Support for you and your family | Shropshire Council

Everyone needs some support from time to time and this is available in a variety of ways. This section provides information on some of the support available in Shropshire.

Family Foundations

There's a course in Shropshire for first time parents or first-time co-parents called Family Foundations.

This course is a group-based programme for couples (both parents need to attend). The first four weeks of the course are delivered during pregnancy to support the development of good co-parenting relationships and skills. The final three weeks of the course are delivered when your baby is about three months old, to support child development and effective communication between parents.

The Family Foundations strategy is designed to help you build on your strengths to prepare for becoming parents. This class series is designed with one overall goal: to help you create the best family you can so that your child has the best family possible.

There are four prenatal sessions, followed by three postnatal sessions, approximately 6 months after the birth of your baby.

Group discussions will look at feelings, thoughts, and communication. We'll also be sharing videos, which will be points of discussion.

Using discussion and video clips all seven sessions will be around the concept of putting your baby first.

Areas covered in the prenatal sessions are:

Session 1 - Building a family
Session 2 - Feelings and conflict
Session 3 - The parenting team
Session 4 - Working it out

Following the birth of your baby postnatal sessions will include:

Session 5 - New parent experiences
Session 6 - Security (family security)
Session 7 - Putting it together (Pulling all you've learnt together)

Please ask your midwife to refer you using the online referral form.

Solihull Approach

We offer a number of online and face-to-face parenting courses using the Solihull Approach, including understanding pregnancy, birth and your baby.

This course is available for parents, carers or grandparents expecting a new baby, and includes practical information as well as support around emotional health and wellbeing and how your baby develops during pregnancy and after birth.

Online Solihull parenting programmes are available to all parents and carers living in Shropshire. These can be accessed for free using code DARWIN18.

Face-to-face courses tend to start at the beginning of a term. Information on these courses can be found on the Family Information Service Directory.

NCT classes

NCT is the UK's largest charity for parents - supporting you through your first one thousand days. Every year it supports thousands of expectant and new parents to feel more connected and confident during this major life transition.

The NCT has regional groups that organise events and support groups.

Library

Don’t forget that your local library also has ebooks, audio books, DVD and magazines on pregnancy and preparing for birth.

Bereavement support

The loss of a baby is a deeply upsetting time and it's crucial to seek support to help you through the grief. Shropshire and Telford Hospital Trust offer bereavement support to families who have experienced a pregnancy loss or death of a baby.

Shropshire Sands is an organisation dedicated to supporting anyone affected by the death of a baby. They offer peer support to bereaved families, and while they are not currently running monthly face-to-face sessions, they are available to arrange support via email.

Parents are now able to apply for a baby loss certificate for a baby that dies before 24 weeks of pregnancy.