Family Friends

Family Friends supports families who are experiencing stress with parenting or difficult times in their lives to get back on their feet.

The support is free, confidential and open to any family with children under 16 living in Kensington and Chelsea. 

The parent befriending programme offers support to families through a trained volunteer who visits on a weekly basis and can help with a range of practical and emotional difficulties. The volunteers aim to help families discover their strengths, build confidence and resolve problems. A volunteer may introduce a parent to community resources, find out about relevant social benefits, visit the local park with them or give support around parenting.  

There is also a child/adolescent mentoring programme available to children aged between 5-16 years old. A trained mentor will support the child or young person to take part in weekly activities such as sports, art, reading, visiting parks or museums and homework help. The mentor is someone the child or young person can discuss their problems with and it can help support their social, emotional and educational development. 

All volunteers involved in Family Friends programmes are interviewed, police-checked, trained and receive weekly supervision from Family Friends' staff.