Support and Signposting for Cheshire and Merseyside
Here you will find a list of services available to families in Cheshire and Merseyside.
Click the titles below for further information and contact details.
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NHS Talking Therapies
NHS Talking Therapies in Cheshire and Merseyside offer a range of online information and self-help resources, as well as an option to self-refer into the local Talking Therapies service in the following areas:
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- Cheshire West, Central, or South – Talking Therapies :: Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Cheshire East- NHS East Cheshire Talking Therapies – The Big Life group
- Wirral – NHS Wirral Talking Therapies | Everyturn
- Warrington – NHS Warrington Talking Therapies
- Sefton – www.mhm.org.uk/talking-matters-sefton
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Koala Northwest
Koala Northwest supports families in Cheshire and Merseyside with parenting (including breastfeeding) and emotional wellbeing.
Visit https://koalanw.co.uk/
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NHS Silver Birch Hubs Maternal Mental Health Service
NHS Silver birch Hubs provide specialist maternity wellbeing support across Cheshire and Wirral.
For more information, visit www.merseycare.nhs.uk/mmhs or speak to your Midwife or Health Visitor.
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Dad Matters
Dad Matters supports dads and co-parents to have the best possible relationship with their children during the early years. They offer one-to-one and group support with bonding, mental health and wellbeing, and antenatal education. Services vary slightly between regions, but contact any group and they can signpost you to the most appropriate support.
National support – Dad Matters | Home | Home-Start UK
St Helens – Dad Matters | Home-Start St Helens
Warrington, Halton, and Cheshire Dad Matters Warrington, Halton & Cheshire Contact Details
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The Smile Group
The Smile Group provide a range of services in Cheshire East to support people experiencing perinatal mental health difficulties. These include peer support groups, 1:1 home visits, counselling, and family support sessions. Find out more at Postnatal depression and perinatal mental health support – Smile Group
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PANDAS
PANDAS provide support for families experiencing perinatal mental health difficulties. National support is available via their website PANDAS Foundation UK, and there are local support groups in many areas.
Sefton – contact pandassefton@gmail.com
Search local support – Support Groups – PANDAS Foundation UK
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NHS Building Attachment and Bonds Service (BABS)
NHS Building Attachment and Bonds Service (BABS) provide specialist parent-infant support to families struggling to bond with their baby, and those who have faced challenges such as mental health difficulties, drugs and alcohol use, domestic abuse, or child removal.
Local services are available in many parts of Cheshire and Merseyside. To find out more, visit Building Attachment and Bonds Service (BABS) :: Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, or speak to your Midwife or Health Visitor.
Halton – Baby and infant bonding service for people living in Halton and Warrington provided by Mersey Care
Knowsley – Building Attachment and Bonds Service Knowsley (BABS) :: Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
Sefton – Building Attachment and Bonds Service (BABS) :: Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
St Helens – Building Bonds and Attachment Service in St Helens
Warrington – Baby and infant bonding service for people living in Halton and Warrington provided by Mersey Care
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PSS Parent-Baby Service
PSS Parent-Baby Service support families build confident and healthy relationships with their baby, visit | PSS
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NCT Parents in Mind
NCT Parents in Mind are funded by local NHS boards to provide free-to-access support in some parts of Cheshire, including Halton, St Helens, and Warrington. To find out more visit North West Parents in Mind | | NCT
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DadPad (and Co-ParentPad)
DadPad is a comprehensive suide for dads-to-be and new dads, including knowledge and practical skills to support dads and families. Versions are also available to co-parents and dads/co-parents with a baby receiving neonatal specialist care. Find out more at Home – DadPad | The Essential Guide for New Dads | Support Guide for New Dads – DadPad | The Essential Guide for New Dads | Support Guide for New Dads
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Maternity Action
Maternity Action also offers specific local advice about work and money in Cheshire West/Merseyside (call 0808 802 0062) and Greater Manchester/Cheshire East (call 0800 201 0488), or visit maternityaction.org.uk.
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The Martin Gallier Project
The Martin Gallier Project provide suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention support in the Northwest of England, 7 days per week, 9.30am to 4.30pm.
Call 0151 644 0294 or visit https://www.themartingallierproject.org/
If you know of other services that should be listed here, please get in touch via email to paws-research@open.ac.uk, or using the ‘contact us’ button below.
Healthcare providers
If you are a healthcare provider, you might also find the Perinatal Resource Hub provided by Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust helpful. Visit Perinatal Resource Hub :: Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust or click the button below to open their website in a new tab.
Mental Health Emergencies
If at any point, you become significantly anxious or distressed, we advise you to contact your GP, health visitor, or other healthcare provider.
If you need help during a mental health emergency or crisis, call 111 and select option 2 for your local NHS urgent mental health team, or 999 in a life-threatening emergency situation. You can also visit https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/
If you are struggling with any aspect of pregnancy or parenting, you should contact your Midwife or Health Visitor. They will be able to direct you to the most appropriate support in your local area. Some national services are listed below. You can also visit https://www.nhs.uk/baby/support-and-services/services-and-support-for-parents/