Family First is open to referrals from any community and statutory agencies, churches, primary care and schools. Parents and carers can also self refer.
We welcome informal enquiries to discuss how we may be able to help. Please ring us on 0300 772 7715 to discuss further.
Parents must live in Ipswich, or the immediate surrounding area, and have at least one child under the age of 18.
Our parent mentoring program provides up to 12 months worth of support from a trained family volunteer. The family will be assigned an experienced Family Coordinator who will carry out an initial assessment to identify the areas for support. Parents will then be matched with a suitable volunteer. Our volunteers visit parents and carers for up to an hour a week, to listen, support and encourage them to reach their agreed goals. The Family Coordinator will support the volunteer and carry out regular reviews to make sure the support parents are receiving is working for them. Parenting mentoring is for the parent or carer, we do not work directly with children.
Referral criteria
We seek to be a flexible service that aims to meet a diverse range of needs that parents may have, who live within Ipswich and have at least one child under the age of 18. We work with all families regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, religion, sexuality or cultural background.
Completing the referral
Please complete the referral form with the parent, gaining their consent and agreement for the referral.
Referrals forms should be emailed to admin@familyfirst-uk.org