Southampton Parent Carer Forum

Bumps and Babies
2026-10-28 13:00 - 14:30 (Europe/London) | Best Start Family Hub Maple, Helvellyn Road, Southampton, Hampshire, So164as, United Kingdom
Bumps and Babies – for young babies who cannot crawl or roll about

Avenue Drop - In
2026-10-28 15:00 - 18:00, 2026-10-29 15:00 - 18:00 | No Limits – The Avenue, 34-35 The Avenue, Southampton, Hampshire, So171xn, United Kingdom
Our drop-in at our Avenue Hub in Southampton is a safe space designed specially for young people aged 11-17 to get information, advice and support from trained youth workers on a wide range of issues affecting their lives.
Open two days a week after school hours, you can come down and talk to a youth worker without having to make an appointment.
Located on The Avenue, this drop-in is accessible by car, bike and public transport.

Art Group
2026-10-28 17:00 - 18:30 | No Limits Advice Centre, 13 High Street, Southampton, Hampshire, So142df, United Kingdom
This group aims to give you a greater sense of your feelings and emotions through a judgement free, relaxed and safe environment. In a typical group session, you will have the time to create whatever you want on a theme or topic, with a chance to share with the group if you are ready.
Who is this group for?
Anyone aged 16-25 in Southampton who would benefit from exploring their feelings through art.
When and where is the group?
Wednesday 5:00 – 6:30pm
Friday 2:00 – 3:30pm
Groups take place at The Avenue.

Time 4U
2026-10-28 17:15 - 18:15, 2026-10-28 18:30 - 19:30 | No Limits Advice Centre, 13 High Street, Southampton, Hampshire, So142df, United Kingdom
Our weekly SEN support group, Time 4U is for young people aged 8-18 with special educational needs, whose parents/carers have a MaxCard+, registered though the Buzz Network.
Sessions are fun and full of activities to take part in, like cooking, playing games, watching films and arts and crafts. We also ask the group what they’d like to do and try and do as many of their suggestions as we can. The group is also a safe space to talk about how you’re feeling and any issues you may be facing, whether that’s your safety, relationships, or physical or emotional wellbeing.

The Time 4U youth workers are really friendly and will do everything they can to help you feel like you can get involved with the group.
8-12 year olds: Wednesday 5:15 – 6:15pm
13-18 year olds: Wednesday 6:30 – 7:30pm
Time 4U takes place at our Advice Centre

Sensory Room Hire
2026-10-29, 2026-10-30 | Freemantle Community Centre, Randolph St, SO15 3HE, United Kingdom
The multi- sensory room is available to individuals or small groups who need somewhere different in order to relax. The Multi-Sensory Room uses light, sound and a range of specialized equipment designed to create an environment that is used for relaxation and calming. With the aid of switches it allows users to interact with the equipment giving the opportunity to explore cause and effect. The Multi-Sensory Room delivers proven benefits across all age ranges and from moderate to profound special needs.
The room has seating for 6 with support. Please note that this room is only available to people who have been trained in it’s use. Thursday morning training sessions (costing £10 per person) can be arranged for new users,

Southampton SENDIASS
2026-10-29, 2026-10-30
What can we help you with?

Listening to and answering your SEND queries
Understanding and filling in forms
Writing letters and reports
Support, preparation, and advocacy for meetings
Signposting you to relevant local and national services
Informing you of your legal rights under SEN law

Disability discrimination cases
Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs)
Resolving disagreements, including mediation and tribunals
Links to local support groups and forums
Empowering you to make your own decisions with the information provided
Ongoing confidential and impartial support via phone, email, and face-to-face meetings

Therapeutic Support
2026-10-29, 2026-10-30 | No Limits Advice Centre, 13 High Street, Southampton, Hampshire, So142df, United Kingdom
We offer therapeutic support for 5-17 year olds (or 11-24 for care leavers and SEND).
Our youth wellbeing practitioners and counsellors are all trained, supportive and friendly. You can speak to them about any issue you’re facing, in a private, confidential session.
Common issues our practitioners and counsellors deal with include anxiety, confidence and low mood, but if there’s anything that’s worrying you, they will listen and help you try to understand why you feel how you feel. They will never judge you or your story and they are there to support you.

Important referral information
If you are referring a 5-10 year old in Hampshire, there is a three month waiting list.
When we get in touch, we may leave a voicemail. If you do not want a voicemail left when we try and contact you, please let us know in the referral form. When contacting to book a triage appointment we will send an email (or text if no email address is provided). Please check your spam folder for this email.
Referrals for 5-10 year olds in Southampton (SO14-SO19) and Portsmouth (PO1-PO6) will only be accepted from a social worker, GP, CAMHS or the NHS School Nursing team through Egress.
Re-referrals can only be accepted when 3 months following the last set of therapeutic support has passed. Therapeutic intervention requires elements of self-work, reflection and putting into practice any strategies taught during therapy.

16-25 Mental Health Transitions
2026-10-29, 2026-10-30 | No Limits Advice Centre, 13 High Street, Southampton, Hampshire, So142df, United Kingdom
Transitions and changes in your life can be daunting and difficult to navigate. Our Mental Health Transitions team are specially trained to offer mental health support to young people aged 16-25 in Hampshire around the transitions that happen in their lives.
Our support will be tailored to your individual needs and can be around any transitions you’re going through, including going from child to adult services, and getting support for the first time as an adult.
How do I get support?
To get support from our 16-25 Mental Health Transitions service, fill in a referral form through the link below. If you’re a young person, you can refer yourself. If you’re a family member or professional, you can refer a young person using our Refer a Young Person form.

Bright Beginnnings
2026-10-29, 2026-10-30 | No Limits Advice Centre, 13 High Street, Southampton, Hampshire, So142df, United Kingdom
Our Bright Beginnings service gives one-to-one support to young parents aged 17-25 and their babies, through pregnancy up until the baby’s second birthday.
Support is given by our trained volunteer Bright Beginnings Befrienders. They are matched with the young parents and will be there as a trusted, reliable and knowledgeable adult for the parents to get support from.
Befrienders will meet with parents regularly and are there to offer support with anything they may be struggling with, in particular the health of the parents and their baby and all aspects of parenting.

Our befrienders help you get through processes, meetings and paperwork to do with your child, including the child’s health, childcare and learning. They can also advise you on the physical health of your child, how to look after their emotional wellbeing and will encourage a stable, stimulating environment. Your befriender may recommend you access other services to help you with your own health needs.

Understanding your child: from toddler to teenager is now available on WhatsApp
2026-10-29
Parenting changes at every stage. One day you may be thinking about tantrums, sleep or separation; another, it may be friendships, independence, behaviour or big emotions. When family life is busy, support needs to be easy to reach.
Togetherness ‘Understanding your child: from toddler to teenager’ learning pathway is now available on WhatsApp, helping parents and carers access practical, trusted guidance when they need it.

The pathway is free for residents of Southampton. Click to start learning on WhatsApp.

Tapping the link on a mobile device will open in WhatsApp. Tap send to begin.
If you open the link on a computer, you will see a QR
code to scan with your phone. When asked to sign up, enter the code TITANIC.

EarlyBird+
2026-10-29 08:00 - 12:00 | Cranbury Community Centre, Cranbury Road, Eastleigh, Southampton, Hampshire, so505hh, United Kingdom
EarlyBird +​
Early Bird + is a 10-week course for parents/carers of autistic children or whose children are awaiting an assessment for autism who are aged between 4-9 years. Each session lasts 2.5 hours and is delivered in groups by friendly and experienced course practitioners in various locations across Southampton.
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The programme aims to empower parents by building confidence and developing resilience. Parents and families are supported to develop knowledge and understanding of autism and then consider how autism impacts on their individual child. The focus of EarlyBird+ remains on what we can do to support autistic children and give them the best opportunity to reach their maximum potential.

The course covers…

Key areas of differences

Understanding and supporting sensory differences

Communication

Supporting interactions

Socialisation

Self-awareness

Understanding and interpreting behaviour

Supporting behaviour

Moving forwards

Looking after yourself.

Support, Play and Learn Together
2026-10-29 09:30 - 11:30 | Best Start Family Hub Pickles Coppice, 65 Windermere Avenue, Southampton, Hampshire, SO16 9QX, United Kingdom
Support, Play and Learn Together – all children welcome

Parent Group Leader Training
2026-10-29 09:30 - 14:30 | Best Start Family Hub Maple, Helvellyn Road, Southampton, Hampshire, So164as, United Kingdom
Are you a parent or carer who wants to make a real difference in your community?
We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to train as Parent Group Leaders and help deliver parenting courses across Southampton.
As a volunteer, you will:

Receive free, high-quality training and support from the Best Start Family Hub team
Learn to lead and facilitate groups for other parents
Share evidence-based, tried and tested parenting methods
Be part of a group of like-minded parents making a positive impact
Develop new skills and confidence
Gain valuable experience to help you reach your goals

The training is a 10-week training course taking place every Thursday from Thursday 24 September to Thursday 3 December, 9.30am – 2.30pm at Maple Best Start Family Hub, Helvellyn Road, Southampton, SO16 4NU.

Romsey Opportunity Group
2026-10-29 10:00 - 12:00 | Romsey Opportunity Group, Appletree Centre, Princes Road, Romsey, Southampton, Hampshire, so518ds, United Kingdom
Romsey Opportunity Group is a well-established, Hampshire based charity. We are a voluntary based group, providing childcare for children with additional needs and disabilities and we are registered and inspected by Ofsted. We provide a safe and secure space where children with additional needs and disabilities are able to have fun, build relationships, learn and flourish. We provide respite for parents and support for families in challenging times.

Marketplace - City Mission
2026-10-29 10:00 - 13:00 | Marketplace – St Marys Church, St Marys Road, Southampton, Hampshire, So141aq, United Kingdom
SCM Marketplace is a community food membership scheme for local people who want to benefit from access to affordable, fresh, healthy food in an inclusive, supportive environment.
SCM Marketplaces have been designed to complement our existing emergency food and clothes project SCM Basics Bank (where those in emergency need can be referred for free clothes and food parcels for themselves and their families), by offering less urgent, longer term Food Aid support for those in danger of falling into food poverty.

Our Marketplaces aim to offer choice and dignity through personal selection of discounted, quality, fresh, refrigerated and frozen food products to supplement people’s weekly shopping. They are also intended to be small, welcoming communities offering all of the health and wellbeing benefits of being in regular contact with a supportive network of peers and friends. Additional support will be offered by having regular visits and workshops by other charities and agencies such as Social Prescribers, Debt Advice, Mental Health nurses etc.

Bumps and Babies
2026-10-29 10:00 - 13:30 | Best Start Family Hub Clovelly, 60-68 Clovelly Road, Southampton, Hampshire, So140au, United Kingdom

Sensory4all
2026-10-29 10:00 - 14:00 | Pavilion on the Park, 1 Kingfisher Road, Easteligh, Southampton, Hampshire, So509lh, United Kingdom
Free Play Sensory Session
Explore and play at your own pace with a selection of our most popular sensory equipment including the magic carpet, moving projector images, soft play, music and a range of educational and sensory toys. A popular service for families with babies and younger children.

Food Bank - City Mission
2026-10-29 10:00 - 15:00 | Food Bank – Shirley Baptist Church, Church Street, Southampton, Hampshire, So155lg, United Kingdom

Time 4 Play
2026-10-29 13:00 - 14:30 | Best Start Family Hub Blackberry, Byron Road, Thornhill, Southampton, Hampshire, so196hf, United Kingdom
Time 4 Play – for children with additional educational needs

Chatter Matters
2026-10-29 13:00 - 14:30
Chatter Matters – for speech therapy drop-in with a speech therapist

Safe Haven NEHF Open Access
2026-10-29 15:30 - 16:30 | Safe Haven NEHF, Royal Oak Wellbeing Hub (formerly Citizens Advice) Royal Oak Close Yateley, Hampshire, GU46 7UD, United Kingdom
Safe Haven NEHF offers out-of-hours open-access and one-to-one crisis support for young people aged 10-17 in North East Hampshire and Farnham (including Aldershot, Farnborough, Fleet and Yateley) experiencing difficulties with their mental health.
Youth workers are able to support you in different ways with anything that might be affecting your mental health or wellbeing such as managing self-harm or suicidal thoughts, low mood and self-esteem, anxiety or simply needing help in accessing further support.

Safe Haven NEHF One - to - One
2026-10-29 16:30 - 19:00 | Safe Haven NEHF, Royal Oak Wellbeing Hub (formerly Citizens Advice) Royal Oak Close Yateley, Hampshire, GU46 7UD, United Kingdom
Safe Haven NEHF offers out-of-hours open-access and one-to-one crisis support for young people aged 10-17 in North East Hampshire and Farnham (including Aldershot, Farnborough, Fleet and Yateley) experiencing difficulties with their mental health.
Youth workers are able to support you in different ways with anything that might be affecting your mental health or wellbeing such as managing self-harm or suicidal thoughts, low mood and self-esteem, anxiety or simply needing help in accessing further support.
Days and times
Monday 4:30 – 7:00pm
Tuesday 3:30 – 7:00pm (Online only)
Thursday 4:30 – 7:00pm

Emotional Resilience
2026-10-29 18:30 - 20:00 | No Limits Advice Centre, 13 High Street, Southampton, Hampshire, So142df, United Kingdom
This nine week long group covers understanding and identifying emotions, the responses to stress and physical effects of emotions, negative thinking, triggers, self-esteem, and self-compassion. This is a safe place to meet people with similar feelings and experiences. The programme is flexible to ensure that we can meet the support needs of those attending and go at their pace.
Anyone aged 11-25 who has lived experiences of mental health.
11-15 year olds: Tuesday 4:30 – 6:00pm
16-25 year olds: Tuesday 6:30 – 8:30pm
Groups take place at our Advice Centre.
