Further Help and Support – Home and Beyond

On this page, you’ll find a range of information to provide you with help and support for you, your child and your family. Focus areas include money and affordability support, education, health, healthy sleep tips, eating well and more.

Benefits

If you are on a low-income, are not working or have a disabled child, you may be entitled to certain benefits and tax credits to help with the extra costs you face.

Benefits Calculator: Turn2us Benefits Calculator

Use theTurn2Us benefits calculator to find out what benefits and other sources of financial help you might be eligible for. It should take around 10 minutes to complete. To make sure you get the best results possible, it helps to have the following to hand:

Your earnings and savings, and any other investments or capital you might have.
Any benefits you already claim for the adults and children in your home.
Your annual council tax bill.
Your rent or mortgage payments.

As long as you save what you’ve done, you can always come back to it later if you need to.

Disability Living Allowance (DLA): Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children: Overview – GOV.UK

DLA for children may help with the extra costs of looking after a child who is under 16 and has difficulties walking or needs much more looking after than a child of the same age who does not have a disability.

Universal Credit: Universal Credit: What Universal Credit is – GOV.UK

Universal Credit is a monthly payment to help with your living costs. You may be able to get it if you’re on a low income, out of work or you cannot work. Did you know that you can claim back a percentage of your wraparound childcare costs if you are in receipt of universal credit?

Check if you’re eligible to apply for Free School Meals here: Free school meals – Wiltshire Council
If you are serving in the armed forces, you can check your eligibility to apply for wraparound childcare support: Discover My Benefits
Personal Independence Payment (PIP): Personal Independence Payment (PIP): What PIP is for – GOV.UK

PIP can help with extra living costs if you have both a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability, and difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around because of your condition.

Carer’s Allowance: Carer’s Allowance: How it works – GOV.UK

You could be entitled to a carer’s allowance if you care for someone at least 35 hours a week and they get certain benefits.

Common Childhood Concerns and Support

Behaviour that Challenges: Behaviour that challenges | Contact

Many young children have emotional outbursts. Behaviour can become challenging when it happens often or it is harmful to the child, the parent or other people.

Helping you and your child sleep

A child who does not sleep well can affect the whole family.

Below are some standard approaches that help all children get a good night’s rest.

Identifying patterns to your child’s sleep, a time they often wake or activities after which they sleep badly, can help you change their routine.
Establish a bedtime routine, for example bath, pyjamas, story then bed. Try using pictures or timers to help your child understand.
Anyone who is supporting your child (family or professionals) should be using the same approach to managing your child’s sleep.
Avoid TV and computers or hand-held devices an hour before bed time, because they stimulate the brain.
It is important that the bedroom promotes sleep. Is there a pattern that your child can see monsters in? Is it too light, dark, hot or cold?
If your child is going to bed hungry try to get them to eat more in the evening. Remember – some drinks or snacks may affect their sleep.
If your child becomes distressed when you leave them, gradually get them accustomed to you not being in the room. Start by sitting and avoiding getting into bed; after a few days, increase the distance between you and your child until they no longer need you to fall asleep.

Below are some tips to help you sleep.

Relax before going to bed, perhaps by reading a book or taking a bath.
Decorate your room with calm colours like beige or white; you can add colour with accessories. Put happy family pictures or calming views on the walls.
De-clutter your bedroom. Your mind can feel much calmer when everything is put away.
Some people find meditation or yoga helpful.
Avoid stimulants before bedtime that will excite your brain and hinder sleep, for example alcohol, eating late and watching TV in bed.
If you have lots of things on your mind, write them down or make a ‘to-do’ list for the next day so you can stop thinking about them.
Prepare for the next day. Sometimes it helps to lay out your clothes, prepare lunches or pack bags so you feel ready and relaxed.
Feeding and Eating: Parents – PhunkyFoods

Find advice based on recipes, healthy eating, physical activity and cooking together with your child.

Education and Learning

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

In any classroom, children learn at different speeds and in different ways. A child who needs a lot of extra help in their learning might have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)

Supporting in the Early Years: Support in the early years | Contact
Extra Help in Mainstream School: Extra support in school | Contact

The first step to getting support.

Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPS): EHC plans & assessments | Contact
SENDIASS: Wiltshire SENDIASS – Family Action

Free, impartial information, advice and support on SEND.

Wiltshire Local Offer provides information about services and support for families with children and young people with SEND needs including education, travel, preparing for adulthood, health and leisure: Wiltshire SEND Support for 0 to 25 – Local Offer
School and College Complaints: School & college complaints | Contact
The Early Help ESA is a supportive process for all children and young people under 18. It involves:
Gathering information from your child, you and anyone working with them
Completing the ESA to identify your child’s needs and what is working well for them
Working together with professionals to agree an action plan which will aim to put support in place to meet your child’s needs
Meeting regularly to review the process and record any progress made by holding team around the child (TAC) meetings
Referring to other professionals and services to support and work with your child where it is felt necessary

The Early Help ESA is a voluntary process that you and your child can choose to be involved with.

Money and Debt

Help with Household Bills: Help with household bills | Contact

There are a number of schemes and grants to help you with water, fuel and other utility bills. Find out whether you’re eligible and how to apply.

Energy Saving Tips: Energy saving tips | Contact

Energy saving tips to help you save money on fuel, heating, water, electricity and appliance costs.

Dealing with Debt: Dealing with debt | Contact

Tips for working through your debts and what your rights are when dealing with creditors.

Affordable Schools

Family Life and Childcare

Support to find Childcare and Family Services in Warminster: Childcare Finder
Help with Childcare costs: Help with childcare costs | Contact
Relationship Breakdown and Separation: Relationship breakdown and separation | Contact
Coping with Stress: Coping with stress | Contact
Wiltshire Parent Carer Council: WPCC
Gingerbread – Help and advice on the issues that matter to lone parents: Home | Gingerbread
Wraparound Care at Princecroft – including breakfast club, after-school club (Acorns) and extended nursery hours. Call into the school office to understand more about this offer, including funding support you may be eligible for.
Support for victims of domestic abuse in the home: Wiltshire – FearFree
Free service and support providing extra security for homes in which domestic violence has occurred: Wiltshire Bobby Van
A range of support, from form-filling to accessing food or just a space to share your worries with someone: Home – Cornerstone Warminster
Warminster Food Bank: Welcome to the Warminster & District Foodbank
Signposting information if you have concerns about your child’s mental health needs: Where to get mental health support – children and young people – NHS
Support to get back into education or work: Connecting you to Employment and Skills – Work Wiltshire
Bereavement support for children and young people: Wiltshire Tree House – Bereavement support for children and young people in Swindon and Wiltshire and Winston’s Wish – Bereavement Support for Children
Bereavement support for parents: Home – Cruse Bereavement Support
Low-cost adult counselling: Help Counselling Services – Low Cost Counselling
Support with housing: Housing – Wiltshire Council
Housing associations: