Sites we trust
Whole websites worth bookmarking — the organisations and charities we'd point a friend to. Each comes with an honest note on what it's good for and who it's for.
These are different from our curated links, which point to single articles worth reading. Here we're recommending whole sites you can come back to again and again. We've noted the country each one is rooted in — much of the guidance travels, but health systems, rights and services don't, so check what applies where you live.
Health & development
NHS
The UK's National Health Service. Free, dependable health information covering pregnancy, child health, common conditions and vaccinations — including the Start for Life programme for the early years. If you read one source for UK health questions, make it this one.
Visit nhs.uk →
Raising Children Network
Australia's government-funded parenting site, and one of the most comprehensive anywhere. Evidence-based articles organised by your child's age, from newborn to teenager, with a calm and practical tone that travels well beyond Australia.
Visit raisingchildren.net.au →HealthyChildren.org
The parent-facing site of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Paediatrician-backed guidance on health, development, safety and behaviour — the natural first stop for US families, and a useful second opinion for everyone else.
Visit healthychildren.org →UNICEF Parenting
Practical, warm parenting advice from UNICEF, written to work across very different countries and circumstances. Particularly strong on the early years and on the often-forgotten subject of looking after yourself as a parent.
Visit unicef.org/parenting →World Health Organization
The global public-health authority. Less day-to-day parenting, more the underlying evidence and guidance on child health, nutrition and development worldwide — handy when you want to know what the international consensus actually is.
Visit who.int →Mental health & wellbeing
YoungMinds
The UK's leading charity for children and young people's mental health. Clear, reassuring guidance for parents on everything from anxiety to self-harm, plus a free Parents Helpline when you need to talk to someone.
Visit youngminds.org.uk →Anna Freud
A children's mental health charity with a serious research base. Its resources for families and schools — especially around anxiety and supporting a struggling child — are thoughtful and free of jargon.
Visit annafreud.org →Child Mind Institute
A US non-profit focused on children's mental health and learning disorders. Its parent guides on anxiety, ADHD and behaviour are among the most thorough and readable anywhere online.
Visit childmind.org →Special educational needs & disability
IPSEA
The Independent Provider of Special Education Advice. Free, legally-grounded advice for families navigating the SEND system in England — genuinely invaluable when things become formal and you need to know your rights.
Visit ipsea.org.uk →Contact
A UK charity for families with disabled children, covering everything from diagnosis and benefits to the daily practicalities, with a helpline and a network of local groups. A good place to start when a diagnosis is new.
Visit contact.org.uk →Sibs
The only UK charity for the brothers and sisters of disabled children and adults — a group whose needs are easy to overlook. Practical support for siblings themselves and for the parents trying to share themselves around.
Visit sibs.org.uk →Mencap
A long-established UK charity supporting people with a learning disability and their families, with clear information on rights, education and the support that should be available.
Visit mencap.org.uk →Online safety
Internet Matters
A not-for-profit dedicated to children's online safety. Age-by-age guides, app reviews and step-by-step setup walkthroughs that make the digital world feel manageable rather than frightening.
Visit internetmatters.org →NSPCC
The UK's leading child protection charity. Trusted advice on keeping children safe both online and off, plus Childline — the free, confidential service for children and young people themselves.
Visit nspcc.org.uk →Family support & charities
Family Lives
A UK charity offering parenting and family support, including a confidential helpline, for everything from toddler tantrums to teenage troubles. Non-judgemental help for the hard days.
Visit familylives.org.uk →Winston's Wish
The UK's first childhood bereavement charity. Compassionate, practical help for children grieving a death — and, just as importantly, for the adults trying to support them through it.
Visit winstonswish.org →Zero to Three
A US non-profit focused entirely on the first three years. Excellent, developmentally-grounded material on early brain development, sleep and behaviour for the stage when everything feels new.
Visit zerotothree.org →