Help, Support & Advice
Local support groups for children, young people, parents and carers
Useful Information
Family, caring and housing support
- Citizen Advice Bureau wide range of support
- Foodbank – Runcorn and Foodbank – Widnes
- Food Parcels/Gifts – Winter Warmth
- Family Information Service Tel: 0151 511 7375
- Halton Borough Council Tel: 0303 333 4300 (Mon-Fri 8am to 6pm)
- Halton Carers Centre
- Halton Speak Out – meet the team
- Housing and Adaptations e.g. Halton Housing for Halton Property Pool Plus (PPP) service
Disability support - families, children and young people with SEND
Money Matters
When you are 18, you will be responsible for paying your own bills, how much you pay depends on whether you are in education, employment or looking for work. These are some organisations that can help advice you:
- Contact for families with disabled children
- NEW DWP Benefit Checker
- DWP Disability Living Allowance video’s
- Benefit Calculator
- Understanding Universal Credit – making a new claim
- Universal Credit
- Ultimate Disability Living Allowance Guide
- Access To Work Fund
- Benefits and Welfare Advice
- Carers Allowance
- Council Tax and Benefits
- Household Support Fund
- GOV.uk
- Family Fund
- Family Fund – are you eligible to apply for a grant?
- Money Saving Expert
- Entitled To
- From Child to Adult
- Citizens Advice Bureau
- Christians Against Poverty
- Money Advice Service
- (PIP) Personal Independence Payment
- Runcorn Debt Centre
Moving from Benefits to Work
Provides help and advice on moving from benefits to work, work experience/volunteering, starting your own business and support available when you start working.
- NEW DWP Benefit Checker provides a quick idea of what you may be able to claim
- Benefit Calculator gives a more detailed picture of what you may be entitled to
- Understanding Universal Credit – making a new claim is another way to access the Benefit Checker
Halton SENDIASS
- Halton SENDIASS – free confidential/impartial information, advice and support for children, parents, carers and young people
- Tel 0151 511 7733, email SENDpartnership@halton.gov.uk
- Easy Read Guides
Keeping safe
- Halton Borough Council – Adult Social Care Tel: 0151 907 8306 or 0345 050 0148 (out of hours/weekends)
- Halton Borough Council – Children Social Care Tel: 0151 907 8305 or 0345 050 0148 (out of hours/weekends)
- Got Your Back Halton self-referral by you or your friends aged 18 or under if you have been a victim of crime. If a referral is made by a Professional/Agency, parental or guardian permission is required to pass the young person’s details on to the service. Tel: 0800 6406466, text GYBMentor 82228 or email halton@gyb.org.uk
Hate Crime, Childline & Prejudiced Incidents
Hate Crime
- What is Hate Crime
- Different types of Hate Crime explained
- How to report Hate Crime
- Finding support in the local area
Childline
- Childline is a private and confidential service for children and young people up to the age of 19
Prejudiced Incidents
Got Your Back Halton
- Self-Referral can be made by you or your friends aged 18 or under if you have been a victim of crime
- Referral by a Professionals/Agency – parental or guardian permission is required to pass the young person’s details on to the service
- Got Your Back Halton Tel: 0800 6406466, Text GYBMentor to 82228, Email halton@gyb.org.uk
Using the internet safely
- CEOP Reporting Centre for staying safe
- Child Exploitation and Online Protection
- Digital Parenting Guide
- Get Safe Online
- Guide to Keeping Safe Online
- Grooming – Knowing the signs of child sexual exploitation – signs to spot it happening
- Internet Matters
- Internet Safety for Teens
- Keeping Kids Safe Online – O2/NSPCC
- Online Safety Resource Guide
- PACE – Parents Against Child Sexual Exploitation
- Sexting
- Thinkuknow – CEOP’s
- Underwear Rule
Dealing with scams and cold callers
- Halton Trading Standards
- iCAN is a free email alert service by Trading Standards
- No cold callers window card and Letterbox sticker are available to collect at Halton Direct Links
- Telephone and mail prompt card for dealing with scam phone calls and doorstop callers
Advocacy support
- Halton Healthwatch Advocacy Hub Tel: 0151 347 8183
- Advocacy First support adults living in the community
- NYAS Advocacy Care Leavers Leaflet
- NYAS – National Youth Advocacy Service for children and young people
- Always Heard and AdvoCat – Coram Voice