Advice and support 0 to 5

Wiltshire SHOUT (mental health support)

Wiltshire residents can text WILTS to 85258 to access free, confidential mental health support from a trained volunteer who will aim to get them to a safe and calm place. This will include coming up with a plan around how they are going to support themselves moving forward, and signposting to local support agencies where appropriate. They can help with anxiety and stress, depression or sadness, suicidal thoughts, self-harm, panic attacks, loneliness or isolation, abuse and bullying.

This service is available to Wiltshire residents of all ages, it is available 24/7 and won't appear on the bill.

For information about childcare local providers and Childcare Choices Scheme and financial support please visit: 

Childcare Support

Advocacy services are designed to give you impartial support in a range of situations. This may be to help formalise a child or young persons voice in a discussion or decision-making process. They are also a key aspect of mediation and legal proceedings when required.

For further details visit: Advocacy services.

You may be giving emotional support, or have to keep a close eye on the person you care for. Caring for someone can be demanding, and being identified as a carer can be important to get the support you need to continue in your caring role.

For more information visit:

Carer support 

Citizens Advice provides free, confidential and impartial advice to everyone on their rights and responsibilities, for example consumer rights or applying for benefits.

For further details visit: Citizens Advice.

FearFree are the domestic abuse support service in Wiltshire. They provide trauma-informed, person-centred support to victims of domestic abuse and their families. They provide this support to both adults and children who are victims of, or have been impacted by domestic abuse.

For support and further information please visit:

FearFree (opens new window)

This toolkit provides clear, simple key messages to promote positive health and wellbeing in its widest sense to support children in Wiltshire to have the Best Start in Life. It is not SEND specific but a useful resource for all parents.

For more information visit:

Best Start in Life Toolkit

Wiltshire Council provides a range of sessions on parenting across various ages and specialities.

Dingley's Promise

The Dingley's Promise training programme is a free training resource for all Early Years Practitioners or parents to take part in. It is designed to upskill and empower Early Years Practitioners or parents to expand their knowledge and expertise in inclusion. The training content consists of ten courses over five years, with training available to start right away. All courses are provided on an online self-guided study basis and include practical activities and webinars.

The first five courses are available now to take part in:

• Course 1 - Introduction to Inclusive Practice
• Course 2 - Transitions
• Course 3 - Managing behaviours that Challenge
• Course 4 - Having Difficult Conversations with Families
• Course 5 - The Voice of the Child

Where to sign up?

Dingley’s Promise: early years inclusion programme - Comic Relief (opens new window)

or if you would like to read more information visit our dedicated Right Choice page Right Choice: Dingley's Promise (opens new window).

The project will be running until summer 2026 and the last courses for training should be released 2025/2026 as we are in year 3 of the project now.

Time Out for Parents 

No diagnosis or EHCP required

Children with Special Needs (TOFP) is for parents and carers of children with additional or special needs aged 3-11 years. TOFP courses are 2 hours per week for 7 sessions and are free of charge. A medical or formal diagnosis is not required for parents and carers to attend. Wiltshire Council are working in partnership with the Wiltshire Parent Carer Council to offer these courses.

For further information and how to book courses please visit:

Time Out for Parents

Autism Parent Program

SWAPP is a partnership programme between parents and their child's setting or school that aims to build an understanding of autism and the challenges and delights it can present.

The programme aims to empower families and staff who are closely involved in supporting a child or young person with autism.

Sessions cover all aspects of autism including communication, sensory issues and behaviour.

For more information and booking details visit SWAPP Parenting Courses.

For further parenting programme details visit Parenting Programmes.

For information about Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Support accessible to military service personal and their families in Wiltshire visit:

SEND support 0 - 25 and the Military

Getting online and engaging with the digital world is an important part of modern life. It is increasingly how we access and engage with our services, where we find information, and how we communicate with each other. On this page you will find information on how to get online in Wiltshire, safely, and where to get support.

Getting online safely