Hi Safe families and welcome all of you, both old and new. 🙂 How are you all doing? Following the Prime Ministers announcement last night, we have been working hard to re-revise the ways we can continue to provide you with support in this really challenging time. Firstly, for the foreseeable future, all of our face-to-face services, including support groups, toddler groups, social groups and baby store are suspended. This is in order that we can do our bit to help keep everybody safe. We feel it would be very irresponsible to promote any activity which involves encouraging people to leave the house unnecessarily. BUT we are not leaving you alone. Far from it. We will be posting online content on a variety of topics, more details to follow in a later post. Our help line and support services will continue, via phone, Skype, Facebook messenger and Zoom. All of our existing clients have already been contacted about this, but, if you are new to us, please leave a private message via our Facebook page, email us on enquiries@the-safe.org.uk or you can call or text: 0797 373 8861 if you would like to talk to someone about:

• Babystore needs: Particularly if you are an expectant mum now self-isolating with no local support network and therefore no way to collect together the bits you might need before your baby is born. Supermarkets are now prioritising their delivery slots for those most in need. You can look up the various phone numbers you can use to register with this service online. But, should you need a moses basket or other basinet type-bed, cot, clothing, feeding equipment etc, please contact us using the above details and we will do our very best to get something delivered out to you. Please, please could I ask that to keep our volunteers as safe as possible, you should only use this service if you are in immediate and serious need, at least whilst we are on lock-down over the next three weeks. But, if you do need us, please use us. That is what we are here for.
• Pregnancy Crisis: If you or your partner or child is pregnant and the pregnancy is unexpected, unplanned or forms part of a difficult family situation. We can also provide post abortion support.
• Bereavement: If you have suffered the loss of a child or grandchild, including through pregnancy loss. This service has its own helpline number staffed by Chris, who is our bereavement specialist on: 07527489143
• Family Support: If you are in a difficult family or parenting situation, even if you are already working with another agency.
• FamilyCrisis: If you are a family, particularly families with lone parents who are finding it really hard to cope with isolation and home education during this crisis.
• Dads’ Hub: If you are a dad with a complex family situation and particularly those dads who are struggling with being separated from their children during this time of crisis.
• Hope for Carers: If you are the parent of a child who is suffering from a mental health crisis of any kind (diagnosed or un-diagnosed)
• Grandparents’ group: For grandparents who support their child (biological or not) or children in the support of their grandchildren.

All messages, emails, texts and calls which come into the contacts or helpline number given above will be triaged by a member of our support team and then directed to the relevant support practitioner who will arrange to call you back by appointment for a talk session.

We will do our very best to man the facebook site, enquiries inbox and text messages daily and as frequently as possible, but we only have one mobile phone line which is therefore manned by only 1 person as there is no way we are able to pass it from person to person. The support practitioner who has the mobile phone has her own children and also works in a school so we promise to get back to you as absolutely soon as possible, but we cannot promise to answer immediately. On Thursdays however, the phone line will always be manned so, if you would prefer to speak to someone directly, that would be a really good day to call.

Many apologies for the exceptionally long announcement. We just want you to have all the information we currently have available. Please pass this around and share with anybody who may benefit from our services.

But, most of all, please remember, you are NOT alone. We are all of us in this together. We are none of us perfect, but we are all doing our very best. You are doing your very best. That is all anyone, including yourself can ever ask of you. We believe in you so please believe in yourself. Stay strong, stay positive and remember, you got this. 💪