Founded over 150 years ago, Family Action is one of England’s oldest charities focused on supporting vulnerable families through financial hardship, mental-health challenges, and relationship breakdowns. Their approach is broad, ranging from parenting classes to emergency grants, but they also run specific programmes addressing domestic abuse, child-contact disputes, and the emotional fallouts of separation or divorce.
For survivors (women or men) leaving abusive relationships, Family Action’s support workers collaborate with local domestic-abuse agencies to provide holistic interventions. This might include practical help, like sourcing grants for essential household items if the survivor fled with little more than the clothes on their back, or signposting to legal-aid solicitors for Non-Molestation Orders and child arrangements. Family Action also offers family-mediation services in certain areas, aiming to reduce conflict during divorce or separation.
If mediation isn’t safe or appropriate (e.g., high-risk domestic abuse), the charity guides clients toward more formal legal solutions. Additionally, Family Action invests heavily in early-intervention mental-health support for children in families where separation or conflict is ongoing, ensuring the youngest members receive counselling and do not internalise blame.
Key Services
- Family Support & Grants: Emergency funding for families in crisis, plus ongoing casework to stabilise finances.
- Domestic-Abuse Intervention: Collaboration with refuges, IDVAs, and local authorities to secure safety and legal remedies.
- Mediation & Parenting Courses: In some regions, professional mediators help reduce hostility in child-contact negotiations.
- Counselling for Children: Emotional support so kids can process separation, parental conflict, or witnessed abuse.
Why It’s Valuable
Family Action’s longevity means they’ve developed a deep understanding of the multi-layered challenges families face, especially around finances, mental health, and legal complexities. Their assistance extends beyond immediate crisis: after a survivor obtains a protective order or finalises a divorce, Family Action can stick around to help with budgeting, parenting support, or therapy for children. This continuity reduces the risk of relapsing into unsafe relationships due to financial dependency or unresolved trauma. By integrating practical, emotional, and legal guidance, Family Action helps separated or divorcing parents rebuild stable environments for themselves and their children – an approach that acknowledges that a safe separation is only the first step to genuine recovery.
Website: https://www.family-action.org.uk/
Registered Charity Number: 264713