Connexions Rochdale

Being a parent is not always easy, and if you’re on your own it can seem even more difficult. You may feel scared about the responsibility and whether you’re doing the best you can for your baby. You may feel you want support to help you cope. There are lots of places you can get help and advice.

If you want to know more about having a baby, bringing up children, childcare, play, education, work or support, try:

• Gingerbread – has information on benefit entitlements for teenage parents.  Contact their single parent helpline 0808 802 0925. 
• Lone Parents helpline 0800 802 0925. 
• Parentline Plus offers support to anyone parenting a child – contact them on 0808 800 2222. 
• Youngdads gives young dads information on everything they wanted to know about pregnancy, birth and beyond - but were afraid to ask!
• Only dads is a website for single dads.   
• Dad talk has information on a variety of issues useful for dads to know about. 
• Dads House has information for dads bringing up children on their own 

If you are under 20 and have a child and want to return to or start learning Care to Learn may be able to help with your childcare and other extra costs. 

Did you know that you can get free milk, fruit and vegetables when you are pregnant? Visit Healthy Start to find out if you qualify. DirectGov has information and videos about parenting.

You can use the library in your Connexions Centre too as it has information for you to read or take away. You could also go to Relationships Weblinx for more useful websites.