Contact the NSPCC Helpline
You can contact our Helpline by calling 0808 800 5000 or emailing [email protected].
Our voice Helpline is available 10am–4pm Monday to Friday. You can email [email protected] at any time for free. You have the option to remain anonymous.
If we have not yet responded to you and your concerns for the safety of a child increase, please contact the police or local Children’s Services directly. Please be assured that we'll action all contacts that our Helpline receives.
Under 18?
Childline offers free, confidential advice and support whatever your worry, whenever you need help.
What does your calm look like?
Being a parent can be wonderful and rewarding – but it's also exhausting and challenging.
From supermarket tantrums to mealtime meltdowns, children’s behaviour can be unpredictable and sometimes hard to manage.
If this leaves you feeling frustrated and angry, that’s completely natural. But reacting in anger is never OK.
If you’re feeling at the end of your tether, Take 5 Seconds.
When you find your calm, your child feels safe and learns how to handle big feelings too.
5 tips to help you find your calm together
1) Take a breath before you respond
It helps you stay steady and shows your child how to cope with strong emotions.
2) Stick to a few clear rules
Children feel safer when they know what’s expected. Choose a small number of simple rules like kind hands, quiet voices, or we tidy up together. Repeat them often and stay calm if your child forgets – they’re still learning and need your help to remember.
3) Share small moments of connection
Small moments like a smile, a cuddle, or a kind word helps your child feel loved and understood.
4) Help them name their feelings
When things get tough, help them name their feelings and work through it together.
5) Look after yourself
Every parent and carer finds it tough sometimes. Talk to someone you can confide in like a partner, friend, family member or a professional like a health visitor or family support worker.
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