VCSE Health and Wellbeing Fund

As part of the VCSE Health and Wellbeing Fund, we are currently funding a helpline which has been established to provide support to parents of new-borns and young children in managing coughs, colds and chest infections.

This winter, the Boloh helpline is supporting parents of new-borns and young children in managing coughs, colds and chest infections. Barnardo’s has partnered with the RCPCH to provide a support, advice, and signposting service to all worried parents, with a particular focus on Black, Asian and minoritized communities. The support we can offer includes:

Speaking to trained advisors about your concerns Practical support for food vouchers, digital equipment, and more.

Housing and finance advice

Understanding signs and symptoms, and appropriate care in the home when your child is unwell Information on how and where to access health support Accompanying you to speak to NHS111 and 999 Registering with GPs Parents and carers can call Boloh helpline on 0800 151 2605. Professionals can also refer their service users to the helpline and a helpline advisor will contact them. Referrals can be made via this link, and a helpline advisor will call them back: https://helpline.barnardos.org.uk/professionals/boloh_referral_form

Our helpline advisors are trained to provide advice about respiratory illnesses in children aged 0-3. Our advisors can provide a service in English, Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu, Albania, Polish, Luganda, Ruyankole, Rukiga, Rutooro and Kinyarwanda. Interpreters can be provided for other languages.

You can find information on Barnardo’s website: https://helpline.barnardos.org.uk/