Support for children and families

Safeguarding concern and referral

If you are ever concerned that a child is in immediate danger please call the police on 999.

Safeguarding children and young people is the responsibility of everyone. If you are concerned that a child is being abused or they may be at risk of harm, you should contact and make a referral to our Single Point of Contact team on:

01724 296500 (9am to 5pm Monday to Thursday, 9am to 4.30pm Friday)
08081 689667 (free phone)
01724 296555 (answerphone – out of office hours and at weekends )
101 – Police non emergency
999 – Police emergency

Further information about safeguarding children and young people is available on our keeping children safe page.

If you are a child or young person and need help, you should speak to a trusted adult or a professional you already know.  There is also lots of online information, which you can find below:

• Children and young people can get support about their concerns online from Childline or by calling 0800 1111.
• The NSPCC website has information on preventing abuse and helping those affected to recover.
• If you are concerned about grooming and child sexual exploitation, there is more information on the Not In Our Community website.
• TheThinkuknow website has advice on how children and young people can stay safe online.
• You can get access to online counselling and advice on emotional wellbeing on the Kooth Website.

In North Lincolnshire we want to enable parents and carers to give the best start to their children. There is lots of information and support available, including:

• Humber Coast and Vale Maternity
• Help with childcare costs
• Imagination Library
• What to expect when – child development from 0 to 5 years
• Hungry Little Minds
• North Lincolnshire Health Visitors and School Nurses
• North Lincolnshire Family Information Service

If you cannot find what you are looking for online and need a conversation, there is always someone on hand to offer advice and guidance. Most people prefer to speak to a professional they already know, such as a health visitor or teacher, but if you would like advice and guidance about any aspect of looking after your children, please call our Family Support Service on 01724 297030 during office hours or leave a message and we will call you back. If we cannot help over the phone, or if you would prefer it, we can arrange to visit you at home.

If you need help to find suitable childcare go to the Family Information Directory (FIDY) website. Here you will find contact details for all Ofsted registered childcare settings in North Lincolnshire.

Once you have found and chosen a quality childcare provider, the next step is to look at what assistance is available to help you pay for your childcare.

There are several different schemes available to help parents and carers pay their childcare costs, depending on their individual family circumstances. For more information about which schemes you might be eligible for, and if you need information about funded childcare for two, three or four year olds, go to the Help with Childcare Costs page.  You can also visit the Childcare Choices website where you will also find a handy calculator to help you work out which scheme will benefit you the most.

If you need additional help to find suitable childcare or advice on funding, please contact the Family Information Service – fis@northlincs.gov.uk. We provide free, impartial information, advice and guidance on registered childcare, children’s activities and signpost you to local and national services offering support to families.

Fostering

Being a foster parent means caring for a child as part of your family. To become a foster parent you need to be:

• at least 21 years old
• a UK resident or have indefinite leave to remain
• able to take care of a child or young person, often on a full-time basis.

Find out more and register your interest on our Fostering page.

Adoption

In North Lincolnshire, adoptive parents are needed for children of all ages from a range of backgrounds. The Adoption team is looking for people who can offer love, time and commitment to a child.

Anyone who is over 21 can adopt – there is no upper age limit. You can be single or in a relationship; you can own or rent your home. We do not discriminate on the grounds of age, class, culture, disability, race or sexual orientation.

If you are interested in finding out more about adopting a child please visit our Adoption page.

If you would like to find out about the range of courses available to parents and carers, please visit our Adult Education and Community Learning website.

Examples of courses include:

• Baby play and baby massage
• Family arts and crafts for wellbeing
• Cooking on a budget
• Stress awareness.

Please note – during the current coronavirus national restrictions, all activities have been suspended until further notice.

As well as supporting communities and local groups, and working with others to keep spaces safe for children and young people, we arrange a number of positive activities for young people.

Taking place in towns and villages across North Lincolnshire, the Positive Activities offer is available online and updated regularly.

Whether you’re together or separated, the way you and your partner communicate can impact on your children. All relationships have tricky moments it’s how they’re experienced and resolved that matters. You can get really useful information and advice at the Relationship Matters website.

If you are afraid of your partner or feeling that they control your life then this is more likely to be domestic abuse, please seek help. You can get confidential advice at The Blue Door.

For more information about safeguarding children please go to the Children’s Multi-Agency Resilience and Safeguarding website. (CMARS)
or the NSPCC website.

For support for families with children with special educational needs and disabilities, you will find a wealth of information on the North Lincolnshire Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Local Offer website.

Please note – during the current coronavirus national restrictions, all activities have been suspended until further notice.

Take a look at the Family Activities page. There are lots of ideas for adults as well as children including photography, staying active, virtual museum tours and wildlife and nature.

If you need help and advice about your money worries, or providing enough food for you and your children there are people who can help:

• Trussell Trust – lots of useful information about accessing food banks, check you are claiming the correct benefits and possible grants you may be entitled to.
• Crosby Community Association
• Citizens Advice North Lincolnshire