Family Action — National
REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-29
What the service is
Family Action (family-action.org.uk) is a national charity, over 150 years old, working from the heart of local communities to support people through change, challenge and crisis. It protects children, supports young people and offers direct, practical help to families under stress — emotional support, practical help and services covering family relationships, parenting, mental health, financial worries and caring responsibilities.
Who it helps
- Families under stress — emotional and practical difficulties, conflict, money worries
- Parents struggling with parenting, mental health or caring responsibilities
- Children and young people, including families of children with neurodivergence (e.g. ADHD)
- Adults needing wellbeing support (some services are commissioned locally, e.g. via the NHS)
How to use it (steps)
1. Call FamilyLine, the free emotional support and guidance line, if you feel overwhelmed, worried or upset about any aspect of family life. 2. Or text or email FamilyLine if you prefer not to phone (contact details below). 3. Browse family-action.org.uk to find local Family Action services in your area (services vary by location and referral route — some accept self-referral, some need a professional referral). 4. Contact the national office by phone or email for general enquiries or to be pointed to the right local service.
Contact & location
- FamilyLine: freephone 0808 802 6666; text 07537 404282; email via the website - Monday to Friday, 9am–7pm
- National office: Family Action, 34 Wharf Road, London N1 7GR - Tel: 020 7254 6251 · info@family-action.org.uk
- Registered charity England & Wales no. 264713 (also registered in the Isle of Man no. 1206)
Costs (free/paid)
- FamilyLine is free.
- Most community services are free or low-cost; a small number of commissioned or specialist services may have eligibility criteria — check the individual service page.
How it fits your family court case
- Family Action is not a legal service and does not represent you in court — but the stress, conflict and practical pressures it helps with often sit behind private law and care proceedings.
- FamilyLine can be an emotional-pressure valve while your case is ongoing; a calmer, better- supported parent presents better to Cafcass and the court.
- If the court or Cafcass raises concerns about parenting capacity, mental health or household stability, engaging with a Family Action support service is evidence of constructive action.
- For legal advice itself, use our finding-a-family-solicitor page; for court-form help see Support Through Court.
Official links
- https://www.family-action.org.uk (main site)
- https://www.family-action.org.uk/about-family-action/contact-us (FamilyLine & contact details)
This page is general information, not legal advice. YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory and is not affiliated with Family Action.
Content verified against the official HMCTS court directory, gov.uk forms and fees pages, and the professional body registers (SRA, FMC, Bar Council). Last reviewed September 2026.