Where solo dads can get support
Updated: Oct 29
Parenting on your own means there is often nobody to hand over to at the end of a hard day. Most dads keep going and say nothing. You do not have to. These organisations are free, they know what they are doing, and you do not need to be in crisis to use them.
Solo Dad Tribe is not a helpline. We exist to point you to the people who do this brilliantly. Save this page so you have it when you need it.
If you are in danger right now
If your life or someone else's is at immediate risk, call 999. For urgent mental health help that is not an emergency, call NHS 111 and choose option 2.
Andy's Man Club: talk with other men
Andy's Man Club is a men's suicide prevention charity running free, peer to peer talking groups across the UK, with online groups for anyone without one nearby.
Groups meet every Monday at 7pm, except bank holidays.
Free, with no booking. You can just turn up.
No pressure to talk. You can simply listen.
Confidential and free of judgement.
Find your nearest group at andysmanclub.co.uk/groups.
Andy's Man Club is peer led, so it cannot offer immediate crisis support. If you need help straight away, use one of the services below.
Samaritans: someone to talk to, any time
Call 116 123, free from any phone, 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Welsh Language Line: 0808 164 0123.
You do not need to be suicidal to call. You can talk about anything that is weighing on you.
samaritans.org
CALM: Campaign Against Living Miserably
Call 0800 58 58 58, every day from 5pm to midnight.
Webchat and WhatsApp are also available through the CALM website.
Free, anonymous support for anyone who is struggling, has lost someone to suicide, or is worried about someone else.
thecalmzone.net
Shout: if you would rather text
Text SHOUT to 85258.
Free, confidential and available 24 hours a day.
Useful if a phone call feels like too much, or the kids are asleep in the next room.
giveusashout.org
Family Lives: help with parenting and family life
Sometimes you do not need a crisis line. You need someone to talk a parenting problem through with. Family Lives, previously known as Parentline, offers a free, confidential helpline for families in England and Wales.
Call 0808 800 2222.
Monday to Friday 9am to 9pm, weekends 10am to 3pm.
Call about anything: behaviour, school, separation, teenagers, or just feeling stretched.
familylives.org.uk
Gingerbread: the single parent community
Gingerbread is the national charity for single parent families in England and Wales. Its phone and webchat advice service closed in April 2025, but it still offers practical information online and more than 50 volunteer led groups where single parents meet and support each other.
Find information on money, work, benefits and family life on the Gingerbread website.
Join the community for local and online support, news and events.
gingerbread.org.uk
Look after yourself too
Your children need you well, not perfect. If you notice your sleep, mood, drinking or temper changing, speak to your GP, or to one of the services above. Asking for help is part of looking after your family.
This post offers signposting, not professional advice. Details were checked with each organisation's website in October 2026. Services can change, so check their websites for the latest information.
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