights, housing (including possession, eviction and tenancy deposits linked to possession/eviction), neighbourhood disputes and immigration matters.
For possession/eviction cases, it may be possible for assistance to be given outside of the usual opening hours – attend at the Hanley office and press the buzzer to speak to a receptionist who will see if you can be assisted out of hours
Stoke on Trent Combined Court Centre
The Combined Court Centre
North Staffordshire Justice Centre
North Staffordshire Justice Centre – Newcastle under Lyme Magistrates Court, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 2DT