Family Mentoring
Early support for families who need a little extra help.
Support that meets your family where you are
Our Family Mentoring Service offers practical and emotional support for families with children and young people. We provide 1-to-1 support from a dedicated Family Support Worker, alongside structured support from trained mentoring volunteers. We are here to help you feel more confident, supported and understood.
We also run group parenting courses to help build confidence, strengthen relationships and make daily life feel calmer at home.
An inclusive service for every family
We welcome families from all backgrounds, cultures, identities and neurotypes. Our service is inclusive of SEND, LGBTQ+ families, blended families, kinship carers, and families with English as an additional language.
Eligibility
- Families who live in the Castle Point area, or have children attending a Castle Point school.
- Families with children and young people aged pre-birth to 18 (or up to 25 for young people with SEND).
- Families who would benefit from early support to manage challenges at home.
What we can support with
- Parenting, behaviour and daily routines.
- Children's emotional wellbeing, anxiety and bereavement.
- Family relationships and managing conflict safely.
- Isolation, SEND access and practical pressures.
Our areas of family support
Parenting and behaviour
Managing behaviour and setting boundaries; establishing daily routines and structure at home.
Emotional wellbeing
Supporting children with anxiety, low mood or stress; coping with bereavement or sudden family changes.
Family relationships
Improving parent-child relationships; resolving conflict within the home safely.
Practical challenges
Overcoming isolation and building community confidence; accessing local SEND services and community support; managing daily pressures, finances or employment changes.
STOP Course
A step-by-step course for parents of pre-teens and teenagers (ages 10-16), helping you understand your child's communication, improve talking and build stronger relationships.
FLASH Course
A ten-week course for parents whose child is self-harming, giving practical tools to support your child, cope with the impact on the family, and feel more confident handling difficult situations.
Stronger families, calmer homes
1-to-1 support and group courses that build confidence, strengthen relationships and make daily life feel calmer at home.
What families gain
- Increased confidence in parenting
- Improved routines and calmer behaviour at home
- Stronger, more communicative family relationships
- Reduced stress and better mental wellbeing
- Better connections to local support networks and the SEND offer
What families and schools say
"I would just like to say how thoroughly helpful and informative I found the course... I must confess I joined the group with much trepidation but I'm so pleased to have been allowed to be part of the group. It's given me the confidence to continue to help my daughter through this process. Thank you."
"Aly has been a brilliant support and offered so much help to me and my child - things have improved so much in school and at home... I would definitely recommend CAVS to others."
"Your service is amazing and your team has supported many of our families who have been at breaking point. If only there were more services like yours to relieve the pressure on your waiting list."
"My Family Support Worker has gone above and beyond in everything they have done for me."
From referral to regular support
- 1
Referral received
We check the service matches your needs.
- 2
First contact
We contact the family to chat about how we can help.
- 3
Allocation
We pair the family with a mentor or support worker.
- 4
Regular sessions
At home, in the community, or at school.
- 5
Review
We review progress together and adapt support as needed.
Important notice: waiting times
Due to high demand, we currently have a 6 to 8 month waiting list to see a dedicated Family Support Worker (FSW). We review this regularly and will update you if anything changes.
CAVS supporting families across Castle Point
Make a referral or find out more
Ways to refer
Start the online referral form below, email wellness@cavsorg.uk, or call 01268 214000.
Family Mentoring referral form
FORM - Family Mentoring Referral